Harry Sneyd-Kynnersley – Bookplate

The bookplate of Harry Sneyd-Kynnersley:

Quarterly 1st & 4th Azure a lion rampant Argent within an orle of cross crosslet of the second on a canton a mullet (Kynnersley); 2nd & 3rd Argent a scythe the blade in chief [the sned or handle in bend sinister]* Sable on the fesse point a fleur-de-lis of the second (Sneyd);
On an escutcheon of pretence in respect of his wife, Laura Emma Chamberlain Todd,

Quarterly 1st Or on a bend per bend Gules and Azure cotised Sable between two roundles per pale of the third and second three foxes’ heads couped of the field (Todd); 2nd Argent on a cross Sable a leopard’s face Or (Brydges); 3rd Argent a lion rampant Gules between three pheons Sable (Egerton); 4th Quarterly i & iv Modern France ii & iii England (Royal Arms).

Harry Craven Sneyd-Kynnersley (b.1865 d.1940) was the third son of Clement Thomas Sneyd-Kynnersley (b.1833 d.1876).  He married Laura Emma Chamberlain Todd in 1894 (divorced).  He married his second wife, Laura Beatrice Williams in 1924.

*The “usual” blazon for Sneyd is with the handle in bend sinister, yet the bookplate it is displayed palewise.  The 1929 edition of Armorial Families has an entry for Sneyd-Kynnersley with the handle in bend sinister.  However, the Arms of Kynnersley are displayed and given as “Azure semee of cross crosslets a lion rampant Argent.”

Armorial Families - 1929

Bookplate image courtesy of the vendor, london3621

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Brand of Glynde Place, Sussex – Bookplate

Currently on sale at eBay is the heraldic bookplate listed as Brand of Glynde Place, Sussex.

Brand of Glynde Place

My blazon for the Arms:
Quarterly of six: 1st Azure two swords in saltire Argent hilts and pommels Or within a bordure engrailed Or a crescent surmounted with a label for difference (Brand); 2nd Per fesse Azure and Or a pale counterchanged and three bucks’ heads erased of the second (Roper); 3rd Or on a fesse Gules three fleur-de-lys of the field (Lennard); 4th Azure three lions rampant Or (Fiennes); 5th Gules three escallops Or (Dacre); 6th Per bend sinister ermine and ermines a lion rampant Or (Trevor).

My first point of call when trying to identify the various quarters was the 1929 edition of Fox-Davies’ Armorial Families.  The entry for the sons of the 2nd Viscount Hampden duly supplied the details of 2nd to 6th quarter.  However, the blazon for Brand was given as “Azure two swords in saltire Argent hilts and pommels Or between three escallops one in chief and two in fesse Or (Brand 189-)“.  It seems that the 1st Viscount Hampden (2nd creation) had Arms recorded or granted in 1895 [Vol. LXVIII fol.258].  The Brand Arms of the bookplate match those of Brand of Gray’s Inn and Suffolk 1616.  One wonders if the Brands of Glynde Place had assumed the Gray’s Inn Arms  and it only came to light with the ennoblement of the 1st Viscount?

Image courtesy of the vendor, london3621

Heraldic Bookplates

A new departure for me is the heraldic bookplate.  Whilst  I did devise my own bookplate and duly plastered it liberally around my assorted hardbacks, I had not given that aspect of heraldry any real thought.  However, my recent excursions into eBay has rather opened my eyes to that means of heraldic & genealogical display.  Whilst I have no plans to collect bookplates myself, I do enjoy the challenge of putting names, blazons and, possibly, some family history to them.  Particularly so, if the surname is one of those I’ve covered in my “One Name Armorials”.

The heraldic bookplate provides a snapshot of the owner – at least as the owner wished to be viewed.  What will always be hard to ascertain is whether or not the Arms or family connections displayed are accurate.  The heraldic engravers of the past were quite often the “bucket shops” of their day.

Rigbye of Harrock Hall – Part 2

The National Archives have this potted history:

“The Rigbye’s estate included a share in Wrightington Manor, and properties in Parbold and Wrightington, as well as other properties in Windle, Rainford and Euxton. There are other early deeds in this collection which relate to lands in Wigan, Eccleston, Heskin and elsewhere, but these properties were not part of the Harrock estate in 1775.
The Harrock estate descended in the male line of the Rigbye family until 1775. The head of the family always bore the name of Nicholas, until the last Nicholas died without heirs in 1754 and the estate passed to his brother Thomas, who also died without heirs in 1775. By his will (DDX 877 4/1(1)), Thomas Rigbye devised his estate to his sister Eleanor for life, and then to his nephew, the Rev. John Baldwin, rector of North Meols, who was the son of the Rev. Thomas Baldwin of Leyland by Thomas Rigbye’s sister Anne. John Baldwin succeeded in 1787, took the name and arms of Rigbye, and resided at Harrock Hall. At his death, in 1793, he left his Cheshire estates to his eldest son Thomas and the Harrock estate to his third son, the Rev. Rigbye Baldwin who then became the Rev. Rigbye Rigbye. In 1829, the latter was succeeded by his eldest son, Rigbye Baldwin Rigbye.
Between 1818 and 1838, a series of increasingly heavy mortgages was placed upon the estate. In about 1839, Thomas Morris, as mortgagee, under a power of sale, sold the Harrock estate to Richard Boulton of Green Bank within Henllam co. Denbeigh, Wales. About this time, an Abstract of Title of Rigbye Baldwin Rigbye to the estate, and also the Schedule of Deeds already mentioned, were drawn up, and the documents as a whole were presumably handed over to the purchaser. In 1894, according to the Victoria County History Vol.VI, the estate was owned by Arthur Ramsden Boulton, probably a descendent, possibly a son, of Richard Boulton. But at the time the Victoria County History was written, (1911), Mr. Gerard Dicconson was the owner of Harrock.”

When the Rev John Rigbye (formerly Baldwin) died it required a second Royal Licence for his son Rigbye Baldwin to take the Name and Arms of Rigbye to become Rigbye Rigbye (d.1827).

The details of the two RLs are noted in the Harleian Society’s Grantees of Arms as:

Rigby late Baldwin, of co. Lanc., [1787] Vol. XVI, fol.297.

Rigby late Baldwin, of co. Lanc., [1796] Vol. XIX, fol.264.

The second RL was also signed by  Isaac Heard, Garter and George Harrison, Norroy.  It was dated 16th June 1896 and it recently sold on eBay for £310.

Royal Licence Armorial for Baldwin/Rigbye

Ricarde to Seaver – Royal Licence 1881

The various royal Licences offered for sale via eBay have been in the form of a Letters Patent signed by two or more Kings of Arms. The RL for Francis Ignatius Ricarde to take the Name and Arms of Seaver is quite different. It is presented in a blue Morocco folder.

Royal Licence Cover

The contents include;

The Royal Warrant signed by Queen Victoria and Henry Murray-Lane, Chester Herald.

Queen Victoria's signature

Victoria, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defend of the Faith; To our right truly and right entirely beloved Cousin Henry, Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshall and Our Hereditary Marshal of England, Greetings.
Whereas Francis Ignatius Ricarde-Seaver otherwise Francis Ignatius Ricarde of Rue Lafitte in the City of Paris, in the Republic of France, Esquire, Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and Vice Consul at…

Francis Ignatius Ricarde-Seaver, Esq., Licence that he may continue to bear the Surname of Seaver in addition to and after that of Ricarde and that he may also bear the Arms of Seaver.

A document signed by both the Consul Generals of France and Portugal.

Consul Generals

The edition of the London Gazette containing the announcement of the Royal Licence.

London Gazette Announcement

The Arms of Seaver and those of his wife, Her Serene Highness the Princess Dona Maria Louisa Christina de Looz et Corswarem.

Arms of Seaver

Arms of de Looz et Corswarem

From the photographs available it is not possible to see the blazon.  However, some details are included within Fox-Davies’ 1929 edition of Armorial Families.

Arms: Azure a chevron embattled between two wreaths of oak in chief Or and a pickaxe and sword in base proper surmounted by a tower Or.
Mantling: Azure and Or.
Crest: Upon a wreath of the colours in front of a pickaxe erect a Moor’s head affrontee couped at the shoulders proper the turban Argent pierced through the head by a sword fessewise point to dexter also proper.
Motto: Malo mori quam foedari.

It seems that the Princess was Mr Ricarde-Seaver’s second wife and that she had died in 1880.  His only son, by his first marriage, was Marmaduke Francis Julian Ricarde-Seaver died in 1928.

Bidding started at £29.99 and sold for £467.99.

Photographs courtesy of the vendor ash254

Bond of Neston – Heraldic Seal

My colleague Martin Goldstraw of Whitecairns (Cheshire Heraldry) passed on a challenge to try to identify some of the components of a seal used by the Bond family of Neston.

Through the power of Google and various heraldic reference books my stab at the blazon is:

1st Bond – Argent on a chevron Sable three bezants.
2nd Povey – Sable a bend engrailed between six cinquefoils Or.
3rd Osbaldeston of Harbens– Quarterly 1st & 4th Argent a mascle between three pellets Sable (Osbaldeston) 2nd & 3rd Quarterly Argent and Sable in each quarter a leopard’s head counterchanged (Koverdale)
4th de Saint Amand – Or, fretty and on a chief sable three bezants.

Various publications give some clues to the Bond ancestry:

Burke’s Extinct Baronetage shows that a Bond (of Peckham)  married a Povey and a Osbaldeston of Harbens (a cadet of Osbaldston of Chadlington).
The Visitation to Lancaster records that one of the quarters used by Osbaldeston of Osbaldeston was Koverdale.
The Collectanea Topographica et Genealogica, Volume 4, page 368 shows St Amand ancestry for Osbaldston of Chadlington.

What is not yet clear is whether or not the family of Bond of Neston are related to the Bonds of Peckham &/or if the quarters used in the seal are “heraldically lawful”.

Gillibrand to Fazakerley – Royal Licence 1814

In November 2010 the Royal Licence for Henry Harwarden Gillibrand to take the Name and Arms of Fazakerley was sold on eBay.  The licence is dated 4th August 1814 and was signed by Isaac Heard, Garter and Ralph Bigland, Norroy Kings of Arms.

Part of the document reads:



..had been pleased to give and grant unto Henry Harwarden Gillibrand an infant second son of Thomas Gillibrand of Gillibrand Hall in the county Palatine of Lancaster Esquire on the petition in his behalf of Gilbert Ford clerk and John Clarke Esquire acting trustees and executors of the last will and testament of Samuel Harwarden Fazakerley late Fazakerley and afterwards Liverpool both in the said county Palatine Esquire deceased His Majesty’s Royal Licence and Authority that the said Henry Harwarden Gillibrand may assume and take and from henceforth use the surname of Fazakerley only instead of his own family name of Gillibrand and also bear the Arms of Fazakerley quarterly with those of Gillibrand Fazakerley in the first quarter in compliance with the injunction contained in the said will such Arms being first duly exemplified according to the Laws of Arms and recorded in the Heralds Office otherwise His Majesty’s said Licence and Permission to be void and of none effect.

And forasmuch as the said Earl Marshall did by Warrant under his hand and seal bearing date the seventeenth day of the same month authorize and require us to exemplify such Arms of Fazakerley and Gillibrand accordingly.

The blazon is given as:



Quarterly first and fourth Fazakerley viz Emine three bars Vert and for distinction a canton Gules second and third Gillibrand viz Argent two swords in saltire points upwards Sable pomels and hilts Or.

Interestingly there is no record of the Crest in the document nor in the emblazon.

The document sold for £210.

Sir Francis William Lowe Bt – Grant of Arms 1918

The Grant of Arms to Sir Francis William Lowe, Knight and Baronet is on sale at eBay. The Grant is from 1918 and is signed by Alfred Scott-Gatty, Garter and William H Weldon, Clarenceux. Sir Francis probably petitioned for Arms after being created a Baronet on the 30th January of that year.

Unfortunately the pictures are not clear enough to read the text. The details of the Arms listed in the 1929 edition of Armorial Families are:

Arms: Erminois on a bend engrailed cottised plain Azure between two Stafford knots Sable three wolves’ heads erased Or.

Mantling: Azure and Or.

Crest: On a wreath of the colours a demi-gryphon erminois resting the sinister paw on a Stafford knot sable

Motto: Spero meliora (I hope for better things)

The baronetcy is still extant; the current baronet inherited the title in 1986 aged 23. A brief genealogy as below:

1. Sir Francis William Lowe, 1st Baronet (1852-1929)

1.1. Sir Francis Gordon Lowe, 2nd Baronet (1884-1972)

1.1.1. Sir Francis Reginald Gordon Lowe, 3rd Baronet (1931-1986)

1.1.1.1. Sir Thomas William Gordon Lowe, 4th Baronet (b. 1963)

1.1.1.1.1. Theodore Christopher William Lowe (b.2000)

1.1.1.2. Christopher Francis Lowe (b.1964)

1.1.1.3. William John Lowe (b.1972) by 2nd wife

1.2 Arthur Holden Lowe b.1886

1.3 John Claude Malcolm Lowe b.1888

1.4 Dorothy Mary

 

This sold for £310.

St George and Scudamore Armorial Watercolours

Two armorial watercolours recently sold on eBay which I have attempted to identify:

Lt Gen Sir John St. George KC

Arms: Quarterly of six 1st Argent a chief Azure overall a lion rampant Gules ducally crowned Or (St. George) 2nd Argent a cross flory Sable (St. George ancient) 3rd Gules three covered cups Or (Argentine) 4th Argent a fess between six annulets Gules (Avenel) 5th Azure a fess dancetty between six escallops Or (Engaine) 6th Argent a sun of sixteen points Gules (Delahay)

Crest: A demi lion rampant gules ducally crowned Or armed and langued Azure.

Motto: Firmitas in Coelo (Stability in Heaven)

Scudamore

Arms: Quarterly 1st Gules three stirrups leathered and buckled Or (Scudamore) 2nd Azure two bars-gemel in chief a lion passant guardant Or (Tregose) 3rd Argent a fess Gules between three mullets of six points Sable (Ewayas) 4th Ermine two bars-gemel Gules (Huntercombe)

Crest: A bear’s paw proper issuing from a ducal coronet Or

Motto: Scuto amoria Divini (By the shield of divine love)

They sold for £19.99 plus P&P.

Photographs courtesy of the vendor ash254

John Rigbye – Royal Licence 1787

Another heraldic treat on eBay.  The Letters Patent for the Rev John Baldwin of Harrock Hall granting authority for him to “assume and take the surname and bear the Arms of Rigbye only” in compliance with the Will of Thomas Rigbye late of Harrock Hall.  It is dated 15^th September 1787 and signed by Isaac Heard, Garter and George Harrison, Norroy.

Arms: Argent on a cross flory Azure five mullets Or.

Crest: On a wreath a goat’s head erased Sable armed gold.

Photographs courtesy of the vendor, Lee Burgess (diggerlee).