Born in the shipping town of Plymouth to a father who was a landscape artist, Condy, though intended for a career in the Army or Navy, instead took to recording the ships that made up the farbric of his daily life. After turning to painting professionally his work attracted the early admiration of the Earl of Egremont, J M W Turner's patron. Three of his sea-pieces were exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1842 to 1845 but his promising career ended with his sudden and premature at 33.

Condy used a detailed knowledge of ships acquired in his home town to paint accurate ship portraits, and his native Devon countryside is featured in such paintings as Ships off Devonport and The Post Office Packet Shelldr...