January 2021 Newsletter (no. 63)

St Stephens House ACB patent compressed THE SOCIETY OF ST STEPHEN’S HOUSE: A grant of Arms, Crest and Badge was made by Letters Patent of Garter, Clarenceux and Norroy and Ulster Kings of Arms dated 2 November 2020. The Letters Patent recite briefly this institution's history, founded in Oxford in 1876, and now a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford. The blazon is as follows:

Arms: Per chevron Gules and Sable in chief two Cross Crosslets and in base a Celestial Crown Or.

Crest: Upon a Helm with a Wreath Or and Gules An Eagle rising wings displayed and inverted Or supporting with the dexter wing a Candlestick Gules therein a candle Argent enflamed proper.

Badge: A Cross crosslet Or surmounted by a Closed Book Gules leaved Argent and charged with a Key wards upwards Or.

News

Coronavirus: In normal times the College of Arms is open every weekday to any caller who may wish to see the Earl Marshal's Court with its early eighteenth-century courtroom interior, or to raise with the Officer in Waiting any questions they may have about coats of Arms, heraldry, genealogy, flags and related matters. Sadly during the present restrictions as a result of COVID-19 we are not able to receive any visitors in person. The work of the College continues however, and we are still happy to respond to enquiries sent to us using the form on the website here, or by telephone.

Order of the British Empire: John Petrie, Windsor Herald, was appointed O.B.E. in the New Year's Honours List for Antigua and Barbuda, for services to that country. The appointment is gazetted here

Royal Victorian Order: Christopher Mann, fundraiser to the College of Arms Trust, was appointed M.V.O. in the New Year's Honours List, for services to Cumberland Lodge. The appointment is gazetted here.

Flag-Flying News mailing list: The College of Arms is now operating a free email service, by which those who subscribe will receive up-to-date advice on official flag-flying days, instructions for flying flags at half-mast, and other relevant information. The email can be received by subscribing here.

Recent Grants of Arms

A very small selection of those recently receiving grants or exemplifications from the English Kings of Arms:

BRANSBY, Leonard James, of Wasperton, Warwickshire. Arms and Crest. Garter and Clarenceux Kings of Arms. 23/11/2020. College reference: Grants 183/78.

CHIDIAC, Michael, of Luxembourg in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Arms, Crest and Badge. Garter, Clarenceux and Norroy and Ulster Kings of Arms. 26/10/2020. College reference: Grants 183/59.

ESTEVES, Francisco Da Silveira Ramos, of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. Arms, Crest and Badge. Garter and Clarenceux Kings of Arms. 17/12/2021. College reference: Grants 183/98.

HESTER, Richard George, of Alcester, Warwickshire. Arms and Crest. Garter and Clarenceux Kings of Arms. 24/11/2020. College reference: Grants 183/84.

HOMERSHAM, Brian John, of Kingsclere, Hampshire. Arms and Crest. Garter and Clarenceux Kings of Arms. 20/11/2020. College reference: Grants 183/108.

HUNT, Diana Ray, of Little Wenham, Suffolk. Arms, Crest and Badge. The limitations of the grant were extended to include the other descendants of her father Sir Leslie Kenneth Edward BOREHAM late of Great Wenham, Suffolk, knight. Garter and Clarenceux Kings of Arms. 18/12/2020. College reference: Grants 183/118.

JOSHI, Manojkumar Narottam Liladhar, of the City of Bradford, DL, son of Narottam Liladhar Meghji Joshi late of Derby, Derbyshire. Arms, Crest and Badge. The limitations of the grant were extended to the other descendants of his late father. Garter and Norroy and Ulster Kings of Arms. 30/11/2020. College reference: Grants 183/88.

Kelly001 cropped compressed A grant of Arms, Crest and Badge was made to Peter David John KELLY of Penn, Buckinghamshire, by Letters Patent of Garter and Clarenceux Kings of Arms dated 3 December 2020. College reference: Grants 183/102. The blazon of the Arms, illustrated right, is as follows:

Arms: Purpure two White Tigers combatant proper supporting between them with the exterior forepaws and the interior hindpaws a Tower of one Port Argent and holding aloft with the interior forepaws an Acorn Or.

Crest: Upon a Helm with a Wreath Or and Purpure The Top of a Tower Argent issuing therefrom a Cedar of Lebanon proper in each embrasure of the battlements a Leopard’s Face Or.

Badge: Two Cannon Barrels in saltire Sable between four Acorns in cross heads outwards Or.

MORAN, James McMoran, Baron, (Wilson), son of Richard John McMoran, Baron Moran, KCMG, deceased, son of Charles McMoran, Baron Moran, MC, also deceased. Arms, Crest and hereditary Supporters. The limitations of the grant were extended as to the Arms and Crest to the other descendants of his late father and grandfather; and as to the Supporters, to those to whom the title and dignity should descend. Garter King of Arms. 25/9/2020. College reference: Grants 183/46.

MORROW, Adam Christopher, of the City of Westminster. Honorary Arms and Crest. Garter, Clarenceux and Norroy and Ulster Kings of Arms. 16/10/2020. College reference: Grants 183/112.

A grant of Arms and Crest was made to François SEMERDJIAN of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, by Letters Patent of Garter and Clarenceux Kings of Arms dated 21 October 2020. College reference: Grants 183/42. The Arms (illustrated left) are blazoned:

Arms: Per chevron Or and Azure in chief two Dolphins haurient respectant and in base issuant from the centre point an Arm palewise the Hand in base palm outwards all counterchanged.

Crest: Upon a Helm with a Wreath Or and Azure Issuant from the Capital of an Ionic Column Azure charged with two Roundels Or a demi Panther guardant Pean holding between the forepaws a Lily Argent slipped and leaved Vert.

TOBIN, Michael, of the London Borough of Southwark, OBE. Arms, Crest and Badge. Garter and Clarenceux Kings of Arms. 27/10/2020. College reference: Grants 183/55.

VALECHA, Ajay Gopal, of the City of Westminster. Arms and Crest. Garter and Clarenceux Kings of Arms. 2/11/2020. College reference: Grants 183/76.

WEIR, John Charles Harold, of Hempstead, Medway. Arms and Crest. Garter and Clarenceux Kings of Arms. 4/12/2020. College reference: Grants 183/104.

WILSON, Richard Colin, of Mere, Wiltshire, QC. Arms and Crest. Garter and Clarenceux Kings of Arms. 11/11/2020. College reference: Grants 183/114.

WINNER, Simon James, of Farmington, Gloucestershire. Arms, Crest and Badge. Garter and Clarenceux Kings of Arms. 4/1/2021. College reference: Grants 183/122.

Exhibitions and Receptions

Henry Christophe of Haiti: an online exhibition “Les armes de la capitale”, regarding the coat of arms of Cap-Henry (today Cap-Haïtien), capital of the kingdom of Henry Christophe, can be seen here . It marks the 350th anniversary of the foundation of the city and the 200th anniversary of the death of Henry Christophe, and was created by Muséofil-Haïti S.A. in association with the Commission de commémoration du 350e Anniversaire du Cap-Haïtien, la Société Capoise d’Histoire, and the Office of the Mayor of Cap-Haïtien. Clive Cheesman, Richmond Herald, was among the contributors and the arms of the capital are illustrated from the College of Arms manuscript JP.177 (the Armorial général du Royaume d’Haïti). This manuscript has been published in facsimile by the College of Arms and copies can be purchased online here.

The Armorial was discussed along with wider questions of the ceremonial, cultural and political character of Christophe’s reign in the online seminar “Afterlives of the Kingdom of Haiti, 1820-2020: Art, Refinement and Material Culture” on 6 October, organized by Dr Esther Chadwick (Courtauld Institute), Dr Nicole Willson (University of Central Lancashire), Dr Marlene Daut (University of Virginia) and others. An edited recording of the event can be watched online here.

Roll of the Peerage

A Royal Warrant dated 1 June 2004 required the creation and maintenance of a new Roll of the Peerage. the responsibility for which rests with the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. The Roll was instituted to record the names of all those holding peerages. Under the terms of the Royal Warrant any person who succeeds to a Peerage must prove his or her succession and be placed on the Roll, otherwise that person may not be legally recognised as a Peer in official documents. The Roll is published by the College of Arms.

The current Roll of the Peerage, together with the Royal Warrant and other useful information, can be found on the College of Arms website here. Enquiries regarding successions to peerages and baronetcies should be addressed to the Officer in Waiting.

Elsewhere in the Archives

Browne Sir Anthony a College of Arms Ms G2: this manuscript is a heraldic miscellany from the reign of Henry VIII, once in the possession of a Garter King of Arms, perhaps Sir Christopher Barker, Garter 1536-1550.

Illustrated above are the Arms and Standard of Sir Anthony Browne, KG (c. 1500-1548). The shield shows the delight in quarterings characteristic of the age, celebrating the Browne family's noble ancestors and kinsmen. The Standard is a war flag, bearing the Cross of St George to communicate the key point: national allegiance. On the fly are representations of a Badge with the family motto, shown here as RAISON ENSUIVES but more often given as SUIVEZ RAISON.

Clifford compressed

This page of the same manuscript shows the Arms of certain leading figures of the reign of Henry VIII, again exemplifying the taste for multiple quarterings with large and exuberant helms and Crests.

May 2021 Newsletter (no. 64) »