342 
JOURNAL OP THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
We will now turn our attention to the Workhouse. Here on 
entering we find the Royal Arms carved in stone, and painted with 
the date 1632, brought from the old workhouse in Catherine Street, 
together with a shield having a variation of the town arms; viz., 
arg. on a saltire vert beho. four castles sa., a beehive inter twelve 
bees volant ppr. The hive is really surtout rather than on the cross, 
for it projects beyond it ; while the bees are painted black in bold 
defiance of the heraldic law, which forbids colour being placed on 
colour, and metal on metal. This coat is repeated elsewhere in the 
building ; the origin of the additions seem lost in oblivion, probably 
some worthy official or officious worthy thought the hive and bees 
a most appropriate ensign for a " workhouse," so added them to the 
town arms, and doubtless believed he had immortalized himself by 
such a brilliant idea in thus forming an armorial shield for the 
hospital of the Poor's Portion, commonly known as the " Work- 
house." Surely there is a cruel irony in this shield, and the motto 
under it, which latter also adorned the gateway of the old Work- 
house ; namely, " By God's help through Christ." Passing upstairs 
to the board-room we find the panel very briefly mentioned by Mr. 
Worth. It is over the fireplace at the west end of the room, and 
contains forty-five shields, the last one being blank. Taking these 
shields in the order in which we should read them, if they were 
words on the pages of a book, we will make a record of the arms, 
and endeavour to identify to whose memory they were put up, 
which some commemorative tablets in the adjoining anteroom re- 
cording gifts to the Hospital of the Poor's Portion will help us 
to do. 
1. Arg. on a bend sa. three dolphins naient of the field for 
Symkin. Gilbert Symkin, Esq., bequeathed £20. On another 
tablet he is said to give £50, with the date 9 Sep. 1724 ; elsewhere 
the gift of thirty-two guineas is mentioned, with the date 1 May, 
1721; also Mr. John Symkin gave £10. Gilbert Symkin, of 
Alphraham, married Sarah, daughter of John Barker, of Clotton, 
and sister and coheir (with Anne, wife of Hugh Merson, of Clotton) 
of Richard Barker, merchant, of London, who d. s. p. in 1683; 
and of Daniel Barker, merchant, of Plymouth, who d. s. p. in 
1694, having been mayor in 1669 and 1681. Gilbert Symkin had 
issue Anne, married Joseph Barnett; and John Symkin, of Ply- 
mouth, who married, had a son, Gilbert Symkin, of Plymouth, 
d. s. p., before 31 Dec, 1748, and a daughter, Sarah, married to 
