A member of the Sheffield family, Dorothy was the daughter of a baronet.
Her ancestor had built Buckingham House, later to become Buckingham Palace.
She was to marry into one of the wealthiest families in England, never imaging that one day she would become a Viscountess.
Dorothy Marie Isolde was born on 23 April 1878. Her mother was Priscilla Dumaresq and her father was Sir Robert Sheffield, 5th Baronet.
The family lived at Normanby Hall near Scunthorpe.
Lady Portman was described by all who knew her as a proper lady. She was pleasant and kind to all.
Life as a debutante
We do not know when Dorothy met her future husband, but likely it was they mixed in the same social circles.
Gerald was a Captain in the 10th Hussars, a cavalry regiment. Serving in this same regiment was one the Hon. Dudley Pelham, brother to the 4th Earl of Yarborough of Brocklesby Park.
Portman and Pelham were friends; the upper gentry connection and a fondness for hunting, may have brought Portman this way on visits. Portman is mentioned in Captain George Collins’ book on the Brocklesby Hounds of 1901 and the way it reads suggests he was well acquainted with riding out with the field prior to 1901.
Pelham was certainly on good terms with Richardson, the owner of Healing Manor, as he had married his mother, the Dowager Countess of Yarborough on his father’s death. He probably introduced Portman to him, which is how in 1902 he came to own Healing Manor.
Marriage
She married Gerald Berkeley Portman on 16 July 1902. They were married at the church in Burton upon Stather. The estate workers gathered to see and a flower arch was put up.
One of the workers wrote a beautiful poem (see image above) about her and her husband.
It was a Baronet’s daughter,
One of a noble family.
Miss D. Sheffield was the young lady’s name,
At Normanby Hall she did dwell.
A handsome young lady I knew full well.
She was always pleasant, kind and free,
And a lady in every degree.
J.H
Children
Gerald and Dorothy had three children, Gerald, Michael and their youngest, Penelope, who would inherit Healing Manor on her mother’s death in 1964 and remain there until her death in 1987.
Gerald would become the 8th Viscount on his father’s death in 1948. Look out for a future post on the 7th Viscount.
Love of horses
Lady Portman was very fond of horses and owned racehorses, as well as both being great supporters of the Brocklesby Hunt.
She was another fine horsewoman who frequently rode out with the Brocklesby Hunt alongside her husband.
She also presented a silver cup to Market Rasen Racecourse. Pre war the couple had success with their horse Marriage Settlement.
Title
Her husband came into the family title in 1946 following the death of his brother.
So it was on 2 November 1946 Dorothy became known as Viscountess Portman of Bryanston.
Life at Healing
By all accounts, Viscountess Portman was a lovely lady – friendly and pleasant, with a dry sense of humour. In later life she had to use a motorised wheelchair to get about as she had her leg amputated, and was often seen in Healing and would stop to talk to people and admire their children.
Estate workers, said she would often be seen in the fields around the estate stubbing out thistles with her stick, and to have seen her, in an old felt hat and coat, you would not have taken her for a Viscountess.
She did, however, expect to be called “m’lady” and wow betide anyone who did not address her accordingly. She would always greet you with a ‘good morning’ or ‘afternoon’ for hello was reserved for the telephone.
Her companion for many years was the Hon Mildred Foley. Miss Foley never married and came from a prominent family in military circles.
Lady Portman had a wonderful sense of humour. Her farm manager Mr Robinson always wanted a combine harvester, and one day she presented him with a toy one on his birthday.
On his retirement she presented him with a clock and on his wedding day she lent him the chauffeur and a car.
Family
Dorothy was known as Aunt Dolly by her many nieces and nephews. She was fondly thought of.
She owned a parrot, which flew around Healing Manor and talked. When she visited her family at Normanby Hall the parrot would go with her and terrorise the staff as it flew around. The ghostly presence of the parrot has often been felt by residents at Healing Manor – more about that in my ghosts of the Manor blog.
Theft
In 1932, it was reported in a newspaper article that Nelson Carter, chauffeur to Lady Portman, stole a box containing £9000 worth of jewels from the car while on the road between Watford and Hemel Hempstead.
Death
She died on 21 May 1964 and is buried with her husband in the graveyard in Healing.
Guided Tours around North East Lincolnshire 