Commander of the Name of Currie

At the Royal Scots Club in Edinburgh, the Lord Lyon presented Dr Robert Currie with his Commission as Commander of the Name of Currie. The gathering included the Lord Provost of Glasgow, the US Consul, several Clan Chiefs and a great gathering of Curries. Clare McCrory was the artist who engrossed the document. The new Commander and his wife Suzanne treated us to a wonderful evening of hospitality and music. The music was provided by some of the beneficiaries of Clan Currie Foundation's scholarships over the years.

The association with music is one of the most ancient attributes of the Learned Kindred of Currie and the Society continues its generous support of Scottish music to this day.

Gillebride MacMIllan - Gaelic singer

The Commission, executed by Clare McCrory

Lyon addresses company

150 years ago today.

On April 28th 1868, the Liberal MP Wellwood Herries Maxwell of Munches and of Terraughty and Barncleugh (1817-1900) matriculated arms off grants from volume One of the Register.

1^st and 4^th quarters Argent an eagle displayed with two heads Sable beaked and membered Gules bearing on its breast an escutcheon of the First charged with a saltire of the Second surcharged with a hedgehog Or. 2^nd quarter Argent three hedgehogs Sable (for Herries)

3^rd quarter grand-quarterly 1^st and 4^th Argent a saltire Sable on a bordure of the last eight lozenges of the first. 2^nd and 3^rd Argent a saltire invected Sable between two pellets in the flanks on a chief Gules three cushions Or (for Johnstone of Clauchrie).

Lyon in Biggar

The Lord Lyon gave talk to the Friends of Biggar Museum on the subject of "Understanding Heraldry. He was welcomed to the museum by a trustee, Anne Seawright. There were about 50 people in attendance.

Andrew Innes Matriculation

Arms have been matriculated at the Lyon Office for Andrew John Stow Innes, painted by Clare McCrory.

Parted per fess dancetté Argent and Azure, in chief three mullets of the Second and in base two salmon haurient Proper, all within a bordure or for difference.

Kate Kennedy Procession at St Andrews 2018

The annual Kate Kennedy Procession took place in St Andrews last weekend. The heraldic display is largely the work of Ross Herald Extraordinary whose gift for painting is first-rate. This year, Ross persuaded Carrick Pursuivant, Sheriff George Way of Plean, to don the 17th century-style tabard which Carrick himself had made of Lord Lyon Sir Alexander Erskine of Cambo.

 

Loch Normand Highland Games

The Lord Lyon was welcomed as the Honoured Guest to the 25th Loch Normand Highland Games at Ruralhill North Carolina. The Games will have 20,000 visitors over the next weekend. The Sinclair Clan is the Honoured Clan at the Games which were attended by the Earl of Caithness and his Piper, and joined by the Lord Lyon at the Opening Dinner.

Three new grants of Arms

The Lord Lyon has issued three new grants of arms whose owners have given permission for them to be shown on social media:

Paul Allan Bell - the artist is Maggie Spalding

The blazon is: Gules on a fess between in chief two bells and in base a portcullis Or a hunting horn contournée virolled and stringed and within the string a mullet of the Field.

Crest: A dexter arm erect couped at the elbow holding a dagger in bend sinister Proper.

Philip Alexander Slade - the artist is Maggie Spalding

Blazon: Per bend Gules and Argent, in sinister chief a buckle Or surmounted by a rainbow fimbriated of the second, in dexter base three horse's heads erased Sable. 

Crest: A great spotted woodpecker Proper. 

Thomas Tait - the artist is Clare McCrory.

Blazon: Argent a saltire engrailed Gules, on a chief of the Second three towers Or between each tower a quill palewise of the First veined Or.

Crest: A Bengal cat sejant guardant Proper.

David Reid of Robertland

David Reid of Robertland, Carrick 1972, and Archivist to the University of Glasgow, was born on 18 April 1929. He was the editor of volume 2 of the Ordinary. Here are his arms and badge.

Kirkin of the Tartan

The Lord Lyon preached to a full house yesterday at the "Kirkin of the the Tartan" service in Washington's National Cathedral.

Thomas Dundas of Fingask ygr

Thomas Dundas of Fingask, ygr, appointed to the now defunct position of Lyon Depute, and therefore the person who did the Lyon's work, in 1744 died on 16th April 1786. Here is his grant:

Lyon in Washington

Lyon is in Washington doing a great job at the twentieth anniversary of the establishment of Tartan Day

The St Andrew's Society of Washington DC honoured the Lord Lyon by conferring on him Honorary Life Membership. It was presented to him by the Society's President at a Dinner held in the Capital Hill Club.

He also attended a Congressional Reception on Capital Hill for the Friends of Scotland Caucus.

Here he is with the Tartan Day Honour Guard with at the Congressional Reception.

International Pet Day

April 11th is also National Pet Day.

Here is the fine coat of arms granted in 1979 to Lieutenant General Sir Michael Gow, Governor of Edinburgh Castle. The crest shows his faithful pet, Frodo, holding the key to Edinburgh Castle where Frodo is buried in the pets’ cemetery.

Another two fine pet dogs can be seen as supporters to the arms of Very Rev Professor Iain Torrance Kt, Dean of the Chapel Royal. In this witty painting of the arms by Herald Painter, Yvonne Holton, the dominant dog is given the bone:

International Submarine Day

April 11th is International Submarine Day, marking the anniversary of the USA's first submarine in 1900. The first British submarine was built for James VI in 1620 by Cornelius Drebble. Here is a fine example of a nuclear submarine in a coat of arms.

John Grant, Marchmont Herald

John Grant, Marchmont Herald and father of Lyon Sir Francis Grant, died on April 11th 1888. His portrait shows lace at the collar and wrists, and English-style collar of esses and a long blue and white ribbon for the blasoun, nowadays worn as a neck-badge.

On this day in 1747......

The 11th Lord Fraser of Lovat was the last person to be beheaded in Britain, on 9 April 1747. The arms were not recorded in the Public Register until 1837 by Thomas Alexander Fraser of Lovat and Strichen, created Baron Lovat of Lovat, and restored in the Scottish title in 1857.

Happy National Unicorn Day

Happy National Unicorn Day, Scotland's glorious national beast!

Visit of the EuroDevils

Today the Euro devils visited the Lyon Office and were given a lecture on the Court of the Lord Lyon by Dr Morrow and Rothesay Herald Sir Crispin Agnew QC.

Calligraphy Class visits the Lyon Office

Clare McCrory, one of our finest artists and calligraphers, brought her Evening Class in Calligraphy  from Drummond Community High School to the Lyon Office to be shown round by Lyon Clerk.

Arms of William Roads

Congratulations to William Roads on his new matriculation of arms, which quarters his own cadet arms with those of his mother and great-aunt, both heraldic heiresses. The painting is by Yvonne Holton, Herald Painter and Dingwall Pursuivant.

For she's a jolly good Fellow ...

Congratulations to Elizabeth Roads, Lyon Clerk and Keeper of the Records, Snawdoun Herald, and Secretary to the Thistle on her election to Fellowship of the Heraldry Society. She adds this to her Fellowships of the Heraldry Societies of Scotland, New Zealand, and Canada.