Thomas Savory was born at Cowley, Gloucestershire in 1776. At the age of 14 he was apprenticed to Thomas Cother, the principal chemist and apocathary in Cheltenham. In 1794 Thomas Paytherus established a chemist shop at 136 (later re-numbered 143) New Bond Street, in Mayfair. The business was successful but by 1806 he decided to seek new partners. It was in this year that Thomas Savory and Thomas Moore joined Paytherus to form the firm Paytherus, Savory and Moore.

The new partnership prospered and Thomas Savory lived at 22 Sussex Place, Regents Park, where he entertained lavishly. A frequent guest was the Duke of Sussex, who on one occasion, expressed his admiration for the large tankard owned by his host. Before the Duke left the house Thomas Savory arranged for the tankard to be placed in the Duke's carriage. When the Duke died in 1843, heavily in debt, Christie's were instructed to sell his large collection of gold and silver. The sale lasted four days. Savory bought back the tankard at the sale and it has remained in his family to this day.

A number of very similar tarkards survive, the majority of which have the maker's mark of Jacob Bodendick. A sleeve tankard with an identical thumbpiece and handle, by him, was exhibited at The Burlington Fine Arts Club, 1901, plate CXI.