Coalport plate from a service for George Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Grafton, c. 1825
$185.00 AUD
Coalport Armorial silver-shape plate, of simple white form with two gilt lines to rim & gadrooned edge, decorated with the crest of George Henry Fitzroy (1760-1844), 4th Duke Grafton, consisting a lion on a ‘cap of maintenance ‘, a crown above, in gold.
Impressed ‘2’ above ‘2’,
circa 1825
26.5cm
Condition: Gold worn, with re-touching evident to the crest, some wear to gold line.
George Henry Fitzroy (1760-1844), 4th Duke Grafton , was a Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons 1782-1811. He went to school at Trinity, Cambridge, alongside William Pitt the Younger. In 1784, the two of them were elected Members of Parliament for Cambridge.
In the same year, he married Charlotte Maria Waldegrave, Horace Walpole’s niece and granddaughter of Sir Edward Walpole by his mistress, Dorothy Clements. He was widely liked, and a strong supporter of Pitt & his enlightened policies. In 1811, on the death of his father, he left politics when he became Duke of Grafton. The Duke was famous for dressing whimsically, with a tall hat, brightly-colored frock coat and tightly strapped trousers, and always carrying a tightly-rolled umbrella under his arm at public gatherings.
The family home where this service was probably used was Euston Hall, Suffolk. Although 17th century in origin, it was extensively remodelled in 1750, and had its grounds laid out by William Kent: this in turn was ‘enhanced’ by Capability Brown in the 1780’s. Today, the 12th Duke of Grafton lives there.
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