Sir Gerald Wollaston as Garter King of Arms at the coronation of George VI in 1937.

Sir Gerald Woods Wollaston KCB KCVO (2 June 1874 – 4 March 1957) was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Wollaston's family had a firm tradition at the College of Arms. Wollaston's great-grandfather was Sir William Woods, Garter Principal King of Arms from 1838 until his death in 1842. His grandfather was Sir Albert William Woods who held the same post from 1869 to 1904.[1]

Wollaston's first heraldic post came in 1902 with his appointment as Fitzalan Pursuivant of Arms Extraordinary.[2] This appointment came on the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in that year. He held this post until becoming a member of the College chapter on 11 January 1906 as Bluemantle Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary.[3]

On 26 February 1919, Wollaston was promoted to the office of Richmond Herald of Arms in Ordinary. He remained a herald in ordinary until 1929, when he was appointed Norroy King of Arms.[4] He became Garter Principal King of Arms in 1930 to replace Henry Burke.

He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in the 1935 New Year Honours[5] and a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 1937 Coronation Honours.[6] Wollaston retired from the post of Garter in 1944 to become the second Norroy and Ulster King of Arms[7] and served as such until his death in 1957.

Arms

Coat of arms of Gerald Wollaston
Adopted
1610
Crest
On a wreath of the colours out of a mural crown or a demi-griffin argent holding a pierced mullet sable.
Escutcheon
Argent, 3 pierced mullets sable.[8]
Motto
Ne quid falsi ("Neither false")
Orders
the circlet of the Royal Victorian Order as KCVO

See also

References

  1. ^ "Sir Gerald Woods Wollaston". The Times. 5 March 1957. p. 10.
  2. ^ "No. 27440". The London Gazette. 6 June 1902. p. 3681.
  3. ^ "No. 27874". The London Gazette. 12 January 1906. p. 270.
  4. ^ "No. 31206". The London Gazette. 28 February 1919. p. 2856.
  5. ^ "No. 34119". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1934. pp. 1–18.
  6. ^ "No. 34396". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 May 1937. pp. 3073–3106.
  7. ^ "No. 33409". The London Gazette. 3 July 1928. p. 5207.
  8. ^ Godfrey, Walter H; Wagner, Anthony (1963). "'Garter King of Arms', in Survey of London Monograph 16, College of Arms, Queen Victoria Street (London, 1963), pp. 38-74". british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
Heraldic offices Preceded byGordon Ambrose de Lisle Lee Bluemantle Pursuivant 1906 – 1919 Succeeded byHon. Philip Cary Preceded byCharles Harold Athill Richmond Herald 1919 – 1928 Succeeded byHenry Robert Charles Martin Preceded bySir Arthur William Stuart Cochrane Norroy King of Arms 1928 – 1930 Succeeded bySir Algar Henry Stafford Howard Preceded bySir Henry Farnham Burke Garter Principal King of Arms 1930 – 1944 Preceded bySir Algar Henry Stafford Howard Norroy and Ulster King of Arms 1944 – 1957 Succeeded byAubrey John Toppin Preceded byTrevor Dawson Knight Principal of the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor 1931-1957 Succeeded byGeorge Bellew
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