Background
He was the eldest son of Robert Hare-Naylor of Hurstmonceaux in Sussex, canon of Winchester (son of Francis Hare), by his first wife, Sarah, daughter of Lister Selman of Chalfont Street Peter, Buckinghamshire. His mother died when he was a child, and his father then married Henrietta Henckell. Francis Hare-Naylor had a legacy from his mother, and lived almost entirely in London.
She introduced him to her cousin Georgiana Shipley, fourth daughter of Jonathan Shipley, who had learned painting in Joshua Reynolds"s studio.
Career
Her eldest sister Anna Maria was the wife of Sir William Jones. In 1803 Georgian Hare-Naylor began a large series of pictures representing Hurstmonceaux Castle as it appeared before the demolitions. She finished her work, but then completely lost her sight.
In the following year the Hare-Naylors went to reside at Weimar, where the reigning duchess was on good terms with the family.
After his wife"s death Hare-Naylor never returned to Hurstmonceaux, and in 1807 he sold the estate. In April 1815 he died, after a lingering illness, at Tours, and was buried beneath the altar of Hurstmonceaux Church.
The four sons of Francis with Georgiana Hare-Naylor, Francis, Augustus, Julius, and Marcus, were born in Italy.