George Bellew
Encyclopedia
Sir George Rothe Bellew, KCB
, KCVO
, KStJ, FSA
(13 December 1899 – 1993) was a long-serving officer of arms
at the College of Arms
is London
. An expert genealogist and armorist, Bellew was appointed to the office of Garter Principal King of Arms
–the highest heraldic
office in England
and Wales
.
, Berkshire
, England
and at Christ Church, Oxford
. On 24 September 1935, he married Ursula Kennard Cull, daughter of Anders Eric Knös Cull. Bellew's half-brother, Edward had inherited their uncle's barony of Bellew
earlier that year and Bellew and his siblings were later granted the precedence
of younger sons/daughters of a baron. At the outbreak of World War II
he obtained the rank of Squadron Leader
in the service of the Royal Air Force
Volunteer Reserve. During the war he was Mentioned in Despatches several times. Bellew died in 1993 and is buried at The Church of St Benet Paul's Wharf
which has been the church of the College of Arms since 1555.
. He held this position between 1922 and 1926. He was next appointed to the office of Somerset Herald of Arms in Ordinary
from 1926 and 1950. From 1935, he also held the office of Registrar of the College of Arms, a position which he held until 1945. He was also the Genealogist
to the Royal Victorian Order
between 1945 and 1961. Bellew was also made a Fellow
of the Society of Antiquaries of London
. He was also Genealogist of the Order of the Bath
between December 1950 and 1961. In 1950, he was appointed Garter Principal King of Arms
which office he held until July 1961.
In his capacity as Garter Principal King of Arms, he was the first person to publicly read the proclamation issued by the 1952 Accession Council declaring the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the British Throne, when the said proclamation was read at St. James' Palace.
Bellew was also made Inspector of Regimental Colours in 1957 and held the position until 1961. He was also Secretary of the Order of the Garter
between 1961 and 1974.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, KCVO
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...
, KStJ, FSA
Society of Antiquaries of London
The 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...
(13 December 1899 – 1993) was a long-serving officer of arms
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...
is 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...
. An expert genealogist and armorist, Bellew was appointed 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...
–the highest heraldic
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
office in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
Personal life
Bellew was the son of the Honourable Richard Eustace Bellew and Gwendoline Marie Josephine Herbert-Huddleston. He was educated at Wellington CollegeWellington College, Berkshire
-Former pupils:Notable former pupils include historian P. J. Marshall, architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, impressionist Rory Bremner, Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge, author Sebastian Faulks, language school pioneer John Haycraft, political journalist Robin Oakley, actor Sir Christopher...
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and at Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
. On 24 September 1935, he married Ursula Kennard Cull, daughter of Anders Eric Knös Cull. Bellew's half-brother, Edward had inherited their uncle's barony of Bellew
Baron Bellew
Baron Bellew, of Barmeath in the County of Louth, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 17 July 1848 for Sir Patrick Bellew, 7th Baronet, who had previously represented Louth in the House of Commons as a Whig and also served as Lord Lieutenant of County Louth...
earlier that year and Bellew and his siblings were later granted the precedence
United Kingdom order of precedence
The Order of precedence in the United Kingdom is the sequential hierarchy for nobility, clergy and holders of the various Orders of Chivalry in the constituent countries of the United Kingdom:* England and Wales* Scotland* Northern Ireland...
of younger sons/daughters of a baron. At the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he obtained the rank of Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
in the service of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Volunteer Reserve. During the war he was Mentioned in Despatches several times. Bellew died in 1993 and is buried at The Church of St Benet Paul's Wharf
St Benet Paul's Wharf
The Church of St Benet Paul's Wharf is the Welsh church of the City of London. Since 1555, it has also been the church of the College of Arms, and many officers of arms are buried there. The current church was designed by Sir Christopher Wren.-History:...
which has been the church of the College of Arms since 1555.
Heraldic career
Bellew's first heraldic appointment was the office of Portcullis Pursuivant of Arms in OrdinaryPortcullis Pursuivant
Portcullis Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary is a junior officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. The office is named after the Portcullis chained Or badge of the Beauforts, which was a favourite device of King Henry VII. King Henry's mother was Lady Margaret Beaufort. The office was...
. He held this position between 1922 and 1926. He was next appointed to the office of 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...
from 1926 and 1950. From 1935, he also held the office of Registrar of the College of Arms, a position which he held until 1945. He was also the Genealogist
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
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...
between 1945 and 1961. Bellew was also made a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of the Society of Antiquaries of London
Society of Antiquaries of London
The 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...
. He was also Genealogist of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
between December 1950 and 1961. In 1950, he 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...
which office he held until July 1961.
In his capacity as Garter Principal King of Arms, he was the first person to publicly read the proclamation issued by the 1952 Accession Council declaring the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the British Throne, when the said proclamation was read at St. James' Palace.
Bellew was also made Inspector of Regimental Colours in 1957 and held the position until 1961. He was also Secretary of the Order of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
between 1961 and 1974.
Honours and appointments
- Member, Royal Victorian Order - 1935
- Knight, Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem
- Knight Bachelor - 1950
- Commander, Royal Victorian Order - 1950
- Knight Commander, Royal Victorian Order - 1953
- Knight Principal, The Imperial Society of Knights BachelorImperial Society of Knights BachelorThe 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...
- 1957 - Knight Commander, Order of the Bath - 1961