Conrad Swan
Encyclopedia
Sir Conrad Marshall John Fisher Swan, (born 1924) was a long-serving officer of arms
at the College of Arms
in London
. Having been first appointed to work at the College in 1962, he rose to the office of Garter Principal King of Arms
in 1992, a position he held until 1995. He was the first Canadian
ever to be appointed to the College of Arms.
, Canada. His father was descended from the Polish noble
family of Święcicki (Coat of arms of Jastrzębiec
). After emigrating to Canada in 1884 the family surname became Swan.
Swan devoted much of his life to travelling. Having decided to make a lifetime career in the Indian Army, Swan was sent by the India Office (the UK governmental office responsible for India at the time) to the School of Oriental and African Studies
, University of London
. Having completed the course there, he proceeded to India and was commissioned and appointed to the Madras Regiment
, the oldest in the country. Indian Independence (1947) caused him to make other decisions "it being the end of a chapter". Upon retirement from the Indian Army, he went directly back to Canada to take a BA and MA at the University of Western Ontario (Assumption College). During this time, he developed a keen interest in Commonwealth
affairs, which brought him back to Britain, where he acquired his doctorate
from Cambridge University in 1955.
Swan spent six years (1955–1961) lecturing in history at the Assumption University of Windsor, Ontario, of which he was also University Beadle. As guest lecturer he has visited many universities, not only in North America but in every continent except Antarctica, "the penguins haven't invited me yet".
in 1962 and six years later became York Herald of Arms in Ordinary
. In these capacities, he was among the Earl Marshal’s staff for the State Funeral of Sir Winston Churchill
in 1965, the Investiture of the Prince of Wales
in 1969, and was Gentleman Usher-in-Waiting to Pope John Paul II
during his visit to the United Kingdom
in 1982.
Swan was appointed Garter Principal King of Arms
in 1992 on the retirement of Sir Alexander Colin Cole
. His own retirement came in 1995, after having been diagnosed with cancer. At the time, some allegations were made in a newspaper article concerning his decision, in his capacity as Genealogist of the British Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, with regard to the grade in which one of his sons-in-law should enter the Order. He denied these allegations, noting that he had never been interviewed by any reporter on this subject.
Sir Conrad Swan was the first herald to execute official duties in-tabard
across the Atlantic Ocean
and in the southern hemisphere
. He did so in Bermuda
in 1969 and in Brisbane
in 1977. He was instrumental in the creation of the Honours System of Antigua and Barbuda, and between 1964 and 1967, Swan was an adviser to the Prime Minister of Canada
on the establishment of the National Flag of Canada and the Order of Canada
. Swan also took a special interest in Saskatchewan
, helping the province to obtain a full coat of arms from the Queen
in 1986 and a new Great Seal
in 1991. He advised the province on the establishment of the Saskatchewan Order of Merit
in 1985 and the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal
in 1995 and the recent expansion of the provincial honours system (notably the Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan
).
A keen scholar and publicist, Swan has written a number of books and articles on heraldic, sigillographic and related subjects. He is a member of several international societies and organisations and was a founder of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada
and the Heraldic Garden in Britain.
ed by Her Majesty The Queen in 1994 as a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO). He is also a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Nation
of Antigua and Barbuda (KGCN), Knight of Honour and Devotion of the Order of Malta, Cross of Commander of the Order of Merit
of the Republic of Poland, Knight's Cross of the Order of the Grand Duke Gediminas
(Lithuania
), Knight Grand Cross of Justice of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George
, Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francis I
(GCFO) and Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Lion of Rwanda
.
He is also a Knight of the Most Venerable Order of St. John of Jerusalem
and Knight Principal of the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor
(1995–2000); Commander (with Star) of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit; Grand Cross with Grand Collar of the Imperial Order of the Holy Trinity (Ethiopia
); Coronation Medal of the King of Tonga. He received the Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan in 2005.
Lady Hilda was the younger daughter of Henry Stafford Northcote, the 3rd Earl of Iddesleigh
, and granddaughter of author Marie Adelaide Belloc Lowndes
. She died in Boxford, Suffolk
, when she was hit by a car, which did not stop. She was 58 years old.
They had five children:
and featured a foreword by former Chief Canadian Herald Robert Watt
.
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...
. Having been first appointed to work at the College in 1962, he rose to the office of Garter Principal King of Arms
Garter Principal King of Arms
The Garter Principal King of Arms is the senior King of Arms, and the senior Officer of Arms of the College of Arms. He is therefore the most powerful herald within the jurisdiction of the College – primarily England, Wales and Northern Ireland – and so arguably the most powerful in the world...
in 1992, a position he held until 1995. He was the first Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
ever to be appointed to the College of Arms.
Early life
Conrad Swan was born in 1924 in British ColumbiaBritish Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada. His father was descended from the Polish noble
Szlachta
The szlachta was a legally privileged noble class with origins in the Kingdom of Poland. It gained considerable institutional privileges during the 1333-1370 reign of Casimir the Great. In 1413, following a series of tentative personal unions between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of...
family of Święcicki (Coat of arms of Jastrzębiec
Coat of arms of Jastrzebiec
Jastrzębiec - is a Polish Coat of Arms. It was used by several szlachta families prior to and during the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and to the present day...
). After emigrating to Canada in 1884 the family surname became Swan.
Swan devoted much of his life to travelling. Having decided to make a lifetime career in the Indian Army, Swan was sent by the India Office (the UK governmental office responsible for India at the time) to the School of Oriental and African Studies
School of Oriental and African Studies
The School of Oriental and African Studies is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the University of London...
, University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. Having completed the course there, he proceeded to India and was commissioned and appointed to the Madras Regiment
Madras Regiment
The Madras Regiment is the oldest regiment in the Indian army formed in the 1750s. The regiment has been through many campaigns with both the British Indian Army and the Indian Army.- History :...
, the oldest in the country. Indian Independence (1947) caused him to make other decisions "it being the end of a chapter". Upon retirement from the Indian Army, he went directly back to Canada to take a BA and MA at the University of Western Ontario (Assumption College). During this time, he developed a keen interest in Commonwealth
Commonwealth
Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
affairs, which brought him back to Britain, where he acquired his doctorate
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
from Cambridge University in 1955.
Swan spent six years (1955–1961) lecturing in history at the Assumption University of Windsor, Ontario, of which he was also University Beadle. As guest lecturer he has visited many universities, not only in North America but in every continent except Antarctica, "the penguins haven't invited me yet".
Heraldic career
In addition to his educational achievements, Swan developed an exceptional heraldic career. He was first appointed Rouge Dragon Pursuivant of Arms in OrdinaryRouge Dragon Pursuivant
Rouge Dragon Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary is a junior officer of arms of the College of Arms, named after the red dragon of Wales.The most recent Rouge Dragon Pursuivant was Clive Edwin Alexander Cheesman, whose replacement has yet to be announced....
in 1962 and six years later became York Herald of Arms in Ordinary
York Herald
York Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms at the College of Arms. The first York Herald is believed to have been an officer to Edmund of Langley, Duke of York around the year 1385, but the first completely reliable reference to such a herald is in February of 1484, when John Water...
. In these capacities, he was among the Earl Marshal’s staff for the State Funeral of Sir Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
in 1965, the Investiture of the Prince of Wales
Investiture of the Prince of Wales
The Investiture of the Prince of Wales is the ceremony marking the formal creation of the title of Prince of Wales, similar to a coronation. An Investiture is not required for the Princes of Wales, as the title is created via Letters patent, and consequently the ceremony is for formal purposes...
in 1969, and was Gentleman Usher-in-Waiting to Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
during his visit to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1982.
Swan was appointed Garter Principal King of Arms
Garter Principal King of Arms
The Garter Principal King of Arms is the senior King of Arms, and the senior Officer of Arms of the College of Arms. He is therefore the most powerful herald within the jurisdiction of the College – primarily England, Wales and Northern Ireland – and so arguably the most powerful in the world...
in 1992 on the retirement of Sir Alexander Colin Cole
Colin Cole (officer of arms)
Sir Alexander Colin Cole, KCB, KCVO was a long serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London...
. His own retirement came in 1995, after having been diagnosed with cancer. At the time, some allegations were made in a newspaper article concerning his decision, in his capacity as Genealogist of the British Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, with regard to the grade in which one of his sons-in-law should enter the Order. He denied these allegations, noting that he had never been interviewed by any reporter on this subject.
Sir Conrad Swan was the first herald to execute official duties in-tabard
Tabard
A tabard is a short coat, either sleeveless, or with short sleeves or shoulder pieces, which was a common item of men's clothing in the Middle Ages, usually for outdoors. It might be belted, or not...
across the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and in the southern hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
. He did so in Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
in 1969 and in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
in 1977. He was instrumental in the creation of the Honours System of Antigua and Barbuda, and between 1964 and 1967, Swan was an adviser to the Prime Minister of Canada
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
on the establishment of the National Flag of Canada and the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
. Swan also took a special interest in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, helping the province to obtain a full coat of arms from the Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
in 1986 and a new Great Seal
Great Seal
- Countries :* Great Seal of Canada** Great Seal of Ontario* Great Seal of France* Seal of the President of Ireland* Great Seal of the Realm ** Great Seal of Northern Ireland** Great Seal of Scotland**Welsh Seal* Great Seal of the State...
in 1991. He advised the province on the establishment of the Saskatchewan Order of Merit
Saskatchewan Order of Merit
The Saskatchewan Order of Merit is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Instituted in 1985 by Lieutenant Governor Frederick Johnson, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier Grant Devine, the order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...
in 1985 and the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal
Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal
The Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal is a civil decoration for volunteers in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, introduced in 1995 by the Government of Saskatchewan. Prior to the establishment of the medal volunteerism could be recognized by the Saskatchewan Order of Merit, but this is only one...
in 1995 and the recent expansion of the provincial honours system (notably the Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan
Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan
The Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan also called the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal is a commemorative medal struck to celebrate the first 100 years since Saskatchewan's entrance into Canadian Confederation....
).
A keen scholar and publicist, Swan has written a number of books and articles on heraldic, sigillographic and related subjects. He is a member of several international societies and organisations and was a founder of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada
Royal Heraldry Society of Canada
The Royal Heraldry Society of Canada is a Canadian organization that promotes the art of Canadian Heraldry. Founded as the Heraldry Society of Canada, the mission of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada and its branches is to promote the art of heraldry, particularly Canadian heraldry, and to...
and the Heraldic Garden in Britain.
Honours and appointments
Swan was knightKnight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed by Her Majesty The Queen in 1994 as a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO). He is also a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Nation
Commonwealth Realms orders and decorations
This article concerns the orders and decorations of the Commonwealth realms awarded by the sovereign in right of each nation.Awards are listed by order of wear.-Antigua and Barbuda:* The Most Exalted Order of the National Hero...
of Antigua and Barbuda (KGCN), Knight of Honour and Devotion of the Order of Malta, Cross of Commander of the Order of Merit
Order of Merit of Poland
The Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland is a Polish order awarded to those who have rendered great service to the Polish nation. It is granted to foreigners or Poles resident abroad and as such is a traditional 'diplomatic order'...
of the Republic of Poland, Knight's Cross of the Order of the Grand Duke Gediminas
Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas
The Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas is the Lithuanian Presidential Award which was re-instituted to honour the citizens of Lithuania for outstanding performance in civil and public offices. Foreign nationals may also be awarded this Order. The Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke...
(Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
), Knight Grand Cross of Justice of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George
Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George
The Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George is a Roman Catholic order of chivalry. It was fictively established by Constantine the Great, though in reality it was founded between 1520 and 1545 by two brothers of the Angeli Comneni family. Members of the Angeli Comneni family remained...
, Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francis I
Royal Order of Francis I
The Royal Order of Francis I is a dynastic Order of Knighthood of the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies...
(GCFO) and Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Lion of Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
.
He is also a Knight of the Most Venerable Order of St. John of Jerusalem
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
and Knight Principal of the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor
Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor
The Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor was formed in 1908 and received royal recognition in 1912. Its patron is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. It is a registered charity and seeks to uphold the dignity of knight bachelor and the rights of the degree of knighthood at all times, to register...
(1995–2000); Commander (with Star) of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit; Grand Cross with Grand Collar of the Imperial Order of the Holy Trinity (Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
); Coronation Medal of the King of Tonga. He received the Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan in 2005.
Family
In 1957, Swan married Lady Hilda Susan Mary Northcote (born 23 July 1937 — died 4 December 1995), Serving Sister Most Venerable Order of St. John, Dame of Honour and Devotion Sovereign Military Order of Malta; Dame of Justice (SMO) of Constantine St. George; and President, St. John's Ambulance Society Suffolk.Lady Hilda was the younger daughter of Henry Stafford Northcote, the 3rd Earl of Iddesleigh
Earl of Iddesleigh
Earl of Iddesleigh, in the County of Devon, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1885 for the Conservative politician Sir Stafford Northcote, 8th Baronet...
, and granddaughter of author Marie Adelaide Belloc Lowndes
Marie Adelaide Belloc Lowndes
Marie Adelaïde Lowndes, née Belloc , was a prolific English novelist.Active from 1904 until her death, she had a literary reputation for combining exciting incident with psychological interest...
. She died in Boxford, Suffolk
Boxford, Suffolk
Boxford is a large village and a civil parish in the Babergh district of Suffolk, England. Located around six miles east of Sudbury straddling the River Box and skirted by the Holbrook, in 2005 it had a population of 1,270.-History:...
, when she was hit by a car, which did not stop. She was 58 years old.
They had five children:
- Mary Elizabeth Magdalen Swan (b. 1959)
- Hilda Juliana Mary Swan (b. 1961)
- Catherine Sylveria Mary Swan (b. 1962)
- Andrew Conrad Henry Joseph Swan (b. 1964)
- Anastasia Cecilia Mary Swan (b. 1966)
A King From Canada
Swan's autobiography was released in 2005. A King From Canada was published by The Memoir ClubThe Memoir Club
The Memoir Club is an independent publishing company based in Langley Park near Durham. It specialises in the production of memoirs, biographies and company histories.-Notable Authors:Founded in 1997, the company has published over 170 books...
and featured a foreword by former Chief Canadian Herald Robert Watt
Robert Watt
Robert Douglas Watt, LVO, FRHSC was the first Chief Herald of Canada. He was appointed at the foundation of the Canadian Heraldic Authority, and was succeeded by Claire Boudreau in 2007....
.
Published works
- Canada: Symbols of Sovereignty, University of Toronto Press, 1977, ISBN 978-0802053466
- A King from Canada, The Memoir Club, 2005, ISBN 978-1841040721
- The Royal Encyclopedia (48 articles), Macmillan Press, 1991, ISBN 0-333-53810-2