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Heraldic Commission of New England
The Heraldic Commission of New England is the body responsible for heraldry in New England, and was established in 2014. The Authority is responsible for the creation and granting of new armorial bearings, flags and badges for New England citizens and government bodies, including badges, flags and other insignia of the New England Defence Force. The Commission also registers existing armorial bearings, which have been granted by other recognized heraldic authorities, and provides information on correct heraldic practices.
Before the creation of the Heraldic Commission of New England, people wishing to obtain a legally granted coat of arms had to apply to one of the two official heraldic offices in the United Kingdom. When New England became independent, a decision was made to revive the use of heraldic devices for worthy recipients as part of the creation of the various Orders and Honours of New England. The Commission was established by Letters Patent signed by King Michael on 1 October 2014, which were then presented to the Chief Herald. The patent declared that "The Commission shall have the sole right in the granting of armorial bearings in New England".
- Organisation
- Honorary Positions
- Grants Process
Organisation
The Monarch is considered the highest authority in heraldry, but the functions and powers of the Commission are devolved as a office of the Royal Household. As a result, the Commission is part of the Office of Honours. This body manages the various Orders and Honours in New England as well the Commission itself. The Office of Honours is managed by the King's Secretary for Orders and Honours, currently Denis Blanc. The Commission is therefore located within the main offices of the royal family at Farm Hall, near Saumarez House. In essence, the commission is based heavily on the Canadian Heraldic Authority
.
The Commission itself is headed by the Herald Commissioner, a position that has been held by Dame Louise Pelletier since 2043. The Herald Commissioner's job is to oversee and direct the operations of the Commission and is the main official to grant arms. However, the Monarch has the authority to grant arms directly and must approve all designs before they are granted.
Below the Herald Commissioner are the six Heralds of Arms, full time workers at the Commission and considered part of the Civil Service. The names of the various offices were taken from the various earldoms (counties) of New England. Though the titles are territorial designations, as per heraldic tradition, each herald serves the entire country. Each is assigned a badge of office. The Heralds of Arms are:
- Dumaresqshire Herald who is the Registrar of the Commission and deals mainly with records, such as the State Register of Arms. This herald is also the custodian of the Commission's seal. Since 2046 this title has been held by Peter Roberts.
- Macquarie Herald who is the Assistant Registrar of the Authority, works with Dumaresqshire Herald, the Registrar of the Authority. Since 2041, the title has been held by Emma Campbell .
- Fitzroyshire Herald who is the Principal Artist of the Commission, responsible for overseeing the artwork produced for each grant of arms. Since 2038, Reid Nelson has held this title.
- Clarence Herald and Macintyre Herald are assistant artists to the Fitzroyshire Herald. The roles are currently held by Amy Smith and James Anderson respectively.
- Severnshire Herald, who is responsible for policy issues. This post is currently held by Luke Macdonald.
Honorary Positions
The Commission also allows for two types of honorary positions: Heralds Emeritus and Heralds Extraordinary. The Emeritus title is reserved for heralds who have retired, but have made a significant contribution to heraldry. A Herald Extraordinary is an honorary position for those who made notable contributions to heraldry. Both Emerituses and Extraordinares can be enlisted by the Commission to perform work for them. Each honorary position grants the individual a badge and a title also based on an earldom.
At present there are two Herald Emeritus, the Apsleyshire Herald Emeritus and the Parkes Herald Emeritus. These positions are held by Sir Ryan Mullens and Dame Rebecca Zhou respectively.
There are also two Heralds Extraordinary, namely the Gwydir Herald Extraordinary, held by Leah Edwards, and the Raleigh Herald Extraordinary, which is held by Alex Fischer.
Grants Process
The process of granting arms is complex and stepped in history. Like a number of nations, New England maintains strict rules limiting to use and granting of arms. The principal policy is that the person must be worthy of such a grant, and must not have convicted of a serious crime. In short, the process follows these steps:
- Eligibility
- Approval
- Design
- Completion
- Cost
The average time that is required to complete a grant is about 12 to 14 months. If the discussion about the designs continue for a long period of time or Commission cannot spare the resources due to the number of petitions received, the process can take longer.
Eligibility: In order to request armorial bearings, a person must have obtained high office. The conditions stipulate that a person must be at least of the following:
- an Alderman;
- a Member of the House of Assembly;
- a Judge or Magistrate;
- a Vice Chancellor of the New England National University or Principal of a Polytechnic;
- an officer of the New England Defence Force above the rank of major;
- a recipient of one or more of the Orders and Honours of New England; or,
- an ordained religious minister or priest.
If these conditions are met, a person may request the granting of arms in writing to the Herald Commissioner. The letter must clearly ask "to receive armorial bearings from the Commission under the powers vested in it by the Monarch." If an individual is filing the request, called a petition, he or she must include information about their background. This includes proof of citizenship and details of the person's employment, education and any volunteer or community service background. Three character references are also required.
Public bodies and the various regiments of the New England Defence Force may apply for armorial bearings, and may simply do so in writing. Presently, most eligible bodies have been granted arms. The only exception to this rule are the various ministries of the Executive Council who are expected to use the New England Lion as part of the Government Design.
Private enterprise is forbidden from applying for armorial bearings.
Approval: The Herald Commissioner can approve or reject a petition. If the petition is approved, the authority to make the grant is given through a Warrant signed by the Herald Commissioner. A petition is then sent to one of the heralds, and the process of the creation of a written description begins.
Design: The herald chosen to work on the approved petition will work with the petitioner to discuss the elements that will be included in the coat of arms; however, the elements must follow the rules of heraldry. The Herald Commissioner will approve the written description, after which the petitioner must also approve it. The second step of the process is to create a preliminary design. The petitioner will sign an agreement with an artist at the Commission, and the artist in turn will create the design. The Fitzroyshire Herald, serving as the Authority's principal artist, will review the design and if approved, will send it to the Herald Commissioner
Completion: Upon the approval of the Herald Commissioner, the design will be sent to the petitioner for his or her approval. Finally, letters patent are prepared, which includes a drawing of the armorial bearings and the accompanying legal text and explanation of the symbolism of the bearings.
Completed grant documents are recorded in the State Register of Arms, and the notice of the grant is published in the Royal Gazette of the Kingdom of New England. The State Register of Arms is divided up in volumes, with each volume being reserved for each Monarch since 2014.
- Volume I (2014 - 2036) Michael
- Volume II (2036 - 2045) James I
- Volume III (Since 2045) James II
Cost: The Government requires that the above processes be financed by the petitioner, that is the person requesting the grant or registration of arms, who pays the fees associated with the request and grant/registration. The processing fee for all petitioners is C50, with the cost of the final design, as illustrated on the letters patent, is set at between C1,000 - C2,500.
| Monarchy of New England | ||
| Monarchs: King Michael · King James I · King James II Consorts: Princess Christine · Princess Amber Current Heir: Crown Prince Alexander & Prince Simon Other Members: Princess Kate & Lord Dawkins · Prince Richard & Lady Elsa |
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| Duchy of Chandler · Duchy of Duval Honours System · Crown Estates |
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