The Marital Arms of Leche and Jones
The armorial bearings as engraved upon this
George II English Sterling Silver Rococo Pierced Swing Handled Basket
by Henry Bailey hallmarked London 1759
are those of Leche impaling Jones.
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) Ermine on a chief indented or 1 three ducal coronets or (for Leche)
(on the sinister) Gules a lion rampant within a bordure indented or (for Jones)
Crest:
Out of a ducal coronet or a cubit arm proper the hand grasping a snake vert (for Leche)
Motto:
Spes non fracta (My hope is not broken) (for Leche)
These armorial bearings undoubtedly commemorate the marriage of John Hurleston Leche
(23rd February 1827 died 21st June 1903), of Carden Park and Stretton Hall both in the County of Cheshire,
and his second wife, Eleanor Frances Jones (baptised 8th September 1838 died 7th August 1916).
John and Eleanor were married at the Parish Church of St John, Chester
in the County of Cheshire on the 18th June 1855.
John was the eldest son of John Hurleston Leche, of Carden Park aforesaid
and his wife, Elizabeth Antonia Stokes, whilst Eleanor was the second daughter of Captain Charles Stanhope Jones2,
of Beaumaris in the County of Anglesey and his wife, Elizabeth Eleanor Mary Williams.3
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1Here the 'chief' has been blazoned/tinctured as 'or' (gold) whereas most example of the arms of the Leche family arms,
the 'chief' is blazoned/tinctured as 'gules' (red). In the present case this anomaly is most probably down to an error
on the part of the family or of the engraver.
Such errors are not at all uncommon when it comes the engraving of arms or crests on antique silver
2Late of the 58th Regiment of Foot and Adjutant of the Royal Anglesey Militia.
3Elizabeth was the only daughter of John Williams, of Treffos, Co. Anglesey and his wife, Elizabeth Jane Winter Goddard.
Heraldry Courtery of John Tunesi of Liongam
MSc, FSA Scot, Hon FHS, QG
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