Chester Herald
Encyclopedia
Chester Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms
at the College of Arms
in London
. The office of Chester Herald dates from the 14th century, and it is reputed that the holder was herald to Edward, Prince of Wales
, the Black Prince
. In the reign of King Richard II the officer was attached to the Principality of Chester, which was a perquisite of the then Prince of Wales. In the reign of King Henry VIII
the title lapsed for a time but, since 1525, the office of Chester has been one of unbroken succession, as a herald in ordinary. The badge of office
is taken from the arms of the Earl of Chester
and in blazoned as A Garb ensigned of the Royal Crown Or.
The current Chester Herald of Arms in Ordinary is Timothy Hugh Stewart Duke
, MA
(Cambridge
).
Officer of arms
An officer of arms is a person appointed by a sovereign or state with authority to perform one or more of the following functions:*to control and initiate armorial matters*to arrange and participate in ceremonies of state...
at the College of Arms
College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The office of Chester Herald dates from the 14th century, and it is reputed that the holder was herald to Edward, Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
, the Black Prince
Edward, the Black Prince
Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Prince of Aquitaine, KG was the eldest son of King Edward III of England and his wife Philippa of Hainault as well as father to King Richard II of England....
. In the reign of King Richard II the officer was attached to the Principality of Chester, which was a perquisite of the then Prince of Wales. In the reign of King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
the title lapsed for a time but, since 1525, the office of Chester has been one of unbroken succession, as a herald in ordinary. The badge of office
Heraldic badge
A heraldic badge is an emblem or personal device worn as a badge to indicate allegiance to or the property of an individual or family. Medieval forms are usually called a livery badge, and also a cognizance...
is taken from the arms of the Earl of Chester
Earl of Chester
The Earldom of Chester was one of the most powerful earldoms in medieval England. Since 1301 the title has generally been granted to heirs-apparent to the English throne, and from the late 14th century it has been given only in conjunction with that of Prince of Wales.- Honour of Chester :The...
and in blazoned as A Garb ensigned of the Royal Crown Or.
The current Chester Herald of Arms in Ordinary is Timothy Hugh Stewart Duke
Timothy Duke
Timothy Hugh Stewart Duke is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Duke began his career as an officer of arms in 1989 when he was appointed Rouge Dragon Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary. He held this position until 7 August 1995, when he was appointed Chester Herald of Arms in Ordinary...
, MA
Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, Bachelors of Arts of these universities are admitted to the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university .There is no examination or study required for the degree...
(Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
).
Holders of the office
Brackets indicate a date or approximate date for which there is evidence that the named person was holder of this office. The reigning monarch is given if the date is not known more precisely.- (1393) John (surname unknown)
- 1398-1413 William BrugesWilliam BrugesWilliam Bruges was an English officer of arms. He is best remembered as the first person appointed to the post of Garter King of Arms, which is currently the highest heraldic office in England.-Origins:...
- (Hen VIHenry VI of EnglandHenry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
) James Billett - 1443-1447 William Tyndale or Tendale
- (1447) John Tyndale
- (Hen VI) William Whiting
- (1455) John Water or Walter
- (Hen VI/Edw IVEdward IV of EnglandEdward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
) Richard Stanton - (Edw IV) Roger Stamford
- (1483) Roger Bromley, EsqEsquireEsquire is a term of West European origin . Depending on the country, the term has different meanings...
. - (1493) Thomas Whiting, Esq.
- 1533-1540 Randolph Jackson, Esq.
- 1540-1561 William Flower, Esq.William Flower (officer of arms)William Flower was an English Officer of Arms in the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I. He rose to the rank of Norroy King of Arms, serving in that capacity from 1562 until his death in 1588.-Life and work:...
- 1562-1566 Robert Cooke, Esq.Robert Cooke (officer of arms)Robert Cooke was an English Officer of Arms in the reign of Elizabeth I. In the College of Arms, he rose to the rank of Clarenceux King of Arms, serving in that capacity from 1567 until his death in 1593. He served as marshal for the state funeral of Sir Philip Sidney in 1587...
- 1566-1574 John HartJohn Hart (spelling reformer)John Hart was an English educator, grammarian, spelling reformer and officer of arms. He is best known for proposing a reformed spelling system for English, which has been described as "the first truly phonological scheme" in the history of early English spelling.Hart is the author of three known...
, Esq. - 1574-1592 Edmund Knight, Esq.
- 1592-1603 James Thomas, Esq.
- 1603-1617 William Penson, Esq.
- 1617-1618 Thomas Knight, Esq.
- 1618-1637 Henry ChittingHenry ChittingHenry Chitting was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London.His heraldic career was started thanks to his family's ties to Sir Nicholas Bacon. On 18 July 1618, Chitting was appointed Chester Herald of Arms in Ordinary after purchasing the position from his predecessor...
, Esq. - 1638-1644 Edward Walker Esq.Edward Walker (officer of arms)Sir Edward Walker was an officer of arms and antiquarian who served as Garter King of Arms.-Early life:Walker was born in 1611 at Roobers in Nether Stowey, Somerset, and entered the household of the great Earl Marshal Thomas Howard in 1633.-Charles I:Walker was in almost constant attendance on...
- 1644-1660 William DugdaleWilliam DugdaleSir William Dugdale was an English antiquary and herald. As a scholar he was influential in the development of medieval history as an academic subject.-Life:...
, Esq. - 1660-1667 Thomas Lee, Esq.
- 1677-1689 Thomas May Esq.
- 1689-1721 Charles Mawson, Esq.
- 1721-1739 Edward Stibbs, Esq.
- 1739-1752 Francis Hutchenson, Esq.
- 1752-1790 John Martin Leake, Esq.
- 1791-1834 George Martin Leake , Esq.
- 1834-1859 Walter Aston BlountWalter BlountWalter Aston Edward Blount Esq. FSA was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He was born the eldest son of Edward Blount...
, Esq., FSASociety of Antiquaries of LondonThe Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is... - 1859-1864 Edward Stephen DendyEdward Stephen DendyEdward Stephen Dendy was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms during the nineteenth Century.He was one of ten children born to Stephen Cooper Dendy and Miramne Dubbins in Horsham, Sussex, England...
, Esq. - 1864-1913 Henry Murray LaneHenry Lane (officer of arms)Henry Murray Lane was an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London.-Personal life:He was born in Leamington, Warwickshire, the sixth son of Rev. Charles Lane and Frances Catherine Sandford Lane...
, Esq. - 1913-1915 Thomas Morgan Joseph-WatkinThomas Joseph-WatkinThomas Morgan Joseph-Watkin was a barrister and long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Having spent much of his early life as a cowboy in Texas, Joseph-Watkin began his career at the College of Arms as Portcullis Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary in 1894...
, Esq. - 1915-1926 Sir Arthur William Stuart CochraneArthur CochraneSir Arthur William Steuart Cochrane, KCVO was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London.-Biography:...
, KCVORoyal Victorian OrderThe Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys... - 1926-1956 Sir John Dunamace Heaton-ArmstrongJohn Heaton-ArmstrongSir John Dunamace Heaton-Armstrong, MVO was a long-serving English officer of arms at the College of Arms in London.During the First World War he was commissioned into the Cavalry Branch of the Reserve of Officers of the British Indian Army as a second lieutenant, and was later promoted to...
, MVORoyal Victorian OrderThe Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys... - 1956-1960 James Arnold FrereJames FrereJames Arnold Frere, FSA was an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London.-Biography:He was the only son of John Geoffrey Frere of Hartley and Violet Ivy Sparks. Following military service in the Intelligence Corps, he began his heraldic career on 24 February 1948 when he was appointed...
, Esq., FSASociety of Antiquaries of LondonThe Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is... - 1960-1971 Sir Walter John George VercoWalter VercoSir Walter John George Verco, KCVO was a long-serving officer of arms who served in many capacities at the College of Arms in London.-Biography:...
, KCVO - 1978-1995 David Hubert Boothby ChesshyreHubert ChesshyreDavid Hubert Boothby Chesshyre, CVO served for more than forty years as an officer of arms to Queen Elizabeth II.-Family background:...
, Esq., CVORoyal Victorian OrderThe Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, FSA - 1995-Present Timothy Hugh Stewart DukeTimothy DukeTimothy Hugh Stewart Duke is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Duke began his career as an officer of arms in 1989 when he was appointed Rouge Dragon Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary. He held this position until 7 August 1995, when he was appointed Chester Herald of Arms in Ordinary...
, Esq.