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Way back in 1794 Maria Newsom, daughter of the Rev James Bowden and grand-daughter of JAMES SHRAPNELL of Trowbridge embroidered a piece of tapestry. This unique piece of material contained the image of the SHRAPNELL Coat of Arms a likeness of which appeared on the head of our early newsletters. The provenance of this Coat of Arms attributed to the Trowbridge branch of the family has yet to be justified. It has appeared on a name profile issued by one of the recent, now defunct, spate of firms who offer instant ancestry claims. Regrettably no source for this can be found. However, the exciting news is that an original tapestry has turned up and disappeared again! In 1998 an auctioneer's sale inventory contained the following text:
18th Century oval silkwork panel of the Shrapnell Coat of Arms festooned with garlands of flowers and with spear and axe crest, framed.
So here was what could be an original nine by five inch depiction of our Coat of Arms, assumed or otherwise. But this was 1998 and I found out about it in November 2000 by which time it had been sold. No help from the auctioneer, I'm afraid. So who bought it and where is it now!! It would be good to know that it is still in the family. ANYONE ANY CLUES? |
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SO WHERE IS THE FIRST KNOWN COAT OF ARMS? |
