John Norris (1721–1786)

Fortunately his wife, Ellen Savage, came from a very wealthy family in Bishop's Tachbrook, Warwickshire, and when her father died she inherited property and lands worth £140,000.

On his father's death, John Norris inherited land and property in Warwickshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire and in Islington.

[3] Charles was a topographical etcher and writer who is best known for his landscape work of the Welsh countryside, especially the area around Tenby.

One explanation was that the two men signalled bets to each other, but it has been suggested that they were involved in an espionage network, and that during the period of the American War of Independence Norris passed secret information to Dashwood, who was Postmaster General from 1765 to 1781.

This theory is supported by a letter written by Norris, dated 3 June 1778, in which he notes: "Did this day heliograph intelligence from Dr Franklin in Paris to Wycombe".