Richards Lyde Hornbrook was born in 1783, probably in Plymouth. He joined the Royal Navy and took part in the Napoleonic wars. In June 1836 he arrived in Donostia to take part in the First Carlist War. He moved into the Lord John Hay Fort in Pasaia where he painted some of his watercolours. He took part in the actions in Oriamendi, and the capture of Hernani, Irun and Hondarribia. He stayed in the Basque Country until August 1840. He died in Plymouth in May 1856.
His son, Thomas Lyde Hornbrook, was born in 1808 and acquired certain prestige as a sea painter. Around 1830 he began to become well known and produced some of his best work, which is now hanging in the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich and other renowned collections. In 1836 he came to San Sebastián as an officer in the British Legion, at the same time as his father was staying there. He painted a series of watercolours about the Carlist war, some of which were reproduced as lithographs entitled: “Twelve views in the Basque Provinces illustrating several of the actions in which the British Legion was engaged with Carlist Troops”. He returned to England, probably together with his father, in August 1840. He died in Plymouth in August 1855.