William draycott (d. 1753) of chelsea, middlesex and of sunbury court in middlesex. Draycott avenue and draycott place in chelsea are named after him. Inscribed: "mr draycot g(rand) father/ to anna maria/ cts (countess) of pomfret. In baker's northamptonshire anna maria is described as "granddau & h(eiress). Of william draycot of chelsea, co. Middx. Esq. " (george baker, the history of antiquities of the county of northamptonshire, 1838, part iv, p. 145). The paternity of anna maria draycott (c. 1736-1787) is a mystery. She was born "anna maria delagard", and was the sister of william delagard of bombay, a member of the council of bombay. She was bequeathed the valuable yorkshire mining interests of philip wharton, 1st duke of wharton (1698-1731), by his sister lady jane coke, who referred to anna maria as her "niece" and is said to have "brought her up" from childhood. (british mining, no. 45, northern mine research society, sheffield, 1992, p. 153[1]; christoper clarkson, history of richmond, 1814, p. 142[2], quoted in british mining, no. 45, northern mine research society, sheffield, 1992, p. 153). Was she the illegitimate daughter of the duke of wharton, who lived a dissipated lifestyle, and spent much time in france? was his mistress's name delagard? anna maria's gratitude to lady jane coke her benefactor and supposed aunt is recorded on an inscribed monument she erected to her in st mary's church, sunbury, where she was buried, but with no stated indication of the relationship: "this monument was erected by anna maria draycott as the least honour that gratitude could pay to her memory"[3]. Anna maria draycott married george fermor, 2nd earl of pomfret (1722–1785), of easton neston house in northamptonshire, where this portrait of her grandfather remained in the possession of her descendants until until sold in 2005, on the sale of the easton neston estate by baron hesketh. Date: between circa 1700 and circa 1739.
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