Tuesday, 4 April 2023

New grant of arms:

 The Lord Lyon has granted arms to Lynn Elaine Smith OBE CStJ. The artist is Annette Reed.


Argent a chevron invected contra-ermine in chief two fleurs-de-lys Gules and in base an anchor Proper.

Crest: A pair of doves wings displayed and elevated Proper holding in their beaks a single stem of a yellow rose, flower to the sinister.


Monday, 3 April 2023

Roger Lindsay of Craighall, Rouge Herald Extraordinary

 We note with sadness the passing of Roger Lindsay of Craighall, Rouge Herald Extraordinary at the Canadian Heraldic Authority. May he rest in peace.



Roger recorded arms first of all in 1987 and then again, as above,  in 2004, when he also recorded a standard and a badge, a LILLIUM.



Thursday, 30 March 2023

Officers in training

 The Lord Lyon and the Officers at Arms attended a training drill session on the 30th March under the instruction of GSM Anthony Gibson MVO at Redford Barracks.

The training was designed to improve the Officers marching abilities and was a successful evening .



Sunday, 26 February 2023

Hatchment for Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth

  On Thursday evening in the New Club, the Mark D. Dennis, formerly Ross Herald Extraordinary, presented the hatchment he has painted for the Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth. It forms a companion piece to the hatchment he painted for the late Duke of Edinburgh.








 

Wednesday, 4 January 2023

Lord Anderson of Ipswich KBE KC

  The latest matriculation on the Lyon Court's social media is the arms of Lord Anderson of Ipswich KBE KC. 


The blazon is: Argent a saltire wavy Sable fretty Or, a manche in either flank Gules, issuant from a mound in base Vert surmounted of a crescent Gules an oaktree Proper its foliage in chief Vert and at the fess point an open book binding and fore-edges Gules. 

For supporters, Lord Anderson was granted oyster-catchers. Interestingly, his late father,  Sir (William) Eric (Kinloch)  Anderson KT was granted WEKA birds, flightless birds native to New Zealand, for the simple reason WEKA comprised his initials.


Another interesting fact about Lord Anderson's letters patent is that they provide the first example on social media of reference to the new reign. 

Lord Anderson's arms were painted by Yvonne Holton, Islay Herald.



 

Canadian Herald Honoured

  The Lyon Court sends warmest congratulations to Fraser Herald Cathy Bursey-Sabourin of Canada on her appointment as a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) by His Majesty The King in the New Year's Honours List.

Sunday, 21 August 2022

35th International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences, Cambridge

 Lyon and Rothesay, with a substantial group of other Scots, attended the 35th International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences, held at Clare College, Cambridge. 

Organized by Dr Paul A. Fox FSA AIH, and his Committee, the Congress was greatly facilitated by members of the Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society who entertained us all royally. us all.

The Opening Ceremony on Monday at the Cambridge Union, was followed by a procession through the streets to Clare College. You can view it here: https://fb.watch/eXulEyJKEz/ 


 Lyon and Rothesay,  together with the Deputy Chief Herald of Canada,  York Herald, Deputy Lord Lieutenant Major Tim Breitmeyer DL and Slains Pursuivant.


On Tuesday, Lyon gave a Plenary Lecture to the Congress on "Scots Heraldry and the Scottish Legal System."

Mrs Elizabeth Roads LVO,  Secretary to the  Thistle, gave a lecture to the Cambridge Congress on The History of the Baronets of Nova Scotia and the Knights of the Thistle through heraldry.


The Lord Lyon was presented with his badge as an Hon. Vice-President of CUHAGS by the President at Clare College,  Cambridge.


John Malden, Slains Pursuivant to the High Constable of Scotland,  gave a lecture  to the Cambridge Congress on "Reformation - what Reformation?
Religious Symbolism in Scottish Heraldry.







Saturday, 13 August 2022

350th Event - Lecture no 7 - Lerwick

 The 350th anniversary series continued with a talk by Rothesay Herald in the Shetland Museum and Archives, Lerwick, on Monday 8th August. Shetland is rich in heraldry, much of it brilliantly displayed in Lerwick Town Hall and enhanced by an ingenious app which explains the near 100 coats of arms on show.

Huge thanks to Shetland's archivist, Brian Smith, and the staff of the Museum and Archives for hosting the event.



 

Sunday, 7 August 2022

Lyon and the Clans

 The Lord Lyon attended the AGM of the Clan Chattan Association in Inverness on the 4th August to present Letters Patent to the Association. They were presented to the President, John Mackintosh of Mackintosh.


On the 5th August the Lord Lyon attended the relaunch  of the Clan Macpherson Museum in Newtonmore . There was a large gathering of Clan members. Lyon was photographed at the impressive Heritage and Heraldry wall with the 28th Chief.



The Lord Lyon presided over the Inauguration of the 23rd Chief of the Name and Arms of MacBain. The ceremony took place at the MacBain Memorial Park at Dores near Inverness on the 6th August.









350th event - Court Artists at Moat Brae, Dumfries.

  Herald Painter, Clare McCrory, and Islay Herald, Yvonne Holton, lead an heraldic workshop on Thursday at Moat Brae, Dumfries, for the winners of the Design Your Own Arms Competition. The event was in association with the Lyon Register's 350th Anniversary series of events, following March Pursuivant Extraordinary, Philip Tibbetts lecture at Moat Brae earlier in the summer.






Wednesday, 13 July 2022

Royal Entry in the Register

  Marking the 70th year of Her Majesty's reign and the 350th anniversary of the Public register, the Queen has graciously signed folio 1 of Volume 96 of the Register, the royal arms as used in Scotland, painted by Herald Painter, Clare McCrory. 




The scan does not do justice to the richness of the gold. My thought is that flatbed scanners are only suited to paper and print - paint on vellum requires a camera as there is a 3D aspect to heraldic painting.

Interestingly (to me), this is the very first emblazonment of the undifferenced arms of the sovereign in Scotland in the Register. Volume One way back in 1672 blazoned the Sovereign's arms but did not illustrate them.


Saturday, 2 July 2022

Royal Week 2022

  Many of you are not, I know, on "social media", so here are some shots from what has been a very joyful and busy Royal Week at Holyroodhouse. Although HM was not able to attend the Installation of the new members of the Order of the Thistle, at which the Duke of Rothesay accompanied by the Princess Royal presided, the Queen was clearly relaxed and enjoying the less processional events at the Palace.

The Governor of the Castle, Major General Alastair Bruce of Crionaich, presented the Key of the Castle to the Queen, the very same key which his predecessor, General Sir Robert Abercromby had presnted to George IV in 1822.





Later, there was a "Reddendo", a custom begun in the reign of Queen Anne, when the monarch was presented with a gift, known as a "Reddendo" from the Royal Company of Archers, the Archers then assembling with the Duke of Rothesay for a spectacular photograph






You can watch the Reddendo parade HERE.

Some of the Thistle Procession can be seen HERE.





   

Friday, 10 June 2022

International Heraldry Day

 Happy Heraldry! Today we celebrate International Heraldry Day so here are two sets of educational arms - some of our Primary Schools and all of our Universities: