A gentleman called William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath (1684-1764), in blue velvet coat, silver and blue embroidered floral beige waistcoat, tied cravat with tassels, full-bottomed powdered curling wig

William, son of William Pulteney by his first wife, Mary Floyd, was educated at Westminster School and at Christ Church, Oxford, after which he made the Grand Tour on the Continent. In 1705 he became wig member for the borough of Heydon, a seat he held until 1734. As a Member of Parliament, Pulteney took an active part in politics over many years and was disgusted by Walpole's indifference to his claims and in 1728 breached his friendship with Sir Robert Walpole and created a powerful opposition. He was Bolingbroke's chief assistant in the Craftsman which involved him in many political controversies. On Walpole's resignation, Pulteney was sworn into the privy council and in 1742 he was created Earl of Bath. He married Anna Maria, daughter and co-heiress of John Gumley of Isleworth, commissary general to the army in 1714 and had one son, William who died unmarried in 1763.