Description: Captain William Wade (MC 1769-1777) was elected as a compromise candidate in a contentious election for the Master of Ceremonies. He was also known as the Bath Adonis. He wears the medallion that denotes his office as MC. He was forced to retire after being named in the divorce proceedings of Elizabeth Campbell, whom he later married.
Painted by Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788), oil on canvas. Noted for his portraits, though he enjoyed painting landscapes, Gainsborough was one of the founding members of the Royal Academy. He came to Bath from his native Suffolk in 1759, attracting a fashionable clientele from the visiting gentry. He moved to London in 1774 where he refined his trademark portrait, combining landscape with the figure.