Armorial of the speakers of the British House of Commons
Armorial of the speakers of the House of Commons is displayed at the House of Commons in the Palace of Westminster. Speakers customarily take a grant of arms while in office if they are not armigerous already. Their shields of arms are painted on the interior walls of Speaker's House, and after their elevation to the peerage they are displayed on the windows along the peers' staircase in the House of Lords.
Prior to the Acts of Union 1707, John Smith had been Speaker of the House of Commons of England.
Speakers of the House of Commons of Great Britain[]
Arms | Name of Speaker (including peerage title, if any) and heraldic blazon |
---|---|
John Smith, Speaker of the House 1707–1708
Escutcheon: Quarterly: 1st & 4th: azure, two bars between three pheons or (for Smith) 2nd & 3rd: Argent, a mullet pierced sable (for Assheton)[1][2][3] | |
Richard Onslow, 1st Baron Onslow, Speaker of the House 1708–1710
Crest: An Eagle Sable, preying on a Partridge proper | |
Sir William Bromley, Speaker of the House 1710–1713
Escutcheon: Quarterly per fess indented Gules and Or an escutcheon Argent charged with a griffin segreant Vert | |
Sir Thomas Hanmer, Speaker of the House 1714–1715
Escutcheon: Argent two lions passant guardant azure, armed and langued gules[7] | |
Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington, Speaker of the House 1715–1727
Arms: Sable a Lion passant guardant Or between three Esquires' Helmets Argent; | |
Arthur Onslow, Speaker of the House 1727–1761
Escutcheon: Argent a fess Gules between six Cornish choughs Proper. | |
Sir John Cust, Speaker of the House 1761–1770
Crest: A Lion's Head erased Sable gorged with a Collar paly wavy of six Argent and Azure | |
Fletcher Norton, 1st Baron Grantley, Speaker of the House 1770–1780
Crest: A Moor's Head affrontée couped at the shoulders wreathed round the temples with Laurel proper and around the neck a Torse Argent and Azure | |
Charles Wolfran Cornwall, Speaker of the House 1780–1789
Crest: A lion rampant Gules ducally crowned Or within a bordure engrailed sable bezanty.[16] | |
William Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville, Speaker of the House 1789
Escutcheon: Quarterly, 1st and 4th, Vert on a Cross Argent five Torteaux Gules (Grenville); 2nd, Or an Eagle displayed Sable (Leofric, Earl of Mercia); 4th, Argent two Bars Sable each charged with three Martlets Or (Temple) | |
Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth, Speaker of the House 1789–1801
Crest: A Cat-a-mountain sejant guardant Proper bezanty the dexter forepaw resting on an inescutcheon Azure charged with a Mace erect surmounted with a Regal Crown Or within a Bordure engrailed Argent; |
Speakers of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom[]
Speakers in the nineteenth century[]
Arms | Name of Speaker (including peerage title, if any) and heraldic blazon |
---|---|
John Freeman-Mitford, 1st Baron Redesdale, Speaker of the House 1801–1802
Crest: 1st: two Hands couped at the wrist proper grasping a Sword erect piercing a Boar's Head erased Sable (Mitford); 2nd: a Demi Wolf Argent charged on the shoulder with a Fess dancetty Gules and holding between the paws a Lozenge Or (Freeman) | |
Charles Abbot, 1st Baron Colchester, Speaker of the House 1802–1817
Escutcheon: Gules, on a chevron between three pears Or as many crosses raguly Azure within a tressure flory of the second. | |
Charles Manners-Sutton, 1st Viscount Canterbury, Speaker of the House 1817–1835
Escutcheon: Quarterly, 1st & 4th: Argent, a canton sable (Sutton) 2nd & 3rd: Or, two bars azure, a chief quarterly azure and gules, the 1st and 4th quarters charged with two fleurs-de-lis or, and the 2nd and 3rd a lion of England (Manners) | |
James Abercromby, 1st Baron Dunfermline, Speaker of the House 1835–1839
Escutcheon: Argent a Fess embattled Gules therefrom issuant in chief a Dexter Arm embowed in Armour proper garnished Or encircled by a Wreath of Laurel the hand supporting the French Standard in bend sinister also proper in base (for Abercromby) a Chevron indented Gules between three Boars' Heads erased Azure | |
Charles Shaw-Lefevre, 1st Viscount Eversley, Speaker of the House 1839–1857
Crest: Six Arrows interlaced saltirewise three and three proper within an Annulet Or. | |
Evelyn Denison, 1st Viscount Ossington, Speaker of the House 1857–1872
Escutcheon: Argent a bend Gules between a unicorn's head erased in chief and a cross crosslet fitchée in base Azure. | |
Henry Brand, 1st Viscount Hampden, Speaker of the House 1872–1884
Crest: Out of a crown vallary Or a leopard's head Argent semée of escallops and gorged with a collar gemel Gules. | |
Arthur Peel, 1st Viscount Peel, Speaker of the House 1884–1895
Escutcheon: Argent three sheaves of three arrows Proper two and one banded Gules on a chief Azure a bee volant Or. | |
William Gully, 1st Viscount Selby, Speaker of the House 1895–1905
Crest: Between two wings erect Or an arm vested Sable cuffed Argent the hand grasping a sword erect Proper. |
Speakers in the twentieth century[]
Arms | Name of Speaker (including peerage title, if any) and heraldic blazon |
---|---|
James Lowther, 1st Viscount Ullswater, Speaker of the House 1905–1921
Crest: A Dragon passant Argent | |
John Henry Whitley, Speaker of the House 1921–1928
Blazon not available[36] | |
Edward FitzRoy, Speaker of the House 1928–1943
Escutcheon: The Royal Arms of Charles II, viz. Quarterly: 1st and 4th, France and England quarterly; 2nd, Scotland; 3rd, Ireland; the whole debruised by a Baton sinister compony of six pieces Argent and Azure.[37] | |
Douglas Clifton Brown, 1st Viscount Ruffside, Speaker of the House 1943–1951
Escutcheon: Gules a chevron between in chief two bears’ paws erect erased and armed and in base four hands issuant conjoined in saltire Or on a chief engrailed also Or an eagle displayed Sable. | |
William Morrison, 1st Viscount Dunrossil, Speaker of the House 1951–1959
Crest: A Viking galley with one mast and sail furled proper flying from the masthead a pennon Argent charged with a raven volant Sable. | |
William Morrison, 1st Viscount Dunrossil, Speaker of the House 1951–1959
Crest: Issuant from waves of the Sea Azure crested Argent a Mount Vert thereon an embattled Wall Azure masoned Argent charged with a Portcullis Or and issuant therefrom a Cubit Arm naked proper the hand grasping a Dagger Azure hilted Or. | |
Sir Harry Hylton-Foster, Speaker of the House 1959–1965
Escutcheon: Argent on a fess Vert between three bugle-horns Sable stringed Or a representation of the Speaker’s Mace in fess head to the dexter Or a bordure Vert. | |
Horace King, Baron Maybray-King, Speaker of the House 1965–1971
Escutcheon: Argent a cherub Proper within a chaplet of four roses, two in pale Argent and two in fess Gules, barbed seeded and leaved proper | |
Selwyn Lloyd, Baron Selwyn-Lloyd, Speaker of the House 1971–1976
Escutcheon: Per pale Azure and Or on a fess per pale Or and Gules between in chief two bees volant and in base a garb all counterchanged a dragon passant per pale Gules and Or. | |
George Thomas, 1st Viscount Tonypandy, Speaker of the House 1976–1983
Escutcheon: Or an open book proper bound Sable garnished Gules. On a chief of the last between two portcullises Or a pale per pale Argent and Or, charged with three chevrons gules. | |
Bernard Weatherill, Baron Weatherill, Speaker of the House 1983–1992
Crest: A Horse rampant Argent supporting a Mace erect Or | |
Betty Boothroyd, Baroness Boothroyd, Speaker of the House 1992–2000
Escutcheon: Gules a representation of the mace of the Speaker of the House of Commons palewise or surmounted in base by a rose argent barbed and seeded proper over all on a fess gold an owl gardant proper between two millrinds sable.[53][54][55][47] |
Speakers in the twenty-first century[]
Arms | Name of Speaker (including peerage title, if any) and heraldic blazon |
---|---|
Michael Martin, Baron Martin of Springburn, Speaker of the House 2000–2009
Escutcheon: Per chevron Gules and Sable, on a chevron Argent between in chief a martin volant Or between dexter a locomotive wheel partially covered by a cowling and sinister a salmon hauriant with a signet ring in its mouth both Proper and in base a lymphad of the Third flagged Gules sail chequy Azure and Argent, a crescent Sable between an engineer's steel footrule and a chanter both Proper. | |
John Bercow, Speaker of the House 2009–2019
Escutcheon: Per pale Azure and Gules four roundels in bend Or between the rungs of a ladder bendwise throughout Argent all between two seaxes bendwise points upwards and cutting edges outwards Or. | |
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House 2019-present
Sir Lindsay is not currently armigerous. In an interview with BBC Radio Lancashire on 31 January 2020 he said "I'd like to think maybe a bumble bee, the busy bee... who knows? And of course, if I was to do that, I would want a Lancashire rose."[63] Interviewed by Maidstone Grammar School on 22 March 2021 he again suggested a red rose, as well as sporting references.[64] |
Further reading[]
References[]
- ^ Manning, James Alexander (1851). The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, from the Time of King Edward III to Queen Victoria. G. Willis. p. 412. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
- ^ Burke, Sir Bernard (1852). A genealogical and heraldic dictionary of the landed gentry of Great Britain & Ireland for 1852. Colburn and Company. p. 1248. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
arms of Smith of Tedworth House.
- ^ Burke, Bernard (1864). The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. Harrison & sons. p. 936. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
- ^ "General Armory, page 760". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 416". E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 423". E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ Mosley 2003, p. 1761
- ^ "General Armory, page 453". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 431". E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 435". E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 440". E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "General Armory, page 255". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 440". Google Books. E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "General Armory, page 739". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 445". Google Books. E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 458". Google Books. E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "General Armory, page 427". Burke's Peerage.
- ^ "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 465". Google Books. E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "General Armory, page 5". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 473". Google Books. E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "General Armory, page 691". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 479". Google Books. E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "General Armory, page 1". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 484". Google Books. E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "General Armory, page 987". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 488". Google Books. E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "General Armory, page 2". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 493". Google Books. E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "General Armory, page 1015". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 496". Google Books. E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "General Armory, page 1275". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "Burke's Genealogical... 99th edition". Internet Archive. Burke's Peerage Ltd. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
- ^ "Burke's Genealogical... 99th edition". Internet Archive. Burke's Peerage Ltd. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
- ^ "Burke's Genealogical... 99th edition". Internet Archive. Burke's Peerage Ltd. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
- ^ "Burke's genealogical and heraldic history of the peerage, baronetage, and knightage, Privy Council, and order of preference, 99th edition". Internet Archive. Burke's Peerage Ltd. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
- ^ "Speaker Whitley, armorial name plate". Baz Manning. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- ^ "Speaker's Chamber, 021". Worker's Photo's Archive. Steve Forrest. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
- ^ Mosley 2003, p. 287
- ^ "Speaker's Chamber, 023". Worker's Photo's Archive. Steve Forrest. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
- ^ "Douglas Viscount Ruffside". Baz Manning. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
- ^ "Speaker Morrison, 1951-1959. English arms". Baz Manning. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
- ^ "Speaker Morrison, portrait armorial name plate. Scottish arms". Baz Manning. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
- ^ "Speaker Hylton-Foster". Baz Manning. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
- ^ Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage. 1985.
- ^ "The Speaker's Chamber, 021". Worker's Photos Archive. Steve Forrest. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
- ^ "Selwyn Lloyd. Speaker 1971-1976". Baz Manning. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
- ^ a b c "The Speaker's Chamber, 018". Worker's Photos Archive. Steve Forrest. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ Lord Tonypandy (1985). George Thomas, Mr.Speaker: The Memoirs of Viscount Tonypandy. Century. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-7126-0706-3.
- ^ "Thomas, George Viscount Tonypandy". The Heraldry Society. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage. 1985.
- ^ Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (107 ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. p. 4101. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.
- ^ "Reflections of the Retiring British Speaker". C-SPAN. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ 2 Kidd, Charles; Shaw, Christine, eds. (2008). Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage (145 ed.). p. 150. ISBN 978-1870520805.
- ^ "Lords fail to find house room for Lady Boothroyd's crest". The Daily Telegraph. 2001-01-28. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "House of Commons Speaker's Residence". C-SPAN. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ 2 Kidd, Charles; Shaw, Christine, eds. (2008). Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage (145 ed.). p. 150. ISBN 978-1870520805.
- ^ The Double Tressure No. 28. 2005.
- ^ "Speakers as peers". Baz Manning. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- ^ Watt, Nicholas (2011-11-28). "John Bercow unveils new coat of arms". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ Hope, Christopher (2011-11-28). "John Bercow unveils his £37,000 portrait and coat of arms complete with ladder, rainbow and pink triangles". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "Official state portrait of Speaker John Bercow unveiled". UK Parliament. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "Speaker Bercow 2009-2019". Baz Manning. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
- ^ "Inside Speaker's House". BBC Radio Lancashire. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
- ^ "'MGSTalks: Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle'". Maidstone Grammar School. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
External links[]
- Personal armorials
- Armorials of the United Kingdom
- Speakers of the British House of Commons