the lids and bases marked John Houle, London 1811, of rounded rectangular form, gadrooned borders, engraved coat of arms and armorials, with a cast acanthus handle, the base with similar gadrooned border, the plated lower water dish with scroll bone handles, raised on four bun feet (Width: 26.5cm, combined weight of pair bases and covers with handles 107oz) Footnote: The Marital Arms of Stopford and Wilbraham with secondary Arms of Colman The armorial bearings as engraved upon this Pair of George III English Sterling Silver Entrée Dishes by John Houle hallmarked London 1811 are those of the family of Stopford impaling Wilbraham. 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. There are also secondary arms of the family of Colman which were much later engraved on these dishes. These armorial bearings undoubtedly commemorate the marriage of Admiral Robert Fanshawe Stopford (born 19th December 1811 died 4th January 1891) and his first wife, Emily Anna Wilbraham (born 29th November 1818 died 6th October 1862). Robert and Emma were married at the Parish Church of St George Hanover Square in the County of Middlesex on the 31st August 1843. Robert was the son of Admiral Sir Robert Stopford, GCB, GCMG and his wife, Mary Fanshawe, whilst Emily was the daughter of Captain William Wilbraham, Royal Navy. Robert was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy in 1830 and, as Commander of HMS Zebra, took part in operations off the coast of Syria during the Oriental Crisis in 1840. He was promoted to Captain in 1840 and given command of HMS Talbot in which he surveyed the Skerki Channel off the Island of Sardinia. He later commanded HMS Asia and then HMS Queen. He was further appointed Captain of the Fleet for the Channel Squadron in June 1860 and subsequently Commander-in-Chief, Channel Squadron in October 1860. In retirement he was promoted to the rank of Admiral on the 14th July 1871. In their later years, Robert and Lucy, his second wife lived at Mount Ararat Lodge at Richmond Hill in the County of Surrey. The later engtraved arns are used by the Colman family and may have been bought from the estae of the Stopford family in the late 19th century, there is apparently no genealogical connection between the two families