Rodney Dennys
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-Colonel Rodney Onslow Dennys, CVO
, OBE
, FSA
(1911–13 August 1993) was a British
foreign service operative and long-serving officer of arms
at the College of Arms
in London
. During World War II
he served in the Intelligence Corps of the British Army
.
Dennys joined the Foreign Service in 1937, serving in various intelligence posts, including Cairo
and Paris
. His wife, Elizabeth, was a sister of the late Graham Greene
, and they had one son and two daughters. For his war work in the Middle East
, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) on 14 October 1943. He was granted the honorary rank of lieutenant-colonel on 1 January 1949, and relinquished his commission in 1966, retaining that rank. Dennys joined the staff at the College of Arms in 1958. His first heraldic appointment came on 8 August 1961 when he was appointed Rouge Croix Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary
to replace Walter Verco
. He continued in this office until 1967 when he was appointed Somerset Herald of Arms in Ordinary
. He held this position until his retirement in 1982, after which he was granted the post of Arundel Herald of Arms Extraordinary
. In 1969 he was made a Member (4th Class) of the Royal Victorian Order
(MVO), on the occasion of the Investiture of the Prince of Wales
, in the 1982 New Year Honours
he was promoted to Commander (CVO). In 1983 he was appointed High Sheriff of East Sussex
.
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...
, OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, 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...
(1911–13 August 1993) was a British
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...
foreign service operative and 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...
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...
. During 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 served in the Intelligence Corps of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
.
Dennys joined the Foreign Service in 1937, serving in various intelligence posts, including Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. His wife, Elizabeth, was a sister of the late Graham Greene
Graham Greene
Henry Graham Greene, OM, CH was an English author, playwright and literary critic. His works explore the ambivalent moral and political issues of the modern world...
, and they had one son and two daughters. For his war work in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) on 14 October 1943. He was granted the honorary rank of lieutenant-colonel on 1 January 1949, and relinquished his commission in 1966, retaining that rank. Dennys joined the staff at the College of Arms in 1958. His first heraldic appointment came on 8 August 1961 when he was appointed Rouge Croix Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary
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...
to replace Walter Verco
Walter Verco
Sir 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:...
. He continued in this office until 1967 when he was appointed 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...
. He held this position until his retirement in 1982, after which he was granted the post of Arundel Herald of Arms Extraordinary
Arundel Herald Extraordinary
Arundel Herald of Arms Extraordinary is a supernumerary Officer of Arms in England. Though a royal herald, Arundel is not a member of the College of Arms, and was originally a private herald in the household of Thomas Fitzalan, Earl of Arundel. He is known to have served the Earl both in Portugal...
. In 1969 he was made a Member (4th Class) of 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...
(MVO), on the occasion of the Investiture of the 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...
, in the 1982 New Year Honours
New Year Honours
The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the New Year annually in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen Elizabeth II...
he was promoted to Commander (CVO). In 1983 he was appointed High Sheriff of East Sussex
High Sheriff of East Sussex
- History :The office of High Sheriff is over 1000 years old, with its establishment before the Norman Conquest. The Office of High Sheriff remained first in precedence in the counties until the reign of Edward VII when an Order in Council in 1908 gave the Lord-Lieutenant the prime office under the...
.
Publications
- Rodney Dennys. The Heraldic Imagination. New York: Clarkson N. Potter, 1975.
- Rodney Dennys. Heraldry and the Heralds. London: Jonathan Cape, 1982 and 1984.