Sir Winston Churchill, KG, OM, CH: January saw the 46th anniversary of the death and funeral of Sir Winston Churchill, who died on 24 January 1965. Footage of the State Funeral of 30 January following has been published online by the BBC here. As a state occasion the funeral was organized by the Earl Marshal, with the Officers of Arms acting as his staff; many of the records of the arrangements are maintained in the archives of the College of Arms. Illustrated right is the ceremonial for the funeral service.

Centenary of Society of Genealogists: 2011 marks the centenary of the Society of Genealogists. It is perhaps surprising to learn that in February 1911 the proposed formation of the Society was opposed by the College of Arms. The heralds were evidently worried that the Society would divert professional genealogical work away from the College. Negotiations ensued, as a result of which a number of changes were made to the draft Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Society. Its incorporation as a company duly went ahead on 8 May 1911. Relations between the two bodies are altogether more cordial a century later. Several Officers of Arms have taken an active part in the Society's affairs, and the current President of the Society is Patric Dickinson, Clarenceux King of Arms. He has written a short piece about the 1911 dispute for the recently published Society of Genealogists: a century of family history. Arms were granted to the Society on the occasion of its 75th anniversary in 1986.

Clive Cheesman, Richmond Herald, has been appointed a member of the Lord Chancellor's Forum on Historical Manuscripts and Academic Research.

New archivist: After 32 years as Archivist at the College of Arms, Robert Yorke (right) has now retired from that position, to take up a different role at the College of Arms, working towards the publication of a new volume of the catalogue of manuscripts, which is to cover the important series of records and collections relating to the heralds' visitations. The College's new Archivist is Matthew Jones (left). He previously worked at East Sussex Record Office and Dorset Record Office, before becoming Archivist at Portsmouth Museums and Records Service. After a spell working for Nick Herbert MP, now Minister of State for Policing and Criminal Justice, he has now returned to the world of archives.

BOGGIS-ROLFE: an entry records four generations of this family, headed by Douglass Horace Boggis-Rolfe of Wormingford, Essex (born 1874). Connected with HEYDEMAN and COLLINS. Cross-referenced to Surrey 4/59 and Norfolk 34/195. College reference: Surrey 32/33.

FISHER: a pedigree of four generations descends to the present day from Charles Howard Kerridge Fisher of Compton Surrey, formerly of the Borough of Acton, Middlesex. He married in 1923 to Ethel Mary daughter of Sidney Reclift Chope. College reference: Surrey 32/46.

GRAINGER: a pedigree records a six-generation descent from George Albert Grainger of Camberwell, co. London (born 1865), and Emma Louisa his wife, daughter of George James Davis. College reference: Surrey 32/43.

HARCOURT: a pedigree records a descent from Sir Thomas Harcourt of Ellenhall, Staffordshire, of Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire, and of Market Bosworth, Leicestershire (died 1420). The descent continues via the families of BESILLS, FETIPLACE, PUREFOY, DORNE or THORNE. Three generations of the DUDLEY family include Thomas Dudley of Roxbury, Massachusetts, who emigrated to New England in 1630 in the "Winthrop Fleet" with his wife, two sons and four daughters. The descent then continues via the families of DENISON, five generations of ROGERS, then WENDELL, GOODWIN, WARNER and MILLAR. It concludes with a descent to the present day from James Millar of Plymouth, Massachusetts (born 1873), who married Margaret daughter of William Pearson Warner of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Cross-referenced to: Dugdale trefoil part 2/34; H20/14b; C12 part 2/133; G12/65; C8/65b-66; C14/146b-147. College reference: Norfolk 51/177.

SMITH and NEVILLE-SMITH: a pedigree of five generations is headed by Sir George John Smith of Truro, Cornwall (born 1845). He married Jane Symons, daughter of Edward Burgess of Wells, Somerset. Cross-referenced to Surrey 15/333. College reference: Surrey 32/39.

TRY: An entry records seven generations of this family, headed by Thomas Try of Hardwicke, Gloucestershire (died circa 1671), who married Anna daughter and coheir of Richard Jones of Hanham, Gloucestershire. It descends to Sarah Emma daughter of Hardwick (otherwise Hardwick Shakespeare) Trye, of Mile End Old Town, Middlesex. She married in 1852 to James Richards. Connected to WHITE and PAYNE. College reference: Norfolk 51/176.