Sir Godwin Portman
A man of imposing judgement, notable bearing and a moustache entirely consistent with his responsibilities.
Company History
About Us
A distinguished commercial house founded in London and preserved, against considerable odds, by tradition.
Portman-Shields was founded in London in 1857 by Sir Godwin Portman and Sir Edward Shields as a distinguished commercial house with an adjoining manufactory dedicated to the production of reusable lavatory paper.
From the very beginning, the two founders considered it their solemn duty to bring the noble principles of sustainability into harmonious accord with the more unavoidable requirements of the human condition.
What began as a modest yet visionary enterprise soon developed into an institution of considerable self-regard. In subsequent years, Portman-Shields expanded its activities beyond its original manufacturing concerns and entered the fields of advisory practice and the accompaniment of matters, objects, and circumstances of varying consequence.
As the joint heads of an increasingly influential firm of tradition, Portman and Shields became widely admired for their uncommon ability to avoid opportunities with remarkable precision, regarding each of them, without exception, as a crisis in waiting.
History
A Portrait of the House
Founders
The Two Gentlemen
Sir Edward Shields
A visionary companion to ventures, remembered with respect following his final expedition and its regrettably conclusive outcome.
1863
A Further Development of Consequence
In 1863, Portman-Shields once again demonstrated its visionary approach to matters by securing none other than Lady Agatha Lane Dungeon for the firm, who, naturally, assumed responsibility for Human Resources & Diversity.
Her appointment was received internally as a development of considerable significance, and externally as yet another sign that the firm possessed an uncommon instinct for recognising priorities long before others had agreed upon their existence.
In time, Lady Agatha came to be regarded as an indispensable presence within the broader governance of Portman-Shields, bringing order, poise, and a very particular understanding of people to an institution not always naturally inclined toward them.
Lady Agatha Lane Dungeon
Widely credited with introducing a more structured approach to personnel, representation, and the discreet management of sensitivities, often before the sensitivities themselves had fully emerged.
Today
Company Today
Today, Portman-Shields remains firmly committed to the traditions of its core business while embracing, with appropriate caution, the possibilities offered by new technologies.
The company did, however, formally abandon the concept of reusing lavatory paper in the aftermath of the Second Global Economic Crisis of 2007, a decision now regarded internally as one of its more forward-looking retreats.
The firm’s broader work in the advisory practice and accompaniment of matters continues to form an essential part of its daily operations. This field encompasses a wide range of activities, to which the staff apply themselves with considerable enthusiasm, measured optimism, and, on an almost daily basis, a notable degree of intensity.