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2019 Centenaries

As 2019 draws to a close, we remember with affection two great Scottish heralds who would have been 100 years old this year.

Many of us were drawn to heraldry by the ageless and peerless volume "Simply Heraldry Cheerfully Illustrated" by Sir Iain Moncreiffe and Don Pottinger, who were both born in 1919.

 Here is the coat of arms of John Inglis Dreever ("Don") Pottinger, recorded in 1964:

Sable three pelicans Or nests fretty of the First and Second within a bordure of the Second.

Crest: A raven wings elevated Sable gorged with a collar of three mullets Or.

Don Pottinger (1919-1986) was successively Falkland, Linlithgow, and Unicorn Pursuivant and finally Islay Herald and Lyon Clerk.

And the arms of Sir Rupert Iain Kay Moncrieiffe of that Ilk (1919-1985), recorded in 1966:

Argent a lion rampant Gules armed and langued Azure, a chief Ermine thereon a canton of Nova Scotia.

....above the shield from which is pendent by its proper riband the Badge of a Baronet of Nova Scotia, is placed a chapeau Gules, furred Ermine (for the Petitioner's Barony of Easter Moncreiffe) thereon a helm befitting his degree with a mantling Vert veined Or, and clashed in an outline of oak leaves and issuant from a crest coronet of four (three visible) strawberry leaves Or is set for crest a demi-lion rampant Gules, armed and langued Azure.

...On a compartment embellished of oak seedlings Proper are set for supporters two bearded men Proper in armour cap-a-pied and having celtic conical helms Sable, banded Or, spurs Or, swords at their sides hilted Or, and in their exterior hands lances paleways Gules and spear heads Argent.

Sir Iain was successively Falkland, Kintyre and Unicorn Pursuivant, and finally Albany Herald.
His statue still welcomes visitors to New Register House:

Happy Christmas and Festivals

New Grant of Arms

The Lord Lyon has granted arms to Kenneth Lee McInnis in memory of his great-great-great-great-grandfather, Duncan McInnis. The artist is Maggie Spalding.

Lyon at Hiroshima

On the 12th December the Lord Lyon visited the Cenotaph to the Victims of the atomic bomb at Hiroshima. He was presented with a Peace Message from students of Konan High School, Fukuoka, Japan.

Happy birthday, Lyon

Today is the anniversary of the  birthday of  the Lord Lyon. Happy birthday!

New Grant of Arms

The Lord Lyon has granted arms to Richard Stevens McFarlane, in memory of his great-great-great-grandfather, James McFarlane and on his own behalf. The artist is Annette Reed.

Blazon: Argent a saltire wavy Gules cantoned between in the flanks two bears statant and in chief and in base two bee hives of the Second.

Crest: A demi-man clothed in a loose garment Argent his arms bare Proper holding in his dexter hand a trumpet to his lips and his sinister arm cradling a closed book Or. 

New Grant of Arms

The Lord Lyon has granted arms to Malcolm Cleveland McInnis Jr. in memory of his great-great-grandfather, Angus McInnis, and on his own behalf. The artist is Maggie Spalding.

Blazon: Per cross Azure and Or, on  cross Vert between in dexter chief a castle of two towers Or port and windows Gules, in sinister chief three hills and in chief the antlers of a red deer Proper, in dexter base a cross of Columba Proper and in sinister base ona sea in base undy Azure and Argent a sailing ship sails unfurled Proper, three salmon naiant in fess Argent between two wheels in pale Or.

Crest: a dexter cubit arm sleeved in the Proper tartan of the Clan Aonghais holding aloft a rolled diploma Proper seal pendant Gules 

Snawdoun invested as Dean

Elizabeth Roads LVO, Snawdoun Herald, was invested last night as the first lady Dean of the Merchant Guildry of Stirling in its 900 year history. The Guildry was granted arms in 2016.

Forged Letters Patent

The attention of the Lyon Office has been brought to this website https://lordlochaber.weebly.com/ this webpage https://en.everybodywiki.com/Lord_of_Lochaber and this document https://lordlochaber.weebly.com/lettre-patente.html. 

The document is not a document issued by the Court of the Lord Lyon.  It is a crude forgery.  The document was not signed by Dr Joseph John Morrow, Lord Lyon King of Arms, nor was it sealed with the seal of the Court of the Lord Lyon.

The arms appear to be arms granted by the Court of the Lord Lyon to the Burgh of Fort William on 17 June 1930 as recorded at Folio 25 of Volume 29 of the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland.   Pierre Desprez has no right to use those arms.

The Lyon Office draws to the attention of the public that the document is fraudulent.  The Lyon Office has written to the address given in the fraudulent document drawing attention to these matters and demanding that Pierre Desprez cease and desist displaying it and using the arms depicted in it. 

THE LYON OFFICE

St Andrewstide Service 2019

On Sunday 1st December, the Lord Lyon, attended by the Officers of Arms and the Secretary to the Thistle, was present at the Annual St Andrewstide Service of the Order of the Thistle. Photographs by Edward Mallinson.

All the Officers of Arms and of the Order attended the Knights of the Order of the Thistle at their annual St Andrewstide Service at St Giles Cathedral. The Officers of the Order are, in their order: The Dean, Rev Professor David Alexander Syme Fergusson OBE QHC FBA FRSE who was leading his first service as Dean of the Thistle, The Secretary, Lyon King of Arms, and Gentleman Usher of the Green Rod.