Thomas Henry Coventry (1721-44) was a pupil at Winchester 1730-36. He was the eldest son of the 5^th Earl of Coventry, whom he predeceased, leaving his brother George to succeed to the Earldom.

This is one of a group of portraits known as the ‘Gentlemen Commoners’. Commoners were fee-paying pupils, distinct from the 70 Scholars supported by the foundation. Most Commoners lodged in the town, but a small number lived in College. In the early 18^th century, these resident Commoners included several aristocratic pupils, whose enrolment at the school was actively encouraged by Dr John Burton (Headmaster, 1724-66). The attendance of these blue-blooded pupils was commemorated in a series of portraits by Isaac Whood, dated 1731-32 and 1737. Twelve of these portraits remain at Winchester, including one of Thomas Henry Coventry’s youngest brother, John Bulkeley Coventry (Ao3). The middle brother, George, is the subject of a missing portrait from the series of Gentleman Commoners, last seen on the art market in 1963.

Literature: A.F. Leach, A History of Winchester College (London, 1899), pp. 376, 382-84; Winchester Archaeological Society, Winchester College: its history, buildings and customs (Winchester, 1926), p. 160; Christopher Rowell, ‘Portraits of ‘Dr Burton’s Commoners’ at Winchester College’, British Art Journal, XIV.1 (2013), pp. 3-17; R. Foster, Winchester College Treasury: a guide to the collections (Winchester, 2016), p. 11; R. Foster (ed.), 50 Treasures from Winchester College (London, 2019), pp. 104-5

Location: Master in College’s dining room

Provenance: Probably commissioned by Dr John Burton (Headmaster, 1724-66)