Carmen Sodalitatis

The Social Secretary has commissioned an exciting new anthem for the Society from the eminent composer, Silvestro Petrasancta - this has already met with warm critical acclaim and is generally agreed to be one of the finest works of Silvestro's middle period.

Note for newspaper editors:

Petrasancta was born at an early age, his mother leaving home before he was born. At birth he was so ugly that the midwife slapped his mother. A child prodigy, he continues to amaze by his ability to play notes with his hands and feet at the same time, a feat the more astonishing as he plays the viola.
Petrasancta's previous works have included "Studies for the Middle Pedal", "Exercises in the Use of the Short Stick" and "Symphonic Variations on Tetley Tea-Bags".

Critics have been vociferous in their praise:
"Vague" (Vogue)
"The rests were exquisite, let's have more of them" (Metronome Monthly, available on tick)

Here is the text of this great hymn which the Society will sing lustily in the traditional manner (napkins on heads, right foot raised):

Nemo me impune lacessit,

Nil sine labore,

Sic transit gloria mundi,

Via veritas vita

Nobilis est ira leonis

Ora et labora

Corda serrata pando

Feros ferio

chorus: Tak tent o' armes,

             Tak tent o' armes,

             Tak tent o' armes,

             In medio virtus stat.

Sola virtus nobilitat,

Fortiter et recte,

Virtutem coronat honos,

Praesto ut praestem,

Sub sole sub umbra virens

Nunquam non paratus

Audentes fortuna juvat

Fortitudine

chorus: Tak tent o' armes,

             Tak tent o' armes,

             Tak tent o' armes,

             In medio virtus stat.

Here is the Karaoke Version

 

Peter Drummond-Murray

A former Editor and Chairman of the Society, Peter Drummond-Murray, has been made a Bailiff Grand Cross of the Order of Malta. Here is Peter's banner with the chief of religion:

Assumed Arms

The Social Secretary pointed out these assumed arms to the Lyon-Elect today at the Royal Scots Club. Luckily Emma poured our pints before the Procurator Fiscal arrived to ding it doon:

Andrew McMillan, Baron of Cleghorn, Count McMillan

The memorial service took place last Friday in Glasgow of Andrew McMillan, Baron of Cleghorn, Count McMillan. Here is the front cover of the Order of Service which makes attractive use of Andrew's coat of arms, ensigned with a chapeau of maintenance:

HSS Gifts to the Scottish Parliament Buildings

When the Scottish Parliament building was planned, no heraldry was planned so the HSS took it on itself to present two very striking examples of heraldry.

The first is the oak carving of the full royal arms as used in Scotland, behind the reception desk of the Parliament Building - here the former HSS chairman, Romilly Squire introduces and describes it:

Romilly Squire on the Heraldry of the Parliament Building

The second work, in Queensberry House, is a magnificent painting of the achievement of HM the Queen as Queen of Scotland, painted by current HSS chairman, Mark Dennis:
Romilly Squire on the Heraldry of Queensberry House

Margaret's Badge

Here is the badge designed by Romilly Squire for committee-member Margaret Sainte Claire to use at the International Congress in Dublin. It is stored at the Irish Office on the Congress Roll of Arms.

New Lord Lyon Appointed

Scottish Government Announcement:

"Friday, January 17, 2014 14:03

Dr Joseph Morrow has been appointed as the new Lord Lyon King of Arms.

 

The Lord Lyon office dates from the 14^th-Century. Duties include the granting of armorial bearings and judicial rulings on who has the right to bear an existing coat of arms.

Dr Morrow succeeds David Sellar MVO, FSAScot, FRHistS who has held the office of Lord Lyon since 2008. An advocate, with degrees in Theology and Law, Dr Morrow has been a student of heraldry for more than 30 years. The appointment was made by the Queen on the recommendation of the First Minister, Alex Salmond.

 

At present, Dr Morrow is the President of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland, and President of the Additional Support Needs Tribunals and a First-Tier Tribunal Judge dealing with asylum and immigration issues. He has held a number of professional positions outwith the legal field including Convener of the Development Department of Dundee City Council, Board Member of Scottish Enterprise Tayside, Board Member of the Angus and Dundee Tourist Board, Chair of the Dundee Waterfront Development Board, Chair of the Trustees of the Tayside Superannuation Fund and Vice Chair of the Court of the University of Abertay.

In 2009 he was appointed as a Vice Lord Lieutenant for the City of Dundee and in that capacity has regularly received members of the Royal Family to the City. He is an Incumbent of the Chapel of Glamis Castle.

Dr Morrow has a special interest in ecclesiastical history and 35 years’ experience of the practical application of ceremonial within a variety of settings including State, Civil, Military and Ecclesiastical areas of Scottish life.

The part-time appointment, made under section 3 of the Lyon King of Arms (Scotland) Act 1867, is based at Edinburgh’s New Register House. It was made following advertisement, interview of a short-list of candidates by a selection board followed by recommendation to the First Minister. "

The Government's announcement omits that Joe is a member of the HSS Committee! Vivat Rex.

 

Salve iterum

Welcome to Mr John Flynn of Nottingham.

Salve

We welcome another new member, Mr Albert Thomson of Inverurie. Here is Mr Thomson's coat of arms, drawn by Anthony Maxwell, Heraldic Artist:

Salve

We welcome Mr Paul J. Langan of Devon.

Brick Church, New York.

At the instigation of our member, Ellsworth Stanton, the Lord Lyon has granted the Brick Church in New York a Coat of Arms. Snawdoun Herald will present the Letters Patent to the Brick Church congregation on the first Sunday in April. the beginning of New York Tartan Week. She will also make a presentation to The American Coat of Arms Foundation of which our member John Shannon is the President and Ellsworth is the Secretary.

Heraldic wine-labels

This evening in Manhattan, HSS members John Shannon and Paul Campbell continue their fascinating tour of heraldic wine-labels followed by a welcome tasting: I wonder if they will find a qualitative connection between the Arms and the wine.....
Here is one I found in the cellar at Castello Petrasancta this morning:

Salve

We welcome our first new corporate member for many years - The Armorial Register.:

The bookplate was digitally painted by Ljubodrag Grujic.

Gordon Casely made a Knight of St John

One of our most distinguished Founder Members, Gordon Casely, received the accolade of Knighthood from the Grand Prior of the Order of St John, HRH the Duke of Gloucester:

Anthony Maxwell, Heraldic Artist, has now painted an updated version of Gordon's arms to  include this honour and  including his baton as baron baillie of Miltonhaven and key as keeper of Lauriston (Aberdeenshire):

Membership Subscriptions

Membership Subscriptions will be due on April 1st. The rate is £35 per annum.

You can pay by Paypal here

Alternatively, you might prefer to pay by Standing Order; the form for this can be downloaded HERE..

For those who prefer to use electronic banking, the account details are:
RBS, Edinburgh, St Andrew's Square
sort code: 83-06-08
account no: 00175911

Or you can send a cheque, payable to "The Heraldry Society of Scotland" to:
Liam Devlin
Membership Secretary HSS,
93 Lomondside Ave
Clarkston
Glasgow G76 7UH

However you pay your subscription, if you are a UK taxpayer, you can greatly increase its value to the Society at no cost to yourself if you fill in and return a Gift Aid form. It can be found HERE.
Overseas members may need the following information for bank transfers:
IBAN no: GB50 RBOS 8306 0800 1759 11
BIC reference: RBOSGB2L

Watson and the Shark

A rather unusual coat of arms is that of Sir Brook Watson, 1st Baronet (7 February 1735 – 2 October 1807) who lost his leg to a shark and then had this incident recorded in his grant of arms when he became Lord Mayor of London. His wife was a Helen Campbell of Edinburgh.

Until 1963, Christ's Hospital owned his friend Copley's painting of the incident, now in Washington D.C.

A political satirist penned the following about it all:

                                             Oh! Had the monster, who for breakfast ate

                                             That luckless limb, his noblest noddle met,

                                             The best of workmen, nor the best of wood,

                                             Had scarce supply'd him with a head so good.

New Year Greetings and Honours

A Happy New Year to all.

Many congratulations to retiring Lord Lyon, David Sellar, who was made an MVO in the New Year Honours List.