THE PUBLIC REGISTER OF ALL ARMORIAL BEARINGS IN SCOTLAND 1672-2022
Created by an Act of the Scottish Parliament in 1672, the Public Register of All Armorial Bearings in Scotland is one of the finest collections of coats of arms in the
World, lovingly painted and executed in the finest calligraphy on nearly 100 bound volumes of vellum folios, still being increased year on year at the fastest rate in
its history.
In order to mark the 350th Anniversary of this unique part of our national patrimony, the Lyon Office has embarked on a nation-wide series of lectures from
Dumfries to Shetland.
The series was launched in Glasgow’s City Chambers with a talk by Liam Devlin, Rothesay Herald, entitled People Make Heraldry - a title adapted from Glasgow’s slogan People Make Glasgow - in which some of the personal and community histories behind the creation of the coats of arms in the Register were examined. Grateful thanks to Glasgow City Council for kindly hosting the event and providing a Civic Reception afterwards. The second event took place in the Town House, Inverness, by courtesy of Councillor Helen Carmichael and Highland Council to which we are very grateful. This talk was given by the eminent armorist and journalist, Gordon Casely FHSS, and was entitled Heraldry - how and why the Flowering. This was an exploration of the extraordinary explosion in interest in heraldry over the last few years and consequent large increase in the number of people petitioning for a coat of arms.
GLASGOW CITY CHAMBERS
March 3rd 2022
Rothesay Herald
People Make Heraldry
INVERNESS TOWN HOUSE
March 8th 2022
Gordon Casely FHSS
Heraldry - how and why the flowering?
Our third talk took place in the Town House of Aberdeen and again we thank Lord Provost Councillor Barney Crockett and Aberdeen City Council
for a most generous welcome and Civic Reception. The speaker was Mark Dennis FHSS, a former Ross Herald Extraordinary and one of the
greatest heraldic artists of our time. The talk was entitled The Pride of Lyons and was a witty survey of the last seven hundred years or so
of the work and character of holders of the office of Lord Lyon.
ABERDEEN TOWN HOUSE
March 16th 2022
Mark Dennis FHSS
The Pride of Lyons.
ROYAL RECEPTION FOR THE LORD LYON SOCIETY
On Friday April 1st 2022, the Lord Lyon Society had a royal launch at the Palace of
Holyroodhouse with Society Patron, HRH The Princess Royal. During the evening, HRH was
presented with a silver brooch designed by Mark Dennis and made by Roddy Young, of
Inverness. The presentation was made by Harry Lynn, Head Boy of Clydeview Academy, Gourock.
The fourth event in our series took place in Edinburgh City Chambers, by the kind generosity of Lord Provost Councillor Frank Ross, and the Royal Company
of Merchants of Edinburgh, Linlithgow Pursuivant Extraordinary Professor Gillian Black spoke on Scottish Heraldry - an Egalitarian Tradition and outlined
the unique Scottish practice of allowing arms to all virtuous and deserving persons regardless of worldly rank.
EDINBURGH CITY CHAMBERS
April 28th 2022
Linlithgow Pursuivant Extraordinary
Scottish Heraldry - An Egalitarian
Tradition.
Event number five in our series took place in Moat Brae, Dumfries, the National Centre for Children’s Literature and Storytelling. by the kind generosity of
the Director and staff. Appropriately, Philip Tibbetts, who is both March Pursuivant Extraordinary and Honorary Vexillologist to the Lyon Court, chose as his
topic Stories from Scotland’s Skies - and gave us a fascinating account of the development of Community Flags in Scotland, in which he is the prime mover.
MOAT BRAE, DUMFRIES
May 12th 2022
March Pursuivant Extraordinary
Stories from Scotland’s Skies
The sixth event in our 350th series took place in the A.K.Bell Library in Perth. Unicorn Pursuivant Roderick Macpherson spoke on A Messenger's Mission.
Messengers-at-Arms are admitted to office by the Lord Lyon and sign the same roll as all the other Officers of Arms.
A.K.BELL LIBRARY, PERTH
June14th 2022
Unicorn Pursuivant
A Messenger’s Mission