James Balfour Paul
Encyclopedia
Sir James Balfour Paul, KCVO (16 November 1846 – 15 September 1931) was the Lord Lyon King of Arms
, the officer responsible for heraldry
in Scotland
, from 1890 until the end of 1926.
Sir James was the second son of the Rev. John Paul by his spouse Margaret Balfour, and was admitted an advocate
in 1870. Thereafter he was Registrar of Friendly Societies
(1879–1890), Treasurer of the Faculty of Advocates
(1883–1902), appointed Lord Lyon King of Arms in 1890, and made a Knight Bachelor
in 1900 and KCVO
in 1926.
He was also admitted an Esquire of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem
, elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
, and was a member of the Royal Societies and University (Edinburgh) Clubs. He resided at 30 Heriot Row, Edinburgh
.
Sir James married, in 1872, Helen Margaret (d. December 20, 1929), daughter of John Nairne Forman of Staffa, WS
. They had four children: three sons and a daughter. One son, John William
, also became a heraldic officer, while another, Arthur Forman, became an architect and partner of Robert Rowand Anderson
.
Lord Lyon King of Arms
The Lord Lyon King of Arms, the head of Lyon Court, is the most junior of the Great Officers of State in Scotland and is the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in that country, issuing new grants of arms, and serving as the judge of the Court of the Lord Lyon, the oldest...
, the officer responsible for heraldry
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"...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, from 1890 until the end of 1926.
Sir James was the second son of the Rev. John Paul by his spouse Margaret Balfour, and was admitted an advocate
Advocate
An advocate is a term for a professional lawyer used in several different legal systems. These include Scotland, South Africa, India, Scandinavian jurisdictions, Israel, and the British Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man...
in 1870. Thereafter he was Registrar of Friendly Societies
Friendly society
A friendly society is a mutual association for insurance, pensions or savings and loan-like purposes, or cooperative banking. It is a mutual organization or benefit society composed of a body of people who join together for a common financial or social purpose...
(1879–1890), Treasurer of the Faculty of Advocates
Faculty of Advocates
The Faculty of Advocates is an independent body of lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the courts of Scotland, especially the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary...
(1883–1902), appointed Lord Lyon King of Arms in 1890, and made a Knight Bachelor
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1900 and 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...
in 1926.
He was also admitted an Esquire of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
, elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland is the senior antiquarian body in Scotland, with its headquarters in the National Museum, Chambers Street, Edinburgh...
, and was a member of the Royal Societies and University (Edinburgh) Clubs. He resided at 30 Heriot Row, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
Sir James married, in 1872, Helen Margaret (d. December 20, 1929), daughter of John Nairne Forman of Staffa, WS
Writers to the Signet
The Society of Writers to Her Majesty’s Signet is a private society of Scottish solicitors, dating back to 1594 and part of the College of Justice. Writers to the Signet originally had special privileges in relation to the drawing up of documents which required to be signeted, but these have since...
. They had four children: three sons and a daughter. One son, John William
John William Balfour Paul
Lt-Colonel John William Balfour Paul, DSO , educated at Sedbergh School, was a Scottish officer of arms, the son of James Balfour Paul. He was Falkland Pursuivant Extraordinary from 1927 to 1939, and Marchmont Herald from 1939 to 1957.-External links:**...
, also became a heraldic officer, while another, Arthur Forman, became an architect and partner of Robert Rowand Anderson
Robert Rowand Anderson
Sir Robert Rowand Anderson RSA was a Scottish Victorian architect. Anderson trained in the office of George Gilbert Scott in London before setting up his own practice in Edinburgh in 1860. During the 1860s his main work was small churches in the 'First Pointed' style that is characteristic of...
.
Published works
- The History of the Royal Company of Archers, William Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh, 1875
- Heraldry in relation to Scottish History and Art, Edinburgh, 1890.
- An Ordinary of Arms Contained in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in ScotlandPublic Register of All Arms and Bearings in ScotlandThe Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland was established by Act of the Scottish Parliament in 1672. The register is held at the Court of the Lord Lyon and contains every grant of arms since that date. Bearings that are not matriculated in the Register may not be used in Scotland...
. 2nd edition, Edinburgh, 1903. - The Scots Peerage, compiled and edited by Balfour Paul.
- Ancient Artillery, with some notes on Mons Meg in The Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of ScotlandSociety of Antiquaries of ScotlandThe Society of Antiquaries of Scotland is the senior antiquarian body in Scotland, with its headquarters in the National Museum, Chambers Street, Edinburgh...
, volume 50, 1915-1916, pps: 191-201.