Andrew Riccard

Sir Andrew Riccard (c. 1604 – 6 September 1672) was an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1654. Background & family Riccard was born in Portesham, the son of Walter Riccard. He married firstly Catherine, daughter of a leading East India merchant and MP. Their only surviving daughter Christiana married successively Lord Kensington, son of the second Earl of Holland, and John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton, by whom she was ancestress of the succeeding Lords. He married, secondly, Susanna Bateman who survived him and was buried 17 Mar 1686 at St Olave’s. Portesham In 1634 Riccard was rich enough to pay for a coat of arms, which included, as a crest referring to his eastern trade, a ‘Saracen’s head’ wearing a turban. He is said to have used the motto ‘Possum’ (Latin ‘I am able’) which was also the common name of the village of his birth. He purchased the manor of Portesham, which (on his death) passed to his daughter and her second husband.