Pair Oval Georgian Silver Salvers London 1789

The Marital Arms of the Families of Portman and Wyndham  

 

 

The armorial bearings as engraved upon this Pair of George III Sterling Silver Salvers by Elizabeth Jones, hallmarked London 1789 are those of the family of Portman impaling those of the family of Wyndham. These armorial bearings denote the marshalling of a marital coat showing on the dexter (the heraldic right on the left as you view the piece) the arms of the husband and on the sinister (the heraldic left on the right as you view it) the arms of the wife. They may be blazoned as follows:

 

Arms:

 

(on the dexter)              Quarterly 1st and 4th Or a fleur-de-lis azure (for Portman) and 2nd and 3rd Gules a chevron ermine between ten crosses paty or (for Berkeley)

 

(on the sinister)             Azure a chevron between three lions’ heads erased or (for Wyndham)

 

Motto:                          ‘Pauca suspexi pauciora dexpexi’

 

Supporters:                   On either side a savage wreathed about the waist and temples with ivy holding in the exterior hand a club resting on the shoulder all proper* (for Portman)

 

 

These armorial bearings undoubtedly commemorate the marriage of Henry William Portman, of Orchard Portman in the County of Somerset and of Bryanston in the County of Dorset and Anne, daughter of William Wyndham, of Dinton. This marriage took place at some time during the late 18th century. Henry William Portman was the son of Henry William Portman, (died 1761) of Orchard Portman and Bryanston and his wife, Anne, daughter of William Fitch and the grandson of William Berkeley later Portman who took the name and arms of Portman in consequence of an Act of Parliament in the ninth year of the Reign of George II. It is interesting to note that the Henry William Portman whose marital arms are the subject of this report also had a Wyndham descent through the marriage of his five times great grandfather, Sir William Portman, 5th Baronet of Orchard Portman (born circa 1610, died 1645 or 1648) to Elizabeth, (whom in had married circa 1644) daughter and co-heir of John Colles, of Barton and his wife, Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir of Humphery Wyndham, of Wiveliscombe.

 

* It is not known why Henry William Portman used supporters to his armorial bearings as these are usually the prerogative of peers, Knights of the Garter, Thistle and St Patrick and Knights Grand Cross or their equal at the time of the engraving of these salvers. A few baronets were also allowed supporters to their arms. Certainly Henry William Portman has a descent from the Barons Berkeley created in the Peerage of England in 1295 in common with his distant kinsmen, the Barons Berkeley of Stratton (created 1659, this barony fell into extinction upon the death of the 5th Baron in 1773) who used the supporters and motto as cited above. Although no direct connection existed between Henry William Portman and his Berkeley of Stratton kinsmen he may well have unofficially adopted their supporters and motto by way of remembrance. Today, the Viscounts Portman still bear as their dexter supporter, a savage with its attendant club.