Rather than creating a new thread, I figured I would bump this one.
So the USHR came back, but it appears to be unattended. The last update was August 13th, 2013 so I’m curious what the status is, again.
You’re looking at the last update to the page. (I hate webpages that do that BTW). The last registration is dated October 6, 2013. Personally, I find it bizarre that there have been as many registrations as there have been given the general public’s perceptions of heraldry. I would expect only a handful a year.
Kenneth Mansfield;101586 wrote:
You’re looking at the last update to the page. (I hate webpages that do that BTW). The last registration is dated October 6, 2013. Personally, I find it bizarre that there have been as many registrations as there have been given the general public’s perceptions of heraldry. I would expect only a handful a year.
Michael entered into the register a large number of arms of various famous people and public institutions. For some reason, some people find this problematic. To me it seems entirely logical, given the purpose of a register.
I understand that people are curious about the state of this endeavor, but we seem to have pretty consistently established that members of the AHS forum are not the ones who can satisfy this curiosity.
Joseph McMillan;101587 wrote:
I understand that people are curious about the state of this endeavor, but we seem to have pretty consistently established that members of the AHS forum are not the ones who can satisfy this curiosity.
Partially true. I don’t really have any answers, but I got lucky emailing Mr. Swanson and getting my registration updated and one added for my grandfather. Not much has happened on the site since then (one other registration, I believe).
Had my registration added at the end of last year. Hope to have the rendering of my arms added sometime soon! :cool:
I put in for registration in February and have not heard anything or gotten a reply from the site. Anybody know if he is still working or has it gone dormant again?
I’ve sent a registration in twice in a 2-3 month period then sent a follow up email a month after the second attempt and have received no response. Your guess is as good as mine but I would say its a good bet that it is dormant again.
Sad about that, I am sure that it is an overwhelming task.
I registered my arms with the U.S. Heraldic Registry last year and am so pleased with the result that I decided not to register anywhere else. In my opinion, Mr. Swanson did a beautiful job with it. However, the registry isn’t very useful if it is only intermittently available.
Mr. Swanson not only runs the site himself, I think he pays for the upkeep as well. That’s too much. I hope he eventually will turn it over to an established heraldry or genealogical organization.
It is unfortunate that his circumstances or resources do not allow a periodic update to be posted at his site, which would avoid these periodic inquiries at AHS about the status of the registry.
There is a notice on the USHR home page re: an extended hiatus last year. I think we just have to be patient, given that it’s a free registry (unless you order optional artwork) run as a labor of love by a volunteer who like all of us needs to give priority to real life & vocation over avocation.
I finally got around to submitting my own arms last night, and will try to honor my own advice to be patient
This is going to sound more "old guy" than I mean it to, but heraldry enthusiasts in the United States collectively seem to find it hard to deal with the concept of deferred gratification. Those who have a problem with occasional prolonged radio silence from Michael Swanson’s free registration service should pull out the checkbook, write one for $8,725 made out to "The Corporation of Kings, Heralds, and Pursuivants of Arms," and post it off to Queen Victoria Street, London EC4.
Then breathe deeply and count off the months, months, months before the letters patent show up in your mailbox.
That’s not a slam on the College, by the way. Heraldry is supposed to last forever, against which a few months or a few years are as nothing. Patience.
Joseph McMillan;102034 wrote:
This is going to sound more "old guy" than I mean it to, but heraldry enthusiasts in the United States collectively seem to find it hard to deal with the concept of deferred gratification. Those who have a problem with occasional prolonged radio silence from Michael Swanson’s free registration service should pull out the checkbook, write one for $8,725 made out to "The Corporation of Kings, Heralds, and Pursuivants of Arms," and post it off to Queen Victoria Street, London EC4.
Then breathe deeply and count off the months, months, months before the letters patent show up in your mailbox.
That’s not a slam on the College, by the way. Heraldry is supposed to last forever, against which a few months or a few years are as nothing. Patience.
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Is that too subtle?
With due deference to my other members, there is a difference between patience and abandonment, I would wager that the college would acknowledge the "$8725" with at least a receipt or reply to inquiry emails. If I had at least a "I have received your registration" email. Then I would not be unwilling to wait for an extended period. Complete silence, leaves you wondering if your request has been dropped into a "black hole". For all we know, Mr. Swanson has completely lost interest and simply forgotten to close the site down, or God forbid passed away.
Terry Baldwin;102037 wrote:
With due deference to my other members, there is a difference between patience and abandonment, I would wager that the college would acknowledge the "$8725" with at least a receipt or reply to inquiry emails. If I had at least a "I have received your registration" email. Then I would not be unwilling to wait for an extended period. Complete silence, leaves you wondering if your request has been dropped into a "black hole".
Well, "complete silence" is the same response you get from the New England Historic Genealogical Society when you register arms with them.