heraldist3

Vol.12, no.5 - A SPECIAL ISSUE WITH IMPORTANT MESSAGES

PRESIDENT�S MESSAGE

To all members and friends of the Ottawa Valley Branch of the HSC, I wish you a festive season filled with happiness and health. To introduce myself, I was elected President of the OV Branch of the HSC at our AGM dinner on November 23rd. Born and raised in Nova Scotia, I resided for a several years in Vancouver and came to Ottawa just a few years ago. Currently, working in the high tech. industry as a consultant, I am the father of two busy young children. My interest in heraldry started at a young age with the arms of the English Churchills�, and my own new Canadian grant is currently in progress through the CHA.

I would like to thank our past President, David Tysowski and past Secretary- Treasurer, Gerald Beament for three years of exceptional service they have given the membership and the many interesting heraldic events the branch has undertaken under their administration. I would also like to thank John Ruch our Editor, our current directors and congratulate former OVB director, Dr. John Udd, on becoming our National HSC President. Joining me on the OVB Executive this year is Chris Collin, our new Secretary-Treasurer. Chris is a longtime Society member and formerly has served on the National Board.

Our volunteer-based society can thrive only with your active participation and input. So I intend on running an OVB administration that is open to members� concerns and wishes. I would very much like to hear these and your suggestions for future branch activities. Soon we will be planning for 2001. Let us know what direction we should take the branch in. Would you like to see, e.g. more/or fewer formal dinners, or perhaps more educational initiatives and emphasis on new member recruitment? It is essential to our future that you take the time to express your ideas.

One definite project for our branch in 2001 is again hosting the National HSC - AGM gather-ing next October. Anyone who wishes to be on the planning committee, please call me at (613) 831-6903, e-mail: [email protected] or regular mail: 154 Rothesay Dr., Kanata, ON   K2L 1P1.

Our long-awaited Canadian Heraldic Primer copies will shortly be available in the Ottawa area, we hope in time for Christmas.    Members will surely want to take this inexpensive way of bringing heraldry to a new audience.

Best wishes to all for the Holiday Season

Blair Churchill
OVB - HSC President

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT�S FINAL MESSAGE: Seasonal Greetings.

After three years as OVB President, I am taking this opportunity to express a personal thank you to the general membership and to executive members for your support over the past years of heraldic activity. The branch held and participated in twelve successful special heraldic gala events, which I have detailed previously to our members. The last OVB Annual General Meeting, and formal heraldic dinner, for this year was held on November 23rd, at the Canadian Museum of Civilization/Mus�e Canadien de Civilisation. We had an excellent turn out, and members as well as guests enjoyed a most enlightening presentation by Lieutenant General James C. Gervais, of the Chancellery (summary below �Notes for a Speech��). We extend both OVB and personal thanks to him for his time, effort and assistance in giving this talk.

As with precedents I have encouraged in the past, we shared the evening with members of the St Andrew�s Society, HeraIdry Directorate heralds/staff and the Monarchist League of Canada. I was honoured to present a book on Saracenic Heraldry to Mr. Robert Watt, Director, HeraIdry Directorate, for inclusion in the Canadian Heraldic Authority reference library. To the OVB executive and branch members I want to express my own thanks for their having given so freely of their time, effort and resourcefulness over the past three years not only to help ensure that OVB could learn about exciting �things heraldic� but also enjoy the pleasure of a number of social activities: to secretary-treasurer Commander Gerald A. Beament, vice-president Dr. John Udd, Heraldist editor John Ruch, directors George De Lisle, Dr. Andrzej Garlicki, also the other directors serving 1998 to 2000 for sound recommendations and advice on heraldic activities. Of course, I thank all members for their support of the branch events, and especially Charles T. Maier. The festive holiday season has arrived, a very appropriate time to pause a moment and reflect on what the meaning of varied messages it brings to all those from many different parts of the world now living in Canada. May we all find joy and happiness through our families, friends, and others who cross our life paths, who do so in terms of amity stemming from the real Christmas spirit. All the best for the New Year to you and yours with a special wish for health and prosperity in 2001.

David P. J. Tysowski
lmmediate Past President

EDITORIAL

Any editor worth his salt has pronounced opinions, but one who hopes to maintain a fair balance of argument in his publication would not mar it by presenting only one side of an issue. In point are the new arms proposed for the City of Ottawa. Most critics seem to agree that, considered as a piece of modern design, they have real artistic merit. They would make a perfect model for a radiator-ornament on a Cadillac, Lincoln or Mercedes. How striking would be the globe brightly enamelled, with the decorated wreath and �swishes� picked out in chromium!

However, heraldically considered, all opinion we have received is negatively critical of these arms. It is uniform on at least two points: about its unheraldic nature, and the absence of a specific reference to this city as the seat of our sovereignty. Design by committees, with or without democratic input, is flawed from the beginning. They usually have fuzzy ideas when dealing with a problem beyond their expertize, and submitting it to an even less informed public for help merely compounds the confusion. For example, the crest using a terrestrial globe centred on Ottawa is naively pompous.

Already, HSC members will have received a letter from Kevin Greaves and John Wilkes about their reactions to the proposed design of arms for Ottawa. Added to this are Blair Churchill�s following comments.

Let�s review the story of the new Ottawa arms as it has developed since the start of this year. Not all members may be aware of the Visual Identity Committee�s work for the Ottawa Transition Board. It seems as a newly amalgamated city Ottawa must be new in every way, including a whole new package of identifying symbols! So, swept out into history must be the old arms of Ottawa and those of the other amalgamated municipalities.

Beginning last March, the committee solicited public input towards new symbols for the newly amalgamated city which comes into existence January 1st, 2001. After collecting public submissions, the ideas were contracted out to three design firms and distilled by them into three proposals for new arms, flag and logo. Last August these proposals were not well received. Comment came from a number of distinguished HSC members as well as a number of "prominent citizens" of dubious heraldic knowledge. At that time much public comment seemed to revolve around the choice of animals as supporters, an easy issue for the general public to grasp. The winning proposal was sent back for redesign, and at this point the Canadian Heraldic Authority was finally involved. The present design proposal was unveiled last November, lacking supporters and royal reference entirely.

After thinking long and hard about it, I will refrain from a personal opinion expanding upon the relative merits of the design, and opt instead for a more forward thinking response. First, I am not surprised with the end product. Soliciting public input and sending that input to three graphic design companies no doubt made sense to their committee. That the result was an unhappy compromise between a traditional heraldic and a trendy logo-style appearance is also not surprising. Second, I would like to compliment members of the CHA on their work. It could not have been easy dealing with this "customer". Indeed it must have been difficult in the formative early stages of discussing the design to deal with a committee predisposed toward a "corporate identity� design.

Finally, the OVB branch of the HSC takes no official position on the matter until instructed to do so by a significant number of its members. So your feedback would be much appreciated.   Criticism of the design at the moment seems to centre on a lack of a royal reference to Ottawa as capital of a constitutional monarchy, lack of recognizable references to the history of Ottawa and displeasure at the unheraldic nature of the principle charge. There is a small window of opportunity to have this design rejected by the new City Council. If they wish, members could join in an existing protest initiated by the Ottawa Monarchist League branch in the form of a petition. It has also been suggested that letters from individuals to the new City Council representatives would do the most good as far as getting them to reconsider the design and send it back for redesign.

Blair Churchill

Significance

The globe symbolizes Ottawa�s position as a centre of technological innovation, and the diverse origins of its citizens. The fleurs-de-lys and maple leaves on the wreath represent its role as nation�s capital. The colours blue and green were favourite colours chosen by residents. Silver streaks can be interp-reted variously as paths, waterways, roads, the information highway -- all moving in harmony. In The Latin motto means �unity [and] prosperity�.

Internet Resources

Those interested in tracking the design as it developed may wish to have a look at the following archived Ottawa Citizen web articles:
1. The original three designs.at:
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/city/000830/4539173.html
2. The winning submission at:
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/city/000922/4560039.html
3. Final design by the CHA at:
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/city/001108/4830554.html.

BOOK REVIEW

Heraldry Society Festschrift: John Kease-Campbell, ed.TRIBUTE TO AN ARMORIST: Essays for John Brooke-Little to mark the Golden Jubilee of �The Coat of Arms�, London: Heraldry Society 2000. �22 hardback, �17 softback.
This is a Festschrift in honour of Sir John Brooke-Little, a foremost armorial authority and for many years a principal pillar of the Heraldry Society in England. Founder in 1950 of their periodical, the Coat of Arms, he recently retired from the College of Arms as Clarenceux King of Arms.

The collection is a fine and fitting tribute to him. It is full of interesting and previously unpublished material, containing 24 articles newly written for this publication. The subjects range from mediaeval to modern, from Britain to Italy, the Baltic, Haiti and New Zealand. They deal variously with sources, texts, art, bibliography, genealogy, and law. Leading experts in their fields are represented such as Colin Cole on kings of arms, C. Humphery Smith on a Tudor armorial, and Jir� Louda on royal descents from the Conqueror. Unexpectedly, the very accomplished artist Anthony Wood�s writing on art in heraldry has no illustrations. Prominent among the two dozen heraldic contributions is the study by HSC�s John Kennedy of an Irish Chief�s Signet and Seal of giving us a window onto unfamiliar heraldic turf and more. Adrian Ailes offers a study of Armorial Portrait Seals of Women (there are 13 in the PRO).

Of particular note to Canadians is Nigel Cox�s discussion of the potential establishment of a New Zealand heraldic authority, in which he often refers for examples to the CHA alongside the College for precedent, pattern and practice. He enquires into the possibilities and what can, and cannot be done legally and, if done, in what manner this should carried out. J.C.G. George gives an entertaining group of anecdotes about strange heraldry, unusual armigers and events.

INTERNATIONAL ITEMS

IMPERIAL RUSSIAN ARMS RESTORED

In an eccentric effort to restore their nation�s prestige in the eyes of its populace, the Russian Duma has just authorized the restitution of a Communist-style red banner to its armed forces and to the nation the Stalinist national anthem minus lyrics, as well as restoration of arms based on a Tsarist arms plus a tricolour flag. It�s eclectic -- a little bit of something for everybody.

The flag was derived in pre-revolution days from that of Russia�s merchant marine. This had originally been designed by Peter the Great in the early 1700�s based on reversal of the pattern of the Dutch ensign. Later the top two stripes were exchanged producing the present sequence: tierced per fess argent, azure, gules. The precedent of the Byzantine emperor�s double-headed eagle was borrowed in 1472 by Ivan the Great after marrying that emperor�s daughter. It bears an inescutcheon charged with a representation of St. George slaying the dragon. Source: Reuters dispatch carried in The Ottawa Citizen 9th Dec. 2000, p.B6.

ANNIVERSARY: KNIGHT BACHELOR BADGE

While the knight bachelor is the most junior in degrees of knighthood, it is actually the oldest of them. In spite of its antiquity and service to overlords this basic level of knighthood enjoyed no mark of distinction through the centuries, perhaps only distinguishable by carrying a pennon flag in the field. Heraldically in the modern era, they were accorded the right to bear their crests upon a helmet open affronty, hence known as the knight�s helmet. Unlike knights of more senior degree these officers belonged to no order and had no distinguishing jewellery. In this respect they were like the Prussian Nobility of the Sword in receiving no material badge or other decoration.(1)   This situation persisted through the first quarter of the present century, in fact until 1926.(2)

The Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor was formed to serve and protect the common interests of this class. After much discussion in 1926 they obtained approval from George V. for special insignia. This coming year is the 75th anniversary of the establishment of a coat badge (2.5� x 1.75�): on an oval medallion Vermillion enclosed by scroll, a cross-hilted sword, belted and sheathed, pommel upwards, between two spurs, rowels upwards, all set within the sword belt, all Or.(3) Some years later this was superceded by a collar -- a smaller version of the badge suspended from a neck ribbon. Such knights have also been able to bear the decoration as part of their armorial achievement.

ADD ONE MORE TO THE HERALDIC ZOO

In his current publication the celebrated author/lawyer John Mortimer tells us that he petitioned the College of Arms for a new armorial grant in connection with his new knighthood. Garter King suggested that he choose an animal as a charge. Upon reflection he chose the inoffensive dormouse. So, you eagles, lions, bears and dogs move over! You have a new cell mate. (The Summer of a Dormouse: or Growing Old Disgracefully.)

INTERNET INDEX: EUROPEAN DYNASTIC TABLES

Among the numerous texts available on line, a useful resource for researchers is a guide to that remarkable series of volumes of genealogical charts known as Europ�ische Stammtafeln. Dr. John P. DuLong has written an introduction to the series (in English) with a brief entry catalogue of the individual volumes. His page also has a link to a nominal index of the surnames included in the whole set. The address for this web page is: <http://fp-www.wwnet.net/~dulongj/tools/ESnotes.htm>
Long�s notes make a very helpful contribution to facilitate the use of this invaluable resource.

Due to its being printed in German, this collection of tables for important families that played a role in European history is little known or appreciated outside of Europe. Indeed complete sets are found in only the largest reference libraries over here. Many genealogists researching mediaeval noble, royal, and imperial families find it a valuable reference tool. Like the Siebmacher series of armorial volumes, this one has had a complex history and more than one author.   The present bibliographic reference begins with the latest of the these as: Detlev Schwennicke. Europ�ische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europ�ischen Staaten, Neue Folge.

The books themselves can be ordered at about $160 each, through, among others, Verlag Degener & Co., Postfach 1340, N�rnberger Strasse 27, 8530 Neustadt/Aisch, Germany

NOTES FROM A SPEECH ON CANADIAN HONOURS
by Lt.Gen. (ret.) James C. Gervais, C.M.M., C.D.
Deputy Secretary and Deputy Herald Chancellor, Chancellery of Honours

After a brief introduction in which he thanked the Ottawa Valley Branch for their fine hospitality as well as the opportunity to speak to a group who understood the meaning of honours, Jim Gervais reminded attendees that the Canadian Honours System was relatively new having been created in 1967 when the Order of Canada was established.

Before that time the inhabitants of Canada depended on the British system of Honours, and in earlier times during the French regime on the French as illustrated by the granting of the Cross of St. Louis in 1693 to Pierre LeMoyne d�lberville for his outstanding military contribution to the new French colony. In addition, the first Europeans encountered sophisticated systems of individual and tribal identity which are today an important influence in the evolution of Canadian heraldry along with its European roots.

As Canada became more independent from the British influence in political and economic affairs, it chose to adopt a different approach to honours for its citizens. In the early twentieth century there was a move to eliminate partisanship and to adopt a more egalitarian emphasis in the granting of honours as exemplified by the Nickle Resolution of 1919 which sought to eliminate titular honours. These concerns have formed the basis of the development of our current system of honours and goes a long way to explain our cautious and pragmatic approach in this area. Even when the government introduced the idea of the Order of Canada not everyone was in favour as some thought the creation of such an order would be divisive.

Today, the Chancellery of Honours is responsible for some 25 discrete programs. (A brief description of their evolution was given.) Our most important are the Order of Canada, Decorations for Bravery and Meritorious Service, and the Governor General's Caring Canadian Award, and Heraldry. Founded on the merit principle, each of these awards has evolved with time and experience and are intended to recognize the significant contributions of Canadians in a wide variety of areas. Canada now has its own military valour decorations created in 1993. In keeping with the the government's responsibility to ensure that military service is recognized there is also in place a number of medals which reflects Canada's military participation overseas in peacekeeping and other international missions. One ongoing concern is the lack of recognition of civilian contributions in this area.

What of the future? There will be pressure to create new honours, but before doing so we should fine tune and perhaps modify existing honours in order to keep the number of new programmes to a minimum. To help maintain their integrity and raison d��tre we must also guard against the creation of national honours outside the Order of Precedence. Honours are now being promoted to increase awareness and nominations -- this is important because it is the public that generates the nominations and in many regions of the country, our principal honours are not well known. Canadians must have a high regard for their honours regime and they must feel a sense of participation as well as pride when honours are bestowed on their fellow citizens.

LAST MINUTE NEWS

Congratulations to all three OVB Candidates who wrote the HSC examinations in September for Certification in Heraldic Studies at the first level who have just been informed they have qualified. These are John Udd, Christopher Collin and Blair Churchill. Other HSC members who are interested in pursuing preparations for writing such examinations should contact the Editor.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

For assistance with this issue we must thank Blair Churchill, James Gervais, Kevin Greaves, Jean McPhee, David Tysowski and John Wilkes. Contributions for The Heraldist should be sent to the Editor, John Ruch at: 71 Somerset St. W.(Apt. 1805), Ottawa, Ont. K2P 2G2
{Tel.232-6089} e-mail: [email protected]