White Lion Society
Encyclopedia
The White Lion Society was founded in 1986 as a society to benefit the College of Arms
through donations of useful items and publications. John Brooke-Little
, while Norroy and Ulster King of Arms
was integral to the foundation of the Society. In 1984, at a meeting of The Heraldry Society
, it was suggested to Brooke-Little that it would be appropriate to found a "Society of Friends" of the College of Arms. Brooke-Little explained that the late Charles Wilfrid Scott-Giles
, Fitzalan Pursuivant of Arms Extraordinary
, had previously suggested the same idea, giving it the notional name of The White Lion Society after the heraldic
supporters of the College of Arms being two white lions taken from the Earl Marshal's
Mowbray Supporters. Brooke-Little put the idea before the Chapter of the College shortly after and with its approval, the Society came into being in 1986.
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...
through donations of useful items and publications. John Brooke-Little
John Brooke-Little
John Philip Rudolph Dominic Derek Aloysius Mary Brooke-Little, CVO, KStJ, FSA, FSG, FHS, FHG , FRHSC , FHSNZ, KM, GCGCO was an influential and popular British writer on heraldic subjects and a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London...
, while Norroy and Ulster King of Arms
Norroy and Ulster King of Arms
Norroy and Ulster King of Arms is one of the senior Officers of Arms of the College of Arms, and the junior of the two provincial Kings of Arms. The current office is the combination of two former appointments...
was integral to the foundation of the Society. In 1984, at a meeting 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...
, it was suggested to Brooke-Little that it would be appropriate to found a "Society of Friends" of the College of Arms. Brooke-Little explained that the late Charles Wilfrid Scott-Giles
Wilfrid Scott-Giles
Charles Wilfred Scott-Giles was an English officer of arms.Charles Wilfrid Giles was educated at Emanuel School and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, where he read history between 1919 and 1922...
, Fitzalan Pursuivant of Arms Extraordinary
Fitzalan Pursuivant Extraordinary
Fitzalan Pursuivant of Arms Extraordinary is a current officer of arms in England. As a pursuivant extraordinary, Fitzalan is a royal officer of arms, but is not a member of the corporation of the College of Arms in London...
, had previously suggested the same idea, giving it the notional name of The White Lion Society after the 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"...
supporters of the College of Arms being two white lions taken from the Earl Marshal's
Earl Marshal
Earl Marshal is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the sovereign of the United Kingdom used in England...
Mowbray Supporters. Brooke-Little put the idea before the Chapter of the College shortly after and with its approval, the Society came into being in 1986.