Remember Remember the 5th of November

 It's that time of year again. It's quite a long video but you can of course pause it at any time to make a cuppa.

Burke's Peerage Foundation struck off the charity register.

 Burke's Peerage Foundation has been struck off the charity register. A GOV.UK statutory inquiry, launched in March 2022, found serious misconduct and mismanagement, including conflicts of interest, poor financial management, and misapplied funds, which led to the disqualification of the former trustees. 

Burke’s Peerage Foundation (‘the charity’) was registered with the Charity Commission (‘the Commission’) on 5 February 2014 and was governed by a Declaration of Trust dated 5 January 2014.

The charity was removed from the Commission’s register of charities on 2 August 2023.

The charity’s objectives were: To advance the education of the public in the United Kingdom in the subject of genealogy and personal heritage.

William Bortrick (‘Mr Bortrick’) and Mark Ayre (‘Mr Ayre’) were trustees of the charity from the 5 February 2014.Trustee minutes obtained by the Inquiry record the appointment of a third trustee (‘trustee C’) on 16 July 2022 and their resignation on 14 September 2022. Trustee C was primarily appointed to conduct a viability review of the charity’s future, and they have informed the Inquiry that they were not involved in any decision making.  The Commission did not consider that trustee C was responsible for any of the findings of the inquiry and the reference to ‘the trustees’ throughout the report refers to Mr Bortrick and Mr Ayre only.

William Bortrick - Times Newspaper

Mayoral Chain Leek Staffordshire

 As a Leekensian and a heraldry addict I have a double interest in any news that touches upon both interests.

The Leek Town Council website informs us that Cllr. Derek Hilyer was elected as The Mayor of Leek at the Leek Town Council Annual Meeting held in May 2025 and provided us with not only a photo of the Mayor proudly wearing his Chain of Office but also provides a close up of the heraldic pendant upon the Chain. Belated congratulations to Derek (I'm a bit late with this report) and many thanks to Belinda Hargreaves of Our Leek & Moorlands publication for providing the photos (especially of the Chain).

Cllr. Derek Hilyer resplendant in his Chain of Office

The Arms of Leek Town Council as featured on the Mayoral Chain

(The moorcock seems to have become a bit faded but hey, it is blazoned as Proper so perhaps, like me it has grayed with age!)

Arms : Azure a Saltire patonce between in chief a Stafford Knot in fesse two Suns and in base a Garb all Or. Crest : Out of a Mural Crown Or charged with three Mulberry Leaves proper a Mount of Heather thereon a Moorcock also proper resting the dexter claw on a Leek small-weave Shuttle Gold threaded Gules.  Motto: 'ARTE FAVENTE NIL DESPERANDUM'- Our skill assisting us, we have no cause for despair.

The arms were officially granted on May 7, 1956 to Leek Urban District Council but are now used by Leek Town Council.

For an explanation of the rationale behind the design, see: 

https://weblog.heraldryaddict.uk/2020/07/leeks-civic-heraldry-and-finest-garden.html

Terry Melia, Past Chairman of the Yorkshire Heraldry Society

It has just been announced by the Yorkshire Heraldry Society that following a long, arduous and bravely fought illness, past Chairman Terry Melia has died. I would like to pass on my condolences to Terry's loved ones; he was a gentleman and will be missed.

Silver Jubilee - Armorial

Am I allowed to have a Silver Jubilee given that I am neither a Monarch celebrating my accession to the throne or a company celebrating its founding? Well, this year I am celebrating a Silver Anniversary anyway, that of the granting of my armorial bearings, by The College of Arms, on the 15th December 2000. Whilst this milestone event is not going to be marked with National celebrations and parades, nor accompanied by the issuance of special medals or coins, it is nevertheless, in my household at least, going to be proudly, if somewhat modestly, celebrated with cake and bubbly and the occassional glass of single (English) malt. I shall celebrate the date of the Scottish matriculation with Scottish Malt at the appropriate time.

Arms: Argent on a Chevron between three Swords erect Gules three Quills erect Argent. Crest: On a Helm with a Wreath Argent and Gules a Goose Argent beaked Or resting its dexter foot against an Oak Tree Gules fructed Or. Motto: IURE FACTUM NON ERIT IRRITUM (Where there’s a Will there’s a way).

Granted: 15th December 2000 (College of Arms), Matriculated: 21st November 2002 (Court of Lord Lyon).

Agent: Thomas Woodcock (Norroy and Ulster King of Arms).

English Breakfast tea will be offered in the armorial tea service, the manufacture of which was so kindly facilitated by John F. Mueller .

3rd Annual Heraldry Ireland Lecture

 The 3^rd Annual Heraldry Ireland Lecture is to be held on Tuesday 13^th May 2025 at 20.00hrs (UTC+1).   

Yorkshire Heraldry Day

The Yorkshire Heraldry Day; Heraldic Symposium is to be held at The Royal Armories, Leeds, on Saturday 28th June 2025 10.00 am to 4.00 pm.

The application form can be found here:

http://english-heraldry.co.uk/yorkshire-symposium-2025.pdf