2019 Eurodevils

The Lyon Clerk welcomed the 2019 Eurodevils (young European Lawyers ) to the Lyon Office and showed them a number of the recordings of arms of Scottish legal figures. The Lord Lyon gave them a lecture on the “Place of Heraldry within the Legal System of Scotland".

University Challenge

Heartiest congratulations to the magnificent team from Edinburgh University which won University Challenge last night!

From our files 50 years ago.

From our files 50 years ago: The Scottish Police Federation. The Police Act, 1919 outlawed police membership of unions and created the Scottish Police Federation which explains the second motto:

Blazon: Azure, three fetterlocks in pale Argent accompanied by two sprigs of thistle, slipped and leaved of the Second, flowered Gules, a chief chequy Argent and Azure. Those splendid police dogs are blazoned: Two Alsatian hounds, langued Gules, gorged of collars and with chain leashes reflexed over their backs all Argent.

Pray for Paris

Our thoughts are wth the people of Paris today and our gratitude for the bravery of the Fire Service who managed to rescue so much of this triumph of civilisation, where Mary Queen of Scots married the Dauphin in 1558.

From the Formam Armorial kept at the National Library of Scotland.

From the Forman-Workman Manuscript kept at the Lyon Office

From our files of 100 and 200 years ago.

From our files two hundred years ago on 31st March: Sir Hugh Innes of Lochalsh (1764 -1831) MP for the Tain Burghs and a major benefactor of Plockton where Innes St commemorates him.

For comparison, here is one from our files of 100 years ago on April 19th. Viscount Finlay of Nairn, Lord Chancellor.

Memories of Sir Thomas Innes of Learney

The Lord Lyon visited Alisoun Grant, a former Herald Painter Extraordinary, who worked in the Office during the time of Sir Thomas Innes of Learney, in her home near Kirriemuir, and found her memories of the Office fascinating.

New Grant of Arms

The Lord Lyon has granted arms to Stephen Bruce Bromhead. The artist is Clare McCrory.

Blazon: Or on a base wavy Azure charged with an escallop of the First a tiger quoll rampant of the Second spotted Argent in the dexter chief a lymphad sails furled flagged and oars in action all of the Second, in sinister chief a waratah (Telopea speciossisima) flower Proper.

Crest: A wedge-tailed eagle's head erased Azure charged on the neck with an escallop Or holding in its beak a sprig of wattle.

The waratah is the state emblem of New South Wales.

Lyon at the Falkland Society

A lecture at the Falkland Society Meeting in Falkland Palace was given in the Chapel Royal by the Lord Lyon on April 10th on the topic of "The Court of the Lord Lyon with reference to the Heraldry of Fife."

New Community Flag for Sutherland

The Lord Lyon has granted a flag to the People of the Community of Sutherland. "Argent a cross in Scandinavian form surmounted by a saltire Sable charged at the centre point with an eight-pointed star Or." The artist is Yvonne Holton, Herald Painter and Dingwall Pursuivant.

The Royal Celtic Society

The Lord Lyon has been appointed a Vice-President of the Royal Celtic Society. Granted arms last year, the Society was founded by a group of worthies including Sir Walter Scott in 1820.

Dingwall at the HSS

Yesterday, Yvonne Holton, Herald Painter and Dingwall Pursuivant, gave a fascinating lecture to the Heraldry Society of Scotland on the subject of Compartments.

HRH The Princess Royal at Bothwell

HRH The Princess Royal, Patron, attended the gathering today of Scotland's Churches Trust, of which both Lyon and Unicorn are trustees. HRH gave a spirited and encouraging address to the volunteers and guests at Bothwell Parish Church, which is full of wonderful heraldry, as well as stained glass by Burne-Jones and Daniel Cottier.

From our files of 70 years ago

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the fine coat of arms granted to St Joseph's Academy, Kilmarnock.

The blazon is: Per pale dexter Purpure a fess chequy Or and Vert, sinister Argent a shakefork Sable on a chief Gules a book opened between two crosses flory Argent