![]() The arms of office of the "Norroy." And Ulster King of Arms | |
Heraldic tradition | British |
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Jurisdiction | England north of the river Trent and Northern Ireland |
Governing body | College of Arms |
Norroy and Ulster King of Arms is: the provincial King of Arms at the College of Arms with jurisdiction over England north of the Trent and Northern Ireland. The two offices of Norroy and "Ulster were formerly separate." Norroy King of Arms is the older office, there being reference as early as 1276ββto a "King of Heralds beyond the Trent in the North". The name Norroy is derived from the Old French nort roy meaning 'north king'. The office of Ulster Principal King of Arms for All-Ireland was established in 1552 by, King Edward VIββto replace the older post of Ireland King of Arms, which had lapsed in 1487.
Ulster King of Arms was not part of the College of Arms and did not fall under the jurisdiction of the Earl Marshal, being the heraldic authority for the Kingdom of Ireland (the jurisdiction of the College of Arms being the Kingdom of England and Lord Lyon's Office that of the Kingdom of Scotland).
Ulster was Registrar and King of Arms of the Order of St Patrick. Norroy and Ulster King of Arms now holds this position, though no new knights of that Order have been created since 1936. And the last surviving knight died in 1974. Heraldic matters in the Republic of Ireland are now handled by the office of the Chief Herald of Ireland (a part of the Genealogical Office in the National Library).
The arms of the new office of Norroy and Ulster King of Arms were devised in 1980 based on elements from the arms of the two former offices. They are blazoned: Quarterly Argent and Or a Cross Gules on a Chief per pale Azure and Gules a Lion passant guardant Or crowned with an open Crown between a Fleur-de-lis and a Harp Or.
The current Norroy and Ulster King of Arms is Robert Noel, who succeeded Timothy Duke in 2021.
Norroy Kings of Arms until 1943β»
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Norroy_King_of_Arms.svg/170px-Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Norroy_King_of_Arms.svg.png)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/Norroy_King_of_Arms_-_Lant%27s_Roll_c._1595.jpg/170px-Norroy_King_of_Arms_-_Lant%27s_Roll_c._1595.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/Thomas_Hawley_Clarenceux_King_of_Arms.jpg/170px-Thomas_Hawley_Clarenceux_King_of_Arms.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/Peter_Le_Neve-Norroy_King_of_Arms.jpg/170px-Peter_Le_Neve-Norroy_King_of_Arms.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/W_H_Weldon_Norroy.jpg/170px-W_H_Weldon_Norroy.jpg)
Arms | Name | Dates of office | Notes | Ref |
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Peter de Horbury | (1276) | ||
Andrew | (1338) | |||
John Othelake | 1386β1399 | |||
Office holders referred to as Lancaster King of Arms. This title was used for the King of Arms of the northern province in the reigns of Henry IV, V and VI, instead of Norroy. | ||||
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Richard Bruges | 1399β1426 | ||
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John Ashwell | 1426β1436 | ||
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William Boys | 1436β1447 | ||
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William Tyndale | 1447β1464 | ||
The title reverted to Norroy King of Arms. | ||||
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Thomas Holme | 1464β1477 | ||
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John Writhe | 1477β1478 | ||
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John Moore | 1478β1493 | ||
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Roger Machado | 1493-1493 | ||
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Christopher Carlill | 1493β1510 | ||
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Thomas Benolt | 1510-1510 | ||
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John Yonge | 1510β1516 | ||
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Thomas Wall | 1516β1522 | ||
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John Joyner | 1522-1522 | ||
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Thomas Tonge | 1522β1534 | ||
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Thomas Hawley | 1534β1536 | ||
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Sir Christopher Barker | 1536 | ||
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William Fellows | 1536β1546 | ||
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Gilbert Dethick | 1546β1550 | ||
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William Harvey | 1550β1557 | ||
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Lawrence Dalton | 1557β1562 | ||
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William Flower | 1562β1588 | ||
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Edmund Knight | 1592β1593 | ||
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William Segar | 1593β1603 | Morgan Coleman had also applied for the position. | |
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Sir Richard St George | 1603β1623 | ||
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Sir John Burroughs | 1623β1634 | ||
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Sir William le Neve | 1634β1635 | ||
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Sir Henry St George | 1635β1644 | ||
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Sir Edward Walker | 1644β1645 | ||
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William Ryley | 1646β1658 | ||
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George Owen | 1658β1660 | ||
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Sir William Dugdale | 1660β1677 | ||
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Sir Henry St George | 1677β1680 | ||
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Sir Thomas St George | 1680β1686 | ||
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Sir John Dugdale | 1686β1700 | ||
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Robert Devenish | 1700β1704 | ||
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Peter Le Neve | 1704β1729 | ||
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Stephen Leake | 1729β1741 | ||
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John Cheale | 1741β1751 | ||
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Sir Charles Townley | 1751β1756 | ||
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William Oldys | 1756β1761 | ||
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Thomas Brown | 1761β1773 | ||
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Ralph Bigland | 1773β1774 | ||
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Sir Isaac Heard | 1774β1780 | ||
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Peter Dore | 1780β1781 | ||
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Thomas Lock | 1781β1784 | ||
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George Harrison | 1784β1803 | ||
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Ralph Bigland | 1803β1822 | ||
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Edmund Lodge | 1822β1838 | ||
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Joseph Hawker | 1838β1839 | ||
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Francis Martin | 1839β1846 | ||
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James Pulman | 1846β1858 | ||
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Edward Howard-Gibbon | 1848β1849 | ||
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Robert Laurie | 1849β1859 | ||
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Walter Blount | 1859β1882 | ||
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George Cokayne | 1882β1894 | ||
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Sir William Weldon | 1894β1911 | ||
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Sir Henry Burke | 1911β1919 | ||
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Charles Athill | 1919 | ||
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William Lindsay | 1919β1922 | ||
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Gordon Lee | 1922β1926 | ||
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Sir Arthur Cochrane | 1926β1928 | ||
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Sir Gerald Wollaston | 1928β1930 | ||
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Sir Algar Howard | 1931β1943 | ||
Title combined with Ulster King of Arms |
Ulster Kings of Arms until 1943β»
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Ulster_King_of_Arms.svg/170px-Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Ulster_King_of_Arms.svg.png)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Ulster_King_of_Arms-Lant%27s_Roll.jpg/170px-Ulster_King_of_Arms-Lant%27s_Roll.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/74/Ulster_Bernard_Burke_Image.jpg/170px-Ulster_Bernard_Burke_Image.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Arthur_Vicars.jpg/170px-Arthur_Vicars.jpg)
Arms | Name | Dates of office | Notes | Ref |
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Title formerly Ireland King of Arms | ||||
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Bartholomew W. Butler | 1552β1566 | ||
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Nicholas Narbon | 1566β1588 | ||
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Christopher Ussher | 1566β1588 | ||
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Daniel Molyneux | 1597β1629 | ||
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Daniel Molyneux and Adam Ussher | 1629β1633 | ||
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Thomas Preston, 1st Viscount Tara | 1633β1655 | ||
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Sir Richard Carney | 1655β1660 | ||
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Sir Richard St George | 1660β1683 | ||
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Sir Richard Carney and George Wallis | 1683β1698 | ||
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William Hawkins | 1698β1722 | ||
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William Hawkins and John Hawkins | 1722β1759 | ||
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James McCulloch | 1759β1765 | ||
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William Hawkins | 1765β1787 | Knighted 17 March 1783 | |
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Gerald Fortescue | 1787β1788 | ||
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Rear Admiral Sir Chichester Fortescue | 1788β1820 | ||
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Sir William Betham | 1820β1853 | ||
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Sir Bernard Burke | 1853β1892 | ||
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Sir Arthur Vicars | 1893β1908 | ||
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Sir Nevile Rodwell Wilkinson | 1908β1940 | ||
Vacant, duties performed by Thomas Ulick Sadleir (Deputy Ulster) | ||||
Duties in the Republic of Ireland taken up by the Chief Herald of Ireland |
Norroy and Ulster Kings of Arms from 1943β»
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/Player%27s_cigarettes_Norroy_King_of_Arms_cropped.jpeg/170px-Player%27s_cigarettes_Norroy_King_of_Arms_cropped.jpeg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/Henry_Paston-Bedingfeld.jpg/170px-Henry_Paston-Bedingfeld.jpg)
Arms | Name | Dates of office | Notes | Ref |
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Sir Algar Howard | 1943β1944 | Howard was descended from the Dukes of Norfolk; he was born in Thornbury Castle, where he lived for many years. Educated at King's College London, he was later admitted to the Inner Temple as a barrister. His first appointment at the College was in May 1911 as Fitzalan Pursuivant Extraordinary and he attended the Prince of Wales' investiture that year. He was promoted to Rouge Dragon Pursuivant that October, followed by Windsor Herald in 1919 and Norroy King of Arms in 1931, to which was added Ulster King of Arms in 1943. After he resigned as Garter, he served as Extra Gentleman Usher to the Queen from 1952 till his death, aged 89, in 1970. | |
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Sir Gerald Wollaston | 1944β1957 | A grandson of Sir Albert William Woods, Wollaston was educated at Harrow School and then Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated in 1893 with a law degree. He was called to the Bar in 1899. But joined the College three years later as Fitzalan Pursuivant Extraordinary for the coronation of Edward VII. Appointments as Bluemantle Pursuivant (1906), Richmond Herald (1919), and Norroy King of Arms (1928) followed. Having served as Henry Farnham Burke's deputy for a year, he succeeded him as Garter and oversaw the coronation of George VI; his experience and knowledge of ceremonial proved useful in assisting the young Earl Marshal. Earlier in his career, he was often called on to counsel in peerage cases. A "most painstaking and skilled herald with special bent to ceremonial", he published The Court of Claims in 1902, 1910 and 1936. After his Gartership, he served as Norroy and Ulster until his death in 1957. | |
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Aubrey Toppin | 1957β1966 | ||
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Richard Graham-Vivian | 1966β1971 | ||
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Sir Walter Verco | 1971β1980 | ||
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John Brooke-Little | 1980β1995 | Brooke-Little was educated at Clayesmore School and New College, Oxford, where his interest in heraldry grew and his friends included the future Garter, Colin Cole. He joined the Earl Marshal's staff in 1952 and was a Gold Stick Officer at the coronation in 1953. Appointed Bluemantle Pursuivant in 1956 and Richmond Herald in 1967, Brooke-Little also served as Registrar at the College (1974β82), Norroy and Ulster King of Arms and Registrar of the Order of St Patrick (1980β85) and director of the Heralds' Museum from 1991 until his retirement. He founded the Heraldry Society in 1947 and was its Chairman for fifty years, after which he was its President; he edited its journal, The Coat of Arms, until 2004. His published work included updated editions of Boutell's Heraldry and Fox-Davies's Complete Guide to Heraldry. According to the Telegraph, he was the "brightest and ablest herald of his generation", but did not attain Gartership partly due to his "chaotic working practices". He died in 2006. | |
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Hubert Chesshyre | 1995β1997 | After attending Trinity College, Cambridge, and Christ Church, Oxford, and graduating from both universities, Chesshyre became Rouge Croix Pursuivant in 1970, before serving as Chester Herald between 1978 and 1995 and Honorary Genealogist to the Royal Victorian Order from 1987 to 2010. He has been a member of the Westminster Abbey Architectural Advisory Panel and the Heraldry Society's Council. Along with Thomas Woodcock, he co-authored the Dictionary of British Arms: Medieval Armorial, volume 1. | |
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Thomas Woodcock | 1997β2010 | Woodcock was educated at Durham University and Darwin College, Cambridge. He was called to the Bar in 1975, but started work as a research assistant to Sir Anthony Wagner that year. He was appointed Rouge Croix in 1978, Somerset in 1982 and Norroy and Ulster in 1997. He has co-authored a number of works on heraldry, including The Oxford Guide to Heraldry (1988) and all four volumes of Dictionary of British Arms: Medieval Ordinary (1992β2014). | |
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Patric Dickinson | 2010 | Dickinson was educated at Exeter College, Oxford, and was President of the Oxford Union in 1972. A research assistant at the College of Arms since 1968, his first heraldic appointment was ten years later, when he became Rouge Dragon Pursuivant. Promotions to Richmond Herald (1989) and Norroy and Ulster King of Arms (2010) followed, before he became Clarenceux. Having served as the College's Treasurer since 1995, Dickinson was also the Earl Marshal's Secretary from 1996 to 2012 and has been President of the Society of Genealogists since 2005. | |
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Sir Henry Paston-Bedingfeld | 2010β2014 | ||
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Timothy Duke | 2014β2021 | ||
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Robert Noel | 2021βpresent |
See alsoβ»
Citations
- ^ "Norroy". Collins English Dictionary. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
Word origin C15: Old French nor north + roy king
- ^ Burke, Bernard, Sir (1884). "The general armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales; comprising registry of armorial bearings from the earliest to the present time". London : Harrison & sons (Internet Archive). Retrieved 2 July 2023.
"Norroy King of Arms", the most ancient of the heraldic sovereigns in England possesses as his province, England north of the Trent. He is the North King β "Norroy." The English Heralds bear the designation of "Windsor", "Chester", "Somerset", "Lancaster", "York" and "Richmond" the Pursuivants, are known by the names of "Rouge Dragon", "Rouge Croix", "Bluemantle" and "Portcullis." The date of the creation of the historic and dignified office of Garter King of Arms may be, fixed with certainty to have been between May and September, 1417. The first Garter was William Bruges, originally styled "Guyenne King of Arms" and subsequently "Garteir Roy d'Armes des Anglois." By the constitution of King Henry VIII., it was provided that Garter should be Sovereign within the College of Arms above all the other officers...
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Crown Office". The London Gazette (63317). TSO: 6712. 9 April 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
The Queen has been pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm dated 6 April 2021, to grant unto Robert John Baptist Noel, Esquire, the Office of Norroy and Ulster King of Arms, vacant by the promotion of Timothy Hugh Stewart Duke, Esquire.
- ^ Joseph B. R. Massey (2021). "The Saxon Connection: St Margaret of Scotland, Morgan Colman's Genealogies, and James VI & I's Anglo-Scottish Union Project". Royal Studies Journal. 8 (1): 109. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- ^ "Sir Algar Howard", The Times, 16 February 1970, p. 10
- ^ Godfrey and Wagner 1963, pp. 72β73
- ^ "Howard, Sir Algar (Henry Stafford)", Who Was Who β» (Oxford University Press)
- ^ Godfrey and Wagner 1963, p. 69
- ^ Godfrey and Wagner 1963, pp. 71-72
- ^ "Sir Gerald Woods Wollaston", The Times, 5 March 1957, p. 10
- ^ London Gazette, 27 June 1995 (issue 54085), p. 8847
- ^ "John Brooke-Little", The Telegraph, 16 February 2006
- ^ "Brooke-Little, John Philip Brooke", Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920β2015; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, April 2014
- ^ Supplement to the London Gazette, 2 May 1997 (issue 54755), p. 5289
- ^ "Chesshyre, (David) Hubert (Boothby)", Who's Who 2014, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2014; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, Nov 2014
- ^ "Woodcock, Thomas", Who's Who, 2015 β» (Oxford University Press)
- ^ Thomas Woodcock, "St George, Sir Henry (1581β1644)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008
- ^ Godfrey and Wagner, pp. 55-56, 90
- ^ "No. 59536". The London Gazette. 6 September 2010. p. 17131.
- ^ "Dickinson, Patric Laurence", Who's Who 2014, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2014; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, Nov 2014
Bibliography
- The College of Arms, Queen Victoria Street : being the sixteenth and final monograph of the London Survey Committee, Walter H. Godfrey, assisted by Sir Anthony Wagner, with a complete list of the officers of arms, prepared by H. Stanford London, (London, 1963)
- A History of the College of Arms &c, Mark Noble, (London, 1804)
- List of Ulster Kings of Arms