On the IAAH forum and the HSS forum i found mention of the following:

"Although there has been no official announcement, the retirement of Robin Orr Blair, LVO, Lord Lyon King of Arms has been leaked on the HSS forum.

It seems that Mr. Brian Hamilton has been informed that "A recent correspondent to the Lyon Office was told to delay his petition until after the New Year (2008) as the present Lord Lyon was retiring from office in December."

First Canada, now Scotland!

If Robin Blair is truly leaving the office of Lord Lyon, he certainly did not stay for long.  I wonder if the issues of territorial designations and the heraldic addiments of the now fief-less feudal barons took its toll.

Although I have nothing to gain from his leaving, I must confess that I am happy to see Mr. Blair leave Lord Lyon’s office given his "innovations" on the above mentioned matters.

I am wondering if anyone could give (or direct me to) a brief synopsis of the problems Robin Blair has had as Lord Lyon (particularly the above mentioned "fief-less barons").  I am vaguely aware of the change in laws in Scotland regarding feudal tenure, but am not aware of how those changes impacted the Lyon Court.  I am basically hoping to understand what might be some of the gripes people have with decisions the current Lord Lyon made regarding Scottish feudal barons.  Thanks!

Some of the issues with the old Lord Lyon are covered in two pdf.file newsletters from Burke’s International Register of Arms. Please follow this link and download the files: http://www.armorial-register.com/news-archive.html

The abolishment of feudal tenure was not handled very well when it came to the status of the feudal baronies. Had the feudal baronies been converted into hereditary titles in the manner of the abolished Spanish feudal lordships, the confusion could have been avoided, of course this would have to have meant that Queen Elizabeth II, the Lord Lyon and the Scottish Parliament would all have to be in agreement and co-operating as one.

I will go no further on this topic as it has been a contentious issue on many heraldic message boards. Its very mention has even been banned on one or two boards.

Quote:

I am wondering if anyone could give (or direct me to) a brief synopsis of the problems Robin Blair has had as Lord Lyon (particularly the above mentioned "fief-less barons").

There have been very long threads on this topic on the Heraldry Society of Scotland forum, as well as rec.heraldry.  You might join the former forum and read those posts and search the latter for the relevant threads.

/Charles

Thank you kindly for the leads!

I hope I didn’t open any old wounds.