Lyon Clerk's Retirement Presentation

The Lord Lyon today chaired a very pleasant and affectionate presentation to Mrs Elizabeth Roads LVO to mark her retirement next week as the longest-serving Lyon Clerk in the history of the Office. 
She has worked for 43 years in the Lyon Office, 32 of them as Lyon Clerk. After a speech from Lyon, he invited two former Lyons, Robin Blair and Sir Malcolm Innes of Edingight, to speak and make presentations.

The principal gift from the Officers of Arms was three beautiful pieces of silver heraldic jewellery designed by the Court artists. Yvonne Holton designed an armorial pendant with an elephant, Clare McCrory designed an initial brooch and Maggie Spaulding designed a bracelet with a dachshund running round the surface.

Mrs Roads will, of course, continue to be an Officer of Arms and Secretary to the Order of the Thistle but we wish her a long and happy retirement from the Lyon Office.

New Lyon Clerk appointed

Her Majesty the Queen has appointed Mr Russell Hunter to be Lyon Clerk and Keeper of the Records. He was admitted as a solicitor in 1997 and has degrees in history and law from the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, respectively. He will take up office during July.

Lyon-Clerk honoured at SMASO lunch

The Society of Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers held a luncheon in the New Club on 18th June at which Mr. and Mrs. Roads were guests of honour. The Society wished to express its warm appreciation of its constant association – since 1986 – with Elizabeth Roads, as Lyon Clerk. One of Lyon Clerk’s statutory functions is to maintain the roll of messengers-at-arms. Lyon and the Society’s honorary members – including Robin Blair – lunched with the Society’s current officers.

The first photo shows Alex Irvine, President of SMASO with Christopher and Elizabeth after the President presented armorial cufflinks to Christopher and a special memento of the Office of Lyon Clerk to Elizabeth: a silver blazon or messenger’s badge, struck from the heavy die which has served, time out of mind, as the door stop to Lyon Clerk’s room in Lyon Office. The blazon or badge is a modern striking from the die which displays the version of the royal arms used between 1814 and 1837.

Death of the 18th Earl of Eglinton

We note with sadness the death yesterday of the 18th Earl of Eglinton, 6th Earl of Winton and Chief of Clan Montgomery.

The Earl's coat of arms, first recorded in 1797 and then re-recorded in 1904 by which time the Earldom of Winton in the Peerage of the United Kingdom (1859) had been added, is one of the most elaborate in the Register:

The blazon for the shield is given as:
Quarterly, first and fourth grand quarters counter-quartered, first and fourth, Azure three fleurs-de-lys (for Montgomerie), second and third Gules three annulets Or, stoned Azure (for Eglinton), all within a bordure Or charged with a double tressure flory counter flory Gules; second and third grand quarters counter-quartered, first and fourth, Or, three crescents within a double tressure flory counter flory Gules, for Seton, second and third, Azure, three garbs Or, for Buchan, over all an escutcheon parted per pale Gules and Azure, the dexter charged with a sword in pale proper pommelled and hilted Or supporting an imperial crown, the the sinister charged with a star of twelve points  Argent, all within a double tressure flory counter flory, Gold (sic).

Royal Highland Show

The Royal Highland Show, flagship of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, opens next week. The Society was founded in 1784 and included Sir Walter Scott in its membership.

Bathgate Procession

The Lord Lyon attended the Opening Ceremony of the Bathgate Procession and Annual Oration in the High Church of Bathgate to John Newland whose benefaction founded Bathgate Academy in 1799. The lecture was given by Prof Walter S Nimmo CBE MD educated at the Academy.

International Heraldry Day

In celebration of International Heraldry Day, the Lyon Register contributed the arms of Sir Walter Scott from 1822:

East Lothian Flag Competition

The finalists of the East Lothian Flag were chosen by the Lord Lyon, Provost and other judges at Haddington on the 8th June. The finalists will go to a public vote over the summer.

Lunch with the Artists

Mrs Elizabeth Roads LVO, Snawdoun Herald, was entertained to lunch at the Ivy on the Square by the Court Artists to mark her imminent retirement as Lyon Clerk and Keeper of the Records.

Canadian Heraldic Authority 30th Anniversary.

On June 5th, the Canadian Heraldic Authority celebrated its 30th anniversary. Many congratulations to Chief Herald Claire Boudreau and her team.

From our Lyon Register, 100 years ago today

One hundred years ago today, these beautiful arms were matriculated for the Earl of Lindsay. The artwork of the period is really staggering.

Tiree Flag Competition

On 4th June the Lord Lyon joined the other judges of the entries for the Tiree Community Flag. The judging took place in the An Talla Community Hall Tiree and there were 273 entries. The finalists will be flown at the Tiree Agricultural Show in July .