Chester, St Marys on the Hill

Chester, St Marys on the Hill, a photo by jmc4 - Church Explorer on Flickr.

Flickr (the photo storage site courtesy of Yahoo) has a number of groups devoted to heraldic topics. One of my favourite contributors uses the pseudonym jmc4- Church Explorer. It's worth taking a look at his work.

A Goldstraw Bookplate ... by artist Tom Meek

 

I am pleased to unveil the design for my new bookplate produced in black and white  pen and ink by heraldic artist Tom Meek.

The insignia is that of a Knight Jure Sanguinis, Motto Proprio, of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George.

My surname, as indicated in the motto, was originally Goostrey (it is still locally pronounced that way) and all those bearing my surname will be able to trace their ancestors back to those who bore the surname Goostrey coming from the village of that name in Cheshire. It is a family conceit that our ancestors came from Cheshire to Leek, Staffordshire, as stone masons to build the abbey of Dieulacres for their overlord.

The mallet and chisel indicate that my family owned quarries and remained Master Stone Masons for centuries. We retained a local quarry until early in the 20th century and my kinsmen are known to have built at least two of the local Churches.

The Garb is an obvious symbol of Cheshire and Cardamine Pratensis (Cuckoo Flower or Lady’s Smock), is not only the County Flower of Cheshire but these pretty pink wildflowers are seen on the Western Isles and throughout Scotland so have a special place on the bookplate and provide a suitable frame upon which the achievement is supported.

The Cheshire Heraldry Society Programme for 2012/13

The Cheshire Heraldry Society Programme for 2012/13 is:

Sept 22nd 2012	Elias Ashmole, Windsor Herald 1660-1692* Dr Adrian Ailes FSA FHS
Oct 20th 2012	The heraldic glass at Charlecote - Chris Purvis
Nov 17th 2012	Goss China - Nigel Griffin
Jan 19th 2013	Aspects of Medical Heraldry - Alan Fennely.
Feb 16th 2013	Architectural Heraldry* - Prof. James D Floyd  BSc, PhD, CGeol,FGS, FSAScot.
Mch 16th 2013	Trade Guilds of Scotland* - Leslie Hodgson
Apr 20th 2013	Annual General Meeting.

* Meetings presented in conjunction with The Heraldry Society

Jubilee Wishes

A Cheshire Bookplate

Of interest to Cheshire Heraldry is this bookplate which has recently appeared on Flickr. Bookplate of Sir William H. Bailey of Sale Hall, Cheshire (sadly now demolished and lying under a motorway).

The Cheshire Heraldry Society A.G.M.

Tomorrow, Saturday 21st April, is the Annual General Meeting of The Cheshire Heraldry Society.

As well as the usual business of the A.G.M., I will be presenting a small power point talk on the heraldic illustrations of Dan Escott as published in the children's magazine Look and Learn between 1962 and 1982 and we also hope to have one or two "show and tell" items from our members. It is the usual venue at Townley Street Schoolroom, Townley Street, Macclesfield and we start at 2.30 pm, (room opens at 2.00 pm).



I look forward to seeing you there.

The BBC - George Booth, 2nd Earl of Warrington

I am a great fan of the BBC's Antiques Road Show and take great pleasure when an antique catches my fancy. Last evening's Road Show proved to be an absolute delight when their second visit to Manchester Town Hall (an heraldic delight in its own right) turned up an armorial panel which used to be housed in Mottram Church but found its way by a circuitous route to a biscuit factory!

The company which is now the proud owner of the panel purchased an old cotton mill for use as a biscuit factory in 1980 and the panel was discovered when the junk left by the previous owner was being sorted out and disposed of. The panel has been hanging in the reception of the biscuit factory ever since its discovery.

Valued by the Road Show's Elaine Binning at between £12'500 to £15'000, the panel, said to date from 1694, is inscribed with the words " The South Side of Mottram Chancel is repaired by and belongs to the Earl of Warrington, as Lord of the Manor of Staly". Mottram Church is in the village or Mottram between Stalybridge and Glossop.



The company representative stated that the panel is thought to have hung in the chancel for about one hundred and fifty years until it was moved by a Mr. Chapman, a wealthy mill owner, who acquired ownership of the chancel in approx 1854 and felt that he was wealthy enough to remove all the existing accouterments in the chancel and replace them with his own; the panel disappeared at that time and it is thought that everything else in the chancel was simply destroyed!



George Booth, 2nd Earl of Warrington (May 2, 1675 – August 2, 1758) was the son of Henry Booth, 1st Earl of Warrington by his wife Mary, the daughter and sole heiress of Sir James Langham, Bart. As the eldest surviving son, he inherited the title of Earl of Warrington on his father's death in 1693.

It's proud owner declared that it was not for sale.

These are the same 48 quarterings as those in the the armorial bearings of Booth which are displayed as a monument to Langham and Henry Booth seen in the Dunham (or Booth) Chapel at Bowdon Parish Church.

http://cheshire-heraldry.org.uk/gallery_image48.html