Sir William Portman, 6th Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir William Portman, 6th Baronet (5 September 1643 – 18 March 1690) FRS was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
between 1661 and 1690.
Portman was the son of Sir William Portman, 5th Baronet
and his wife Anne Colles, daughter of John Colles. He inherited the baronetcy
on the death of his father in 1646.
In 1661, Portman was elected Member of Parliament
for Taunton
for the Cavalier Parliament
and held the seat until 1679. In 1679 he was elected MP for Somerset
where he sat until 1685. He was then elected MP for Taunton again, and held the seat until his death in 1690.
Portman married three times but died without issue and the baronetcy became extinct.
, fifth baronet, by Anna, daughter and coheiress of John Colles of Barton. The father was returned for Taunton to both the Short and Long parliaments of 1640, but was disabled, as a royalist, to sit on 5 February 1644. On his death in 1648, William succeeded him as sixth baronet.
He matriculated at All Souls' College, Oxford, 26 April 1659, and at the Restoration
of 1660 was made a Knight of the Bath. He represented Taunton in parliament from 1661 until 1679, and from 1685 till his death. From 1679 to 1681 he sat for the county of Somerset. Apart from Sir Edward Seymour, he was accounted as influential a tory as any in the west of England.
He was a strong ‘abhorrer’ during the exclusion crisis in Charles II's reign, and while attending parliament in May 1685 he received a mysterious warning of the Duke of Monmouth's impending insurrection in the west. He directed the search of post-coaches in the neighbourhood of Taunton, in the hope of intercepting treasonable correspondence, and took an active part in investigating the causes of disaffection, and later on in organising the militia. After the battle of Sedgmoor (6 July 1685) Portman, with the Somerset militia, formed a chain of posts from Poole
to the northern extremity of Dorset, with a view to preventing Monmouth's escape. On 8 July he and Lord Lumley
captured the fugitive Duke near Ringwood
in the New Forest
, and did not trust him out of their sight until he was delivered safe at Whitehall
.
In November 1688 Portman joined the Prince of Orange
at Exeter
with a large following. William is said to have intended him for high promotion, but he died at his seat of Orchard Portman, near Taunton, on 20 March 1690. Sir William was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society on 28 December 1664.
, a descendant from a collateral branch, gave his name to Portman Square
(begun in 1764), and was ancestor of Edward Berkeley Portman, 1st Viscount Portman. Bryanston Square
is named after Bryanston
, the seat and estate purchased by Sir William in Dorset shortly before his death.
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
between 1661 and 1690.
Portman was the son of Sir William Portman, 5th Baronet
Sir William Portman, 5th Baronet
Sir William Portman, 5th Baronet was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1644. He supported the Royalist side in the English Civil War....
and his wife Anne Colles, daughter of John Colles. He inherited the baronetcy
Portman Baronets
The Portman Baronetcy, of Orchard in the County of Somerset, was a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 25 November 1611 for John Portman. He was the grandson of Sir William Portman, Lord Chief Justice of England between 1555 and 1557...
on the death of his father in 1646.
In 1661, Portman was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Taunton
Taunton (UK Parliament constituency)
Taunton was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and its predecessors from 1295 to 2010, taking its name from the town of Taunton in Somerset...
for the Cavalier Parliament
Cavalier Parliament
The Cavalier Parliament of England lasted from 8 May 1661 until 24 January 1679. It was the longest English Parliament, enduring for nearly 18 years of the quarter century reign of Charles II of England...
and held the seat until 1679. In 1679 he was elected MP for Somerset
Somerset (UK Parliament constituency)
Somerset was a parliamentary constituency in Somerset, which returned two Members of Parliament , known traditionally as knights of the shire, to the House of Commons of England until 1707, the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from...
where he sat until 1685. He was then elected MP for Taunton again, and held the seat until his death in 1690.
Portman married three times but died without issue and the baronetcy became extinct.
Life
He was the eldest son of Sir William Portman (1610–1648) of Orchard PortmanOrchard Portman
Orchard Portman is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated south of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. The village has a population of 150....
, fifth baronet, by Anna, daughter and coheiress of John Colles of Barton. The father was returned for Taunton to both the Short and Long parliaments of 1640, but was disabled, as a royalist, to sit on 5 February 1644. On his death in 1648, William succeeded him as sixth baronet.
He matriculated at All Souls' College, Oxford, 26 April 1659, and at the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
of 1660 was made a Knight of the Bath. He represented Taunton in parliament from 1661 until 1679, and from 1685 till his death. From 1679 to 1681 he sat for the county of Somerset. Apart from Sir Edward Seymour, he was accounted as influential a tory as any in the west of England.
He was a strong ‘abhorrer’ during the exclusion crisis in Charles II's reign, and while attending parliament in May 1685 he received a mysterious warning of the Duke of Monmouth's impending insurrection in the west. He directed the search of post-coaches in the neighbourhood of Taunton, in the hope of intercepting treasonable correspondence, and took an active part in investigating the causes of disaffection, and later on in organising the militia. After the battle of Sedgmoor (6 July 1685) Portman, with the Somerset militia, formed a chain of posts from Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
to the northern extremity of Dorset, with a view to preventing Monmouth's escape. On 8 July he and Lord Lumley
Richard Lumley, 1st Earl of Scarbrough
Richard Lumley, 1st Earl of Scarbrough was an English soldier and statesman best known for his role in the Glorious Revolution.-Origins:...
captured the fugitive Duke near Ringwood
Ringwood
Ringwood is a historic market town and civil parish in Hampshire, England, located on the River Avon, close to the New Forest and north of Bournemouth. It has a history dating back to Anglo-Saxon times, and has held a weekly market since the Middle Ages....
in the New Forest
New Forest
The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in the heavily-populated south east of England. It covers south-west Hampshire and extends into south-east Wiltshire....
, and did not trust him out of their sight until he was delivered safe at Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
.
In November 1688 Portman joined the Prince of Orange
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
at Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
with a large following. William is said to have intended him for high promotion, but he died at his seat of Orchard Portman, near Taunton, on 20 March 1690. Sir William was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society on 28 December 1664.
Family
He married three, but had no issue. He left a valuable estate to his nephew, Henry Seymour (d. 1728), a brother of Sir Edward, who assumed the name and arms of Portman. Henry William PortmanHenry William Portman
Henry William Portman was an 18th century housing developer, the ancestor of the Viscounts Portman.He was the son and heir of Henry William Berkeley Portman, by his wife Anne Fitch. He succeeded his father in the estates of Bryanston and Orchard Portman in 1761, and to the Berkeley estates at Pylle...
, a descendant from a collateral branch, gave his name to Portman Square
Portman Square
Portman Square is a square in London, part of the Portman Estate. It is located at the western end of Wigmore Street, which connects it to Cavendish Square to its east. It is served by London bus route 274...
(begun in 1764), and was ancestor of Edward Berkeley Portman, 1st Viscount Portman. Bryanston Square
Bryanston Square
Bryanston Square is a square in Marylebone, Westminster, London, England. Named after its owner Henry William Portman's home village of Bryanston in Dorset, it was built as part of the Portman Estate between 1810 and 1815, along with Montagu Square a little to the east and Wyndham Place to its...
is named after Bryanston
Bryanston
Bryanston is a village and civil parish in north Dorset, England, situated on the River Stour one mile west of Blandford Forum. The parish has a population of 968 . The village is adjacent to the grounds of Bryanston School, an independent school.The village was named after Brian de Lisle, a...
, the seat and estate purchased by Sir William in Dorset shortly before his death.