Royal Navy captain's name

[sheeponahill]

What is this captain’s name please? It looks like Hames or Hanes, Hamer or Haner. Maybe even Horner?

It was painted in 1825 when he was in his 77th year, so born in 1748-1749 by my reckoning.

It says “Captain” and “R.N.” but he may have worked as a captain of a merchant vessel after serving with the Royal Navy in a more junior capacity (everything is possible).

Please note - this image is part of a picture listed for auction currently with Griffin’s Auctioneers and the images are theirs:
https://auctions.griffinsauctions.co.uk/catalogue/lot/0c80aa7ba7aa0538b41b1fd87f874fa3/bc09431f170ad976be15f1da4fefbdfd/antiques-interiors-collectables-lot-531/

(@admin, I think this is ok isn’t it?)

[Tin man]

I reckon it looks like Captain Hamer R.N.

[Bookbox]

It's hard to see, but I think it is n in the middle, not m. It could be Horner.

[sheeponahill]

I wondered about Horner too…

[maddys52]

I don't think it ends with an "s" or an "r", the last 2 letters look more like the "en" in "taken" and "then" below. I think the second letter is most like an "a". So possibly HANEN? Or maybe HANSEN or HARSEN?

Although HORNER would make more sense - there are a number of newspaper references in the late 1700s/early 1800s to a Captain HORNER (probably more than one).

[sheeponahill]

Thank you. I’ve had very little luck figuring out who it is. I feel like I should have enough between the partial name, captain rank and year of birth, but nothing yet.

[Wiggy]

Could it be Hanee I wonder?

[maddys52]

That got me thinking Wiggy. could also be HANCE. I can see references to a Captain HANCE RN around the right time.

[Wiggy]

Definitely a possibility.   Better than Hanee too.