The Arms of Sir Frank Mappin, Bt
Noel Cox
originally published in (Summer 2000) 73 New Zealand Armorist 15-16
Sir Frank Crossley Mappin, sixth baronet in the baronetage of the United Kingdom, was born 15th August 1884. He succeeded his father to the family title in 1942. Sir Frank was a member of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of J erusalem. He was appointed a Serving Brother in 1937, a Commander in 1945, and a Knight of Justice in 1951.
In 1944 he gave the Order the Pitt Street site of the Auckland Centre of St John, which had been a fire station since 1907. He also established the Mappin Trust (administered by the Royal Society of New Zealand), for research on problems in connection with New Zealand plants, especially diseases of plants. Sir Frank Mappin died in 1975 without male heir, and the title became extinct.
Sir Frank Mappi n is well known as the former owner of Birchlands, 119 Mountain Road, Epsom, which he generously gave to Her Majesty The Queen in 1963. Since 1969 it has been used as the Government House in Auckland. The property was bought by Sir Frank in 1921, and the house built in stages from 1922 upon an earlier structure. It is however for the grounds and gardens that Birchlands is chiefly notable. Some of the more mature trees date from the time of the earliest plantings, in the 1860s. The Mappins however did much to develop the property, and over the course of forty years had created one of the most important gardens in Auckland.
Since the Mappin family moved out in 1966 attempts have been made to preserve and restore the gardens. A member of the family continues to sit on the advisory committee for the garden.
The Mappin family are descended from Joseph Mappin, of Broomgrove, Sheffield, son of Joseph Mappin, of Sharrow Moor, Ecclesall. His son, Sir Frederick Mappin, DL JP, the first baronet, was Mayor of Sheffield in 1877. He was Member of Parliament for East Retford 1880-85, and for the Hallamshire Division of the West Riding of Yorkshire 1885-1906. Sir Frederick was created a baronet in 1886.
The armorial bearings of the Mappin baronets were Azure on a bend engrailed between two boars' heads erased Argent, three lozenges of the field.
The crest was boar Sable, charged with a pale Or, and resting the dexter fore-foot upon a spur fesswise, also Or.
The motto was Cor forte calcar non requirit.
Granted by the English Kings of Arms, 1886.