Benjamin Marshall

Painted for Robert Jones (1773–1834), Fonmon Castle, Glamorganshire;

Thence descent from the sitter to Oliver Harris Valpy (1876–1914);

By inheritance to to his sister Clara Valpy (1877–1969), who married Seymour William Brooke Boothby (1866–1951); 

Thence by descent in the Boothby family at Fonmon Castle, Vale of Glamorgan, to the present owners. 

Cardiff, National Museum of Wales, 1951.

A. Oswald, ‘Fonmon Castle, Glamorgan III: The Home of Sir Seymour Boothby, Bt., and Lady Boothby’, in Country Life, vol. 105, no. 2724, pp. 736–737, no. 8, reproduced;

J. Steegman, A Survey of Portraits in Welsh Houses, vol. 2, Cardiff 1962, p. 97, no. 41;

A.D. Fraser Jenkins, 'The Paintings at Fonmon Castle', in S. Williams, Stewart Williams’ Glamorgan Historian, vol. 7, Glamorgan 1971, p. 70, reproduced.

Poulton, foaled in 1805 out of Fanny by Sir Peter, was bred by Mr. Clifton. He was sold to Robert Jones of Fonmon Castle (1773–1834), Glamorganshire, and raced for him in 1811 and 1812. In 1811 he ran six times, winning the Gold Cup at Oxford. He was then retired to stud at Fonmon Castle. In the painting Sam Chifney (1786–1854) is shown wearing Robert Jones's colours. Sam Chifney Jr. was born in 1786 and followed his father as a jockey. He had a remarkable racing career, being five times winner of the Oaks and twice winner of the Derby. In 1843 he won the 100 Guineas at the age of fifty-seven. Jointly with his brother William Chifney the trainer, he owned stables at Newmarket, where they trained for both Mr. Thornhill and Lord Darlington. He died in Brighton in 1854.