Female Armiger and Crest

 
jschotz
 
Avatar
 
 
jschotz
Total Posts:  18
Joined  25-01-2011
 
 
 
11 August 2013 13:44
 

I was wondering what the practice is of female armigers. Did they have a crest? Do they have a crest? The practice here in the U.S. is? Just curious on the history and the best practices of this subject.

 
Joseph McMillan
 
Avatar
 
 
Joseph McMillan
Total Posts:  7658
Joined  08-06-2004
 
 
 
11 August 2013 14:07
 

The English rule is that (except for the queen) women do not bear crests.

The Scottish rule allows women to bear crests under certain circumstances, typically but not exclusively when they are the head of their name or clan.

 

It has been common practice in the present-day U.S. since colonial times for women to use crests, so common that in the late 19th century Eugene Zieber complained about it.  See the AHS guidelines for heraldic practice for our society’s view on this issue, http://www.americanheraldry.org/pages/index.php?n=Guide.Guidelines#toc7

 
jschotz
 
Avatar
 
 
jschotz
Total Posts:  18
Joined  25-01-2011
 
 
 
11 August 2013 16:52
 

Yes, thank you. I had read the information listed in the guidelines, but wanted to know about modern day practices here and how it has been in th UK.  Thank you!!

 
Kathy McClurg
 
Avatar
 
 
Kathy McClurg
Total Posts:  1274
Joined  13-03-2009
 
 
 
15 August 2013 04:46
 

In correspondence a few years ago, the Clerk of the Lyon Court informed me that the use of crests by women in Scotland although exactly as Joe states—is beginning to include women who have government service as well.  She didn’t provide specific parameters beyond that, though.

 
Joseph McMillan
 
Avatar
 
 
Joseph McMillan
Total Posts:  7658
Joined  08-06-2004
 
 
 
15 August 2013 10:27
 

Kathy McClurg;100222 wrote:

In correspondence a few years ago, the Clerk of the Lyon Court informed me that the use of crests by women in Scotland although exactly as Joe states—is beginning to include women who have government service as well. She didn’t provide specific parameters beyond that, though.


Well, herself, for instance.

 

http://www.reocities.com/arma_za/xl_Roads.gif

 
Guy Power
 
Avatar
 
 
Guy Power
Total Posts:  1576
Joined  05-01-2006
 
 
 
15 August 2013 12:05
 

I reckon the broken scepter is the result of her bashing many of us over the head (ever so gently and politely).

(。_+) *\(^_^)

 

owch!@%#

 
Joseph McMillan
 
Avatar
 
 
Joseph McMillan
Total Posts:  7658
Joined  08-06-2004
 
 
 
15 August 2013 13:27
 

It strikes me (no pun intended) that Kathy did say "parameters" and I obviously was minus my 2nd cup of coffee when I read "examples."  What I posted was an example rather than a parameter.

But as Lyon is a law unto himself, I’m not sure there are ever any parameters that one could describe with any confidence.