The Arms of Lord Islington
Noel Cox
first published (Summer 2003) 85 New Zealand Armorist 14-15
The Right Honourable Sir John Poynder Dickson-Poynder, GCMG DSO KStJ PC, succeeded to the family baronetcy in 1884, served in the House of Commons 1892-1910, and was created a baron in 1910. He took the title Lord Islington, of Islington, county of London, in the peerage of the United Kingdom. Lord Islington was Governor of New Zealand from 1910 to 1912, when he resigned to become Chairman of the Royal Commission on Public Services in India. Lord Islington had no heir, and the title became extinct on his death in 1936.
The family of Dickson were descended from Archibald Dickson, of Pontefract, who was originally of Scottish ancestry. A later Sir Archibald, Admiral of the Blue, was created a baronet, of Hardingham, county of Norfolk, in 1802. The Dicksons were a noted military and naval family, Lord Islington being the first of the baronets to not hold senior rank. He did in fact serve in the Boer War, and retained the rank of honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry.
In 1888 the then head of the family, Sir John Dickson, assumed by royal licence the additional name and arms of Poynder. His mother was Sarah Matilda, third daughter of Thomas Poynder, of Hilmanston Manor, Wiltshire.
The arms granted to Lord Islington in were quarterly, first and fourth, pily counterpily of four traits Or and Sable, the points ending in crosses formée two in chief and one in base, in the centre chief point a castle of the second, and in base two martlets of the first, a chief Azure, thereon a key erect, the wards upwards and to the sinister gold, between a rose on the dexter side and a fleur-de-lis on the sinister Argent. These were the arms of Poynder.
The second and third quarters are Azure, an anchor erect Or, encircled with an oak-wreath Vert, between three mullets pierced Or, on a chief of the second three pallets Gules, in the centre of the mural crown Argent. These are the arms of Dickson. The naval background of the family is clearly shown.
The supporters borne by Lord Islington after his creation were, on the dexter side an eagle wings endorsed Proper and on the sinister side a lion rampant Gules; each gorged with a collar Argent pendant therefrom a plate charged with a rose also Gules.
There are two crests. The first, for Poynder, is issuant out of the battlements of a castle Argent, charged with a cross-flory Gules, a dexter cubit arm vested Sable, charged with a key as in the arms, cuff Or, the hand Proper, holding a cross patée fitchée in bend also Argent. The second crest, for Dickson, is, over an armed arm brandishing a falchion Proper, a trident and spear in saltire Or.
The motto is Fortes fortuna juvat.