Chester Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. The office of Chester Herald dates from the 14th century, and it is reputed that the holder was herald to Edward, Prince of Wales, also known as the Black Prince. In the reign of King Richard II the officer was attached to the Principality of Chester, which was a perquisite of the then Prince of Wales. In the reign of King Henry VIII the title lapsed for a time but, since 1525, the office of Chester has been one of unbroken succession, as a herald in ordinary. The badge of office is taken from the arms of the Earl of Chester and in blazoned as A Garb ensigned of the Royal Crown Or.

Chester Herald
The heraldic badge of Chester Herald of Arms in Ordinary
 
Heraldic traditionGallo-British
JurisdictionEngland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Governing bodyCollege of Arms

The office is currently vacant.

Holders of the office

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Arms Name Date of appointment Ref
John (surname unknown) (1393)
  William Bruges 1398–1413
  James Billett (Henry VI)
  William Tyndale or Tendale 1443–1447
John Tyndale (1447)
William Whiting (Henry VI)
  John Water or Walter (1455)
  Richard Stanton (Henry VI/Edward IV)
  Roger Stamford (Edward IV)
  Roger Bromley, Esq. (1483)
  Thomas Whiting, Esq. (1493)
  Randolph Jackson, Esq. 1533–1540
  William Flower, Esq. 1540–1561
  Robert Cooke, Esq. 1562–1566
  John Hart, Esq. 1566–1574
  Edmund Knight, Esq. 1574–1592
  James Thomas, Esq. 1592–1603
  William Penson, Esq. 1603–1617
  Thomas Knight, Esq. 1617–1618
  Henry Chitting, Esq. 1618–1637
  Edward Walker Esq. 1638–1644
  William Dugdale, Esq. 1644–1660
Thomas Lee, Esq. 1660–1667
  Thomas May Esq. 1677–1689
  Charles Mawson, Esq. 1689–1721
  Edward Stibbs, Esq. 1721–1739
  Francis Hutchenson, Esq. 1739–1752
  John Martin Leake, Esq. 1752–1790 [1]
  George Martin Leake, Esq. 1791–1834 [2]
  Walter Aston Blount, Esq., FSA 1834–1859 [3]
  Edward Stephen Dendy, Esq. 1859–1864 [4]
  Henry Murray Lane, Esq. 1864–1913 [5]
  Thomas Morgan Joseph-Watkin, Esq. 1913–1915 [6]
  Sir Arthur William Stuart Cochrane, KCVO 1915–1926 [7]
  Sir John Dunamace Heaton-Armstrong, MVO 1926–1956 [8]
  James Arnold Frere, Esq., FSA 1956–1960 [9]
  Sir Walter John George Verco, KCVO 1960–1971 [10]
  David Hubert Boothby Chesshyre, Esq., FSA
1978–1995 [11]
  Timothy Hugh Stewart Duke, Esq. 1995–2014 [12]
  The Hon. Christopher John Fletcher-Vane 2017–2023 [13]
Vacant 2023–present

See also

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References

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Citations

  1. ^ "No. 9190". The London Gazette. 4 August 1752. p. 3.
  2. ^ "No. 13367". The London Gazette. 29 November 1791. p. 665.
  3. ^ "No. 19211". The London Gazette. 18 November 1834. p. 2053.
  4. ^ "No. 22333". The London Gazette. 6 December 1859. p. 4637.
  5. ^ "No. 22876". The London Gazette. 19 July 1864. p. 3617.
  6. ^ "No. 28738". The London Gazette. 18 July 1913. p. 5136.
  7. ^ "No. 29364". The London Gazette. 12 November 1915. p. 11186.
  8. ^ "No. 33214". The London Gazette. 22 October 1926. p. 6749.
  9. ^ "No. 40695". The London Gazette. 27 January 1956. p. 566.
  10. ^ "No. 42185". The London Gazette. 4 November 1960. p. 7463.
  11. ^ "No. 47659". The London Gazette. 9 October 1978. p. 11997.
  12. ^ "No. 54127". The London Gazette. 11 August 1995. p. 11019.
  13. ^ "No. 62064". The London Gazette. 27 September 2017. p. 18030.

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)
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