David Vines White is Somerset Herald of Arms in Ordinary

Somerset Herald

Somerset Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. In the year 1448 Somerset Herald is known to have served the Duke of Somerset, but by the time of the coronation of King Henry VII in 1485 his successor appears to have been raised to the rank of a royal...

 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...

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White was educated at Marlborough College

Marlborough College

Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...

, before going up to Pembroke College, Cambridge

Pembroke College, Cambridge

Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...

, where he obtained the degree of MA. As an undergraduate he was President

President

A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...

 of the Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society

Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society

The Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society was formed as the result of the merger in 1957 of a previous Heraldic Society with the Cambridge University Society of Genealogists .-Foundation of the society:...

, and later he received a further MA

Master of Arts (postgraduate)

A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...

 degree from the 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...

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White then served as a research assistant to Theobald Mathew

Theobald Mathew (officer of arms)

Theobald David Mathew was an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London.Theobald Mathew was the son of solicitor Robert Mathew and Joan Young, and great-nephew of Sir Arthur Cochrane, Clarenceux King of Arms from 1928 to 1954...

, Windsor Herald

Windsor Herald

Windsor Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. It has been suggested that the office was instituted specifically for the Order of the Garter in 1348, or that it predates the Order and was in use as early as 1338...

, and in 1995 was appointed Rouge Croix Pursuivant

Rouge Croix Pursuivant

Rouge Croix Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary is a junior officer of arms of the College of Arms. The office is named after St George's Cross which has been a symbol of England since the time of the Crusades...

. In 2004 he was appointed Somerset Herald. White is a member of Council of The Heraldry Society

The Heraldry Society

The Heraldry Society is one of the leading organizations in the world devoted to studying heraldry. In 1947, a twenty year old John Brooke-Little founded the Society of Heraldic Antiquaries. This title was changed to The Heraldry Society in 1950. It was incorporated in 1956 and is now a registered...

 in London and served as its Chairman 2006-09. He is a member of Council of the British Record Society

British Record Society

The British Record Society is a British learned society that focuses on publishing historic records, or, more specifically, indexes to such records...

 and a Trustee of the Marc Fitch

Fitch

- Places :* Fitch, North Carolina* Fitch's Covered Bridge, Delhi, New York* Fitch H. Beach Airport, an airport at Charlotte, Michigan, USA* Fitch Township, Ohio* Mount Fitch, in Massachusetts, on the Appalachian Trail* Fitchburg, Massachusetts...

 Fund. In 2010 he was appointed Honorary Genealogist to the Royal Victorian Order

Royal Victorian Order

The 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...

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White's day job is researching and proving genealogies, as well as facilitating new grants of arms to suitable applicants.

External links

• The College of Arms website