Armorial of Speakers of the British House of Commons

Armorial of the Speakers of the House of Commons is displayed at the House of Commons in the Palace of Westminster. Speakers customarily take a grant of arms while in office if they are not armigerous already. Their shields of arms are painted on the interior walls of Speaker's House, and after their elevation to the peerage they are displayed on the windows along the peers' staircase in the House of Lords.

Speakers of the House of Commons of Great Britain

Speakers in the reigns of Anne, George I and George II
Arms Name of Speaker (including peerage title, if any) and heraldic blazon
John Smith, Speaker of the House 1707–1708

Escutcheon: Quarterly: 1st & 4th: azure, two bars between three pheons or (for Smith) 2nd & 3rd: Argent, a mullet pierced sable (for Assheton)[1][2][3]

Richard Onslow, 1st Baron Onslow, Speaker of the House 1708–1710

Crest: An Eagle Sable, preying on a Partridge proper
Escutcheon: Argent, a Fess Gules, between six Cornish Choughs proper
Supporters: On either side a Falcon close proper, belled Or.[4][5]

Sir William Bromley, Speaker of the House 1710–1713

Escutcheon: Quarterly per fess indented Gules and Or an escutcheon Argent charged with a griffin segreant Vert
Crest: Out of a ducal coronet Or a demi-lion Argent supporting a banner Gules charged with a lion passant Gold staff of the last (the standard of Guiénne).[6]

Sir Thomas Hanmer, Speaker of the House 1714–1715

Escutcheon: Argent two lions passant guardant azure, armed and langued gules[7]
Crest: On a chapeau Azure turned up Ermine a lion guardant sejant Argent
Motto: Garde l'Honneur ("Maintain honour")[8][9]

Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington, Speaker of the House 1715–1727

Arms: Sable a Lion passant guardant Or between three Esquires' Helmets Argent;
Crest: A Buck at gaze Argent attired Or;
Supporters: On either side a Bull Argent armed and unguled proper;
Motto: Tout bien ou rien[10]

Arthur Onslow, Speaker of the House 1727–1761

Escutcheon: Argent a fess Gules between six Cornish choughs Proper.
Crest: An eagle Sable preying upon a patridge Or.
Motto: Semper Fidelis[11]

Speakers in the reign of George III
Arms Name of Speaker (including peerage title, if any) and heraldic blazon
Sir John Cust, Speaker of the House 1761–1770

Crest: A Lion's Head erased Sable gorged with a Collar paly wavy of six Argent and Azure
Escutcheon: Ermine on a Chevron Sable three Fountains proper
Supporters: On either side a Lion reguardant Argent each gorged with a Collar paly wavy of six Argent and Azure
Motto: Esse Quam Videri ("To be, rather than to seem")[12][13]

Fletcher Norton, 1st Baron Grantley, Speaker of the House 1770–1780

Crest: A Moor's Head affrontée couped at the shoulders wreathed round the temples with Laurel proper and around the neck a Torse Argent and Azure
Escutcheon: Azure a Maunch Ermine surmounted by a Bend Gules
Supporters: Dexter: a Lion; Sinister: a Griffin, both Argent and ducally gorged Or and pendent from the coronets by a Ribbon Gules a Shield of the Arms of Norton Motto: Avi Numerantur Avorum (I follow a long line of ancestry)[14][15]

Charles Wolfran Cornwall, Speaker of the House 1780–1789

A lion rampant Gules ducally crowned Or within a bordure engrailed sable bezanty.[16]

William Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville, Speaker of the House 1789

Escutcheon: Quarterly, 1st and 4th, Vert on a Cross Argent five Torteaux Gules (Grenville); 2nd, Or an Eagle displayed Sable (Leofric, Earl of Mercia); 4th, Argent two Bars Sable each charged with three Martlets Or (Temple)
Crest: A Garb Vert
Supporters: On the dexter side a Lion per fess embattled Gules and Or and on the sinister side a Horse Argent semé of Eaglets Sable with both supporters collared Argent banded Vert charged with three Torteaux counterchanged Motto: Repetens exempla suorum (Following the example set by our forebears)[17][18]

Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth, Speaker of the House 1789–1801

Crest: A Cat-a-mountain sejant guardant Proper bezanty the dexter forepaw resting on an inescutcheon Azure charged with a Mace erect surmounted with a Regal Crown Or within a Bordure engrailed Argent;
Escutcheon: Per pale Ermine and Erminés a Chevron charged with five Lozenges counterchanged between three Fleurs-de-lis Or; Supporters: On either side a Stag the dexter Erminés the sinister Ermine both attired and gorged with a Chain pendant therefrom a Key all Or
Motto: Libertas sub rege pio ("Liberty under a pious King")[19][20]

Speakers of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom

Speakers in the reigns of George III, George IV, William IV
Arms Name of Speaker (including peerage title, if any) and heraldic blazon
John Freeman-Mitford, 1st Baron Redesdale, Speaker of the House 1801–1802

Crest: 1st: two Hands couped at the wrist proper grasping a Sword erect piercing a Boar's Head erased Sable (Mitford); 2nd: a Demi Wolf Argent charged on the shoulder with a Fess dancetty Gules and holding between the paws a Lozenge Or (Freeman)
Escutcheon: Quarterly: 1st and 4th, Argent a Fess between three Moles Sable (Mitford); 2nd and 3rd, Azure three Lozenges conjoined in fess Or a Canton Ermine (Freeman)
Supporters: On either side an Eagle wings expanded Sable beaked and membered Or charged on the breast with a Lozenge also Or and gorged with a wreath of Shamrock Vert
Motto: God Careth For Us[21][22]

Charles Abbot, 1st Baron Colchester, Speaker of the House 1802–1817

Escutcheon: Gules, on a chevron between three pears Or as many crosses raguly Azure within a tressure flory of the second.
Crest: Out of a ducal coronet Or, a unicorn's head Ermine maned and tufted of the first between six ostrich feathers Argent quilled Gold.
Supporters: On either side a unicorn Ermine maned hoofed and tufted Or, gorged with a collar Azure within another gemel flory counter-flory Gules therefrom a chain reflexed over the back Gold and charged on the shoulder with a cross raguly of the third.
Motto: Deo Patriae Amicis[23][24]

Charles Manners-Sutton, 1st Viscount Canterbury, Speaker of the House 1817–1835

Escutcheon: Quarterly, 1st & 4th: Argent, a canton sable (Sutton) 2nd & 3rd: Or, two bars azure, a chief quarterly azure and gules, the 1st and 4th quarters charged with two fleurs-de-lis or, and the 2nd and 3rd a lion of England (Manners)
Supporters:On either side a Unicorn Argent armed maned tufted and unguled Or, around the neck of the dexter supporter a Chain Or pendent therefrom an Escutcheon Azure charged with a Mace erect Gold, around the neck of the sinister supporter a like Chain pendent therefrom an Escutcheon also Azure charged with an Archiepiscopal Mitre also gold jewelled proper
Motto: Pour y Parvenir[25][26]

James Abercromby, 1st Baron Dunfermline, Speaker of the House 1835–1839

Escutcheon: Argent a Fess embattled Gules therefrom issuant in chief a Dexter Arm embowed in Armour proper garnished Or encircled by a Wreath of Laurel the hand supporting the French Standard in bend sinister also proper in base (for Abercromby) a Chevron indented Gules between three Boars' Heads erased Azure
Crest: A Bee erect proper
Supporters: On either side a Greyhound per fess Argent and Or each plain collared with a Line reflexed over the back Gules and suspended from the collar a Shield Azure charged with the Speaker's Mace in pale gold and charged on the shoulder with a Thistle proper Motto: Vive ut vivas[27][28]

Speakers in the reign of Victoria
Arms Name of Speaker (including peerage title, if any) and heraldic blazon
Charles Shaw-Lefevre, 1st Viscount Eversley, Speaker of the House 1839–1857

Crest: Six Arrows interlaced saltirewise three and three proper within an Annulet Or.
Escutcheon: Quarterly 1st & 4th Sable a chevron Argent between in chief two trefoils slipped Or and in base a bezant therefrom issuant a cross pattée of the third (Lefevre) 2nd & 3rd Sable a chevron Ermine on a canton Or a talbot's head erased Gules (Shaw).
Supporters: On either side a talbot that on the dexter Gules on the sinister Sable each charged on the shoulder with a mace erect Gold.
Motto: Sans Changer[29][30]

Evelyn Denison, 1st Viscount Ossington, Speaker of the House 1857–1872

Escutcheon: Argent a bend Gules between a unicorn's head erased in chief and a cross crosslet fitchée in base Azure.
Crest: A dexter arm vested Gules cuffed Argent pointing with the forefinger to an estoile Or.[31]

Henry Brand, 1st Viscount Hampden, Speaker of the House 1872–1884

Crest: Out of a crown vallary Or a leopard's head Argent semée of escallops and gorged with a collar gemel Gules.
Escutcheon: Azure two swords in saltire points upwards Argent pommelled and hilted Or between three escallops one in chief and two in fess Or.
Supporters: Dexter a wolf Argent gorged with a radiated collar with line reflexed over the back Or sinister a bull Gules armed unguled ducally gorged and line reflexed over the back Or.[32]

Arthur Peel, 1st Viscount Peel, Speaker of the House 1884–1895

Escutcheon: Argent three sheaves of three arrows Proper two and one banded Gules on a chief Azure a bee volant Or.
Crest: A demi-lion rampant Argent gorged with a collar Azure charged with three bezants, holding between the paws a Shuttle Or.
Supporters: Dexter a lion reguardant Argent sinister a gryphon reguardant Or both gorged with a chain Or pendent therefrom an escutcheon Azure charged with a mace erect Or.[33]

William Gully, 1st Viscount Selby, Speaker of the House 1895–1905

Crest: Between two wings erect Or an arm vested Sable cuffed Argent the hand grasping a sword erect Proper.
Escutcheon: Argent a lion rampant Sable between four escallops Gules on a chief of the last as many escallops Or.
Supporters: Dexter an owl Sable charged with a balance Or sinister an eagle Sable charged with a portcullis Or.
Motto: Nec Temere Nec Tarde ("Neither Rashly Nor Slowly") [34]

Speakers in the reigns of Edward VII, George V, Edward VII and George VI
Arms Name of Speaker (including peerage title, if any) and heraldic blazon
James Lowther, 1st Viscount Ullswater, Speaker of the House 1905–1921

Crest: A Dragon passant Argent
Escutcheon: Or six Annulets three two and one a Crescent for difference
Supporters: On either side a Horse Argent gorged with a Wreath of Laurel Vert and charged on the shoulder with a Portcullis chained Or
Motto: Magistratum Indicat Virum ("The office shows the man") [35]

John Henry Whitley, Speaker of the House 1921–1928

Blazon not available

Edward FitzRoy, Speaker of the House 1928–1943

Escutcheon: The Royal Arms of Charles II, viz. Quarterly: 1st and 4th, France and England quarterly; 2nd, Scotland; 3rd, Ireland; the whole debruised by a Baton sinister compony of six pieces Argent and Azure.[36]

Douglas Clifton Brown, 1st Viscount Ruffside, Speaker of the House 1943–1951

Escutcheon: Gules a Chevron Or between two Bear's Paws erased in chief and four hands conjoined in saltire of the second in base on a Chief engrailed Or an Eagle displayed Sable[37][38]

Speakers in the reign of Elizabeth II
Arms Name of Speaker (including peerage title, if any) and heraldic blazon
William Morrison, 1st Viscount Dunrossil, Speaker of the House 1951–1959

Crest: Issuant from waves of the Sea Azure crested Argent a Mount Vert thereon an embattled Wall Azure masoned Argent charged with a Portcullis Or and issuant therefrom a Cubit Arm naked proper the hand grasping a Dagger Azure hilted Or
Escutcheon: Per bend sinister Gules and Argent a Demi-Lion rampant issuant Or armed and langued Azure holding in his paws a Battleaxe the Shaft curved of the third and the Axehead of the fourth in chief and in base issuant from the Sea undy Vert and Or a Tower Sable Windows and Port Or over all a Bend sinister embattled Azure charged with an Open Crown Or jewelled Gules between two Fleurs-de-lys Argent; within a Bordure Vert for difference.[39]
Supporters: On either side a Lion regardant Or armed and langued Gules collared Vert supporting between the exterior forepaw and interior hindpaw a Battleaxe Azure the shaft embowed
Motto: Above the Crest: Teaghlach Phabbay (The household or family of Phabbay); Below the Shield: An Tighnearna Mo Bhuachaille ("The Lord is my Shepherd")

Sir Harry Hylton-Foster, Speaker of the House 1959–1965

Blazon not available

Horace King, Baron Maybray-King, Speaker of the House 1965–1971

Escutcheon: Argent a cherub Proper within a chaplet of four roses, two in pale Argent and two in fess Gules, barbed seeded and leaved proper
Crest: A mace Or and a spade the blade upwards in saltire Proper.
Supporters: On either side a bittern Proper.
Motto: Sinite Parvulos [40][41]

Selwyn Lloyd, Baron Selwyn-Lloyd, Speaker of the House 1971–1976

Escutcheon: Per pale azure and or, in chief two bees volant and in the centre base point a garb of wheat all counterchanged. On a fess per pale or and gules a dragon passant counterchanged[42][43][44]

George Thomas, 1st Viscount Tonypandy, Speaker of the House 1976–1983

Escutcheon: Or an open book proper bound Sable garnished Gules. On a chief of the last between two portcullises Or a pale per pale Argent and Or, charged with three chevrons gules.
Crest: A miner's lamp between two daffodils slipped and leaved proper.
Motto: Bid Ben Bid Bont ("Let the leader be a bridge")[45][46][47][48]

Bernard Weatherill, Baron Weatherill, Speaker of the House 1983–1992

Crest: A Horse rampant Argent supporting a Mace erect Or
Escutcheon: Azure a Cross Floretty Or surmounting two Lances in saltire proper flying from each a Forked Pennon per fess Gules and Argent[49]
Supporters: Dexter: a Captain of the 19th King George V's Own Lancers (Indian Army); Sinister: a Knight of Justice of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem, both proper
Motto: "A stitch in time"[44][45]

Betty Boothroyd, Baroness Boothroyd, Speaker of the House 1992–2000

Escutcheon: Gules a representation of the mace of the Speaker of the House of Commons palewise or surmounted in base by a rose argent barbed and seeded proper over all on a fess gold an owl gardant proper between two millrinds sable.[50][51][52][45]
Motto: "I speak to serve"[50]

Michael Martin, Baron Martin of Springburn, Speaker of the House 2000–2009

Escutcheon: Per chevron Gules and Sable, on a chevron Argent between in chief a martin volant Or between dexter a locomotive wheel partially covered by a cowling and sinister a salmon hauriant with a signet ring in its mouth both Proper and in base a lymphad of the Third flagged Gules sail chequy Azure and Argent, a crescent Sable between an engineer's steel footrule and a chanter both Proper.
Crest: A kestrel wings surgeant-tergiant Proper.
Motto: Tha Mi A’s Stri A Bhi Cothromach (I Strive To Be Fair)[53][54]

John Bercow, Speaker of the House 2009–2019

Blazon not available[55][56][57][58]

Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House 2019-present

Sir Lindsay is not currently armigerous. In an interview with BBC Radio Lancashire on 31 January 2020 he said "I'd like to think maybe a bumble bee, the busy bee... who knows? And of course, if I was to do that, I would want a Lancashire rose."[59]

Further reading

References
  1. Manning, James Alexander (1851). The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, from the Time of King Edward III to Queen Victoria. G. Willis. p. 412. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  2. Burke, Sir Bernard (1852). A genealogical and heraldic dictionary of the landed gentry of Great Britain & Ireland for 1852. Colburn and Company. p. 1248. Retrieved 20 February 2019. arms of Smith of Tedworth House.
  3. Burke, Bernard (1864). The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. Harrison & sons. p. 936. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  4. "General Armory, page 760". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  5. "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 416". E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  6. "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 423". E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  7. Mosley 2003, p. 1761
  8. "General Armory, page 453". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  9. "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 431". E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  10. "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 435". E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  11. "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 440". E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  12. "General Armory, page 255". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  13. "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 440". Google Books. E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  14. "General Armory, page 739". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  15. "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 445". Google Books. E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  16. "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 458". Google Books. E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  17. "General Armory, page 427". Burke's Peerage.
  18. "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 465". Google Books. E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  19. "General Armory, page 5". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  20. "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 473". Google Books. E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  21. "General Armory, page 691". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  22. "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 479". Google Books. E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  23. "General Armory, page 1". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  24. "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 484". Google Books. E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  25. "General Armory, page 987". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  26. "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 488". Google Books. E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  27. "General Armory, page 2". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  28. "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 493". Google Books. E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  29. "General Armory, page 1015". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  30. "The Lives of the Speakers of the House of Commons, page 496". Google Books. E. Churton. 1851. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  31. "General Armory, page 1275". Burke's Peerage. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  32. "Burke's Genealogical... 99th edition". Internet Archive. Burke's Peerage Ltd. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  33. "Burke's Genealogical... 99th edition". Internet Archive. Burke's Peerage Ltd. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  34. "Burke's Genealogical... 99th edition". Internet Archive. Burke's Peerage Ltd. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  35. "Burke's genealogical and heraldic history of the peerage, baronetage, and knightage, Privy Council, and order of preference, 99th edition". Internet Archive. Burke's Peerage Ltd. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  36. "Speaker's Chamber, 021". Worker's Photo's Archive. Steve Forrest. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  37. Mosley 2003, p. 287
  38. "Speaker's Chamber, 023". Worker's Photo's Archive. Steve Forrest. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  39. Mosley 2003, p. 1238
  40. Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage. 1985.
  41. "The Speaker's Chamber, 021". Worker's Photos Archive. Steve Forrest. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  42. "The Speaker's Chamber, 024". Worker's Photos Archive. Steve Forrest. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  43. "Dare to Dream". Ican. The Children's Communication Charity. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  44. "Reflections of the Retiring British Speaker". C-SPAN. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  45. "The Speaker's Chamber, 018". Worker's Photos Archive. Steve Forrest. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  46. Lord Tonypandy (1985). George Thomas, Mr.Speaker: The Memoirs of Viscount Tonypandy. Century. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-7126-0706-3.
  47. "Thomas, George Viscount Tonypandy". The Heraldry Society. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  48. Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage. 1985.
  49. Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (107 ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. p. 4101. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.
  50. 2 Kidd, Charles; Shaw, Christine, eds. (2008). Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage (145 ed.). p. 150. ISBN 978-1870520805.
  51. "Lords fail to find house room for Lady Boothroyd's crest". The Daily Telegraph. 2001-01-28. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  52. "House of Commons Speaker's Residence". C-SPAN. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  53. The Double Tressure No. 28. 2005.
  54. "Speakers as peers". Baz Manning. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  55. Watt, Nicholas (2011-11-28). "John Bercow unveils new coat of arms". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  56. Hope, Christopher (2011-11-28). "John Bercow unveils his £37,000 portrait and coat of arms complete with ladder, rainbow and pink triangles". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  57. "Official state portrait of Speaker John Bercow unveiled". UK Parliament. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  58. "Speaker's portrait". Baz Manning. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  59. "Inside Speaker's House". BBC Radio Lancashire. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
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