2004 was another busy year for the Court of the Lord Lyon. 78 new grants of Arms were made (the same number as in 2003) of which 71 were to individuals, 5 to corporate bodies and 2 to local authorities.
In addition there were 17 matriculations from existing grants. A further 24 Petitions for Arms with additaments in respect of feudal baronies were given interim consideration prior to the Appointed Day when the Abolition of Feudal Tenure (Scotland) Act 2000 came into force.
During the year Mrs. Yvonne Holton was appointed Herald Painter in succession to Mrs. Jenny Phillips who retired from the position after 31 years.
In September contracts were placed for the work of making a computer-searchable copy of the Register of Arms. The digital photography was completed in November and the remainder of the work will be completed during 2005.
A number of overseas engagements were undertaken during the year.
In February the Lord Lyon gave lectures to the Minnesota St. Andrew¿s Society, the Center for Celtic Studies at the University of Wisconsin, the Illinois St. Andrew¿s Society Business Forum and the Genealogical Society of Utah.
In September he was Guest of Honour at the Longs Peak Scottish/Irish Festival, Estes Park, Colorado. On 28 September he visited Washington DC to present Letters Patent to the Secretary of State, Colin Powell.
In May and June Ross Herald was in Australia and New Zealand and gave a total of 30 lectures in Perth, Adelaide, Mornington, Geelong, Melbourne, Yarra, Wagga Wagga, Canberra and Sydney, and in Canterbury and Auckland.
Carrick Pursuivant gave lectures at the International Congress on Heraldry and Genealogy at Bruges in September and at the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada in Toronto in October, and in November ran a course on heraldry at a weekend conference in Atlanta, Georgia.
There was also a busy programme of ceremonial.
On 14 May the Ceremony of the Keys took place at the Palace of Holyroodhouse when the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Baron Steel of Aikwood, received the Keys of the City of Edinburgh from the Rt. Hon. the Lord Provost. The ceremony was attended by the Lord Lyon, Rothesay Herald and Bute Pursuivant.
On 15 May the Opening of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland took place at the Assembly Hall. In attendance on the Lord High Commissioner were the Lord Lyon, Rothesay and Ross Heralds, Unicorn, Carrick and Bute Pursuivants, the Lord High Constable of Scotland (the Earl of Erroll), the Hereditary Master of the Household in Scotland (the Duke of Argyll), the Earl of Dundee, Hereditary Bearer of the Royal Banner of Scotland, and the Master of Lauderdale, representing the Earl of Lauderdale, Hereditary Bearer of the National Flag of Scotland
.The Church Service of the General Assembly was held on 16 May at St. Giles Cathedral. It was attended by the Lord High Commissioner. Also in attendance were the Lord Lyon, Rothesay and Ross Heralds and Unicorn, Carrick and Bute Pursuivants.
The Lord High Constable of Scotland and the Hereditary Master of the Household in Scotland were also present.
The Annual Service of Commemoration at the Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh Castle took place on 27 May and was attended by the Lord Lyon accompanied by Albany Herald and Unicorn Pursuivant.
The Annual Festival of the Order of St. John took place on 24 June at St. John¿s Kirk, Perth and was attended by the Lord Lyon accompanied by Albany Herald and Carrick Pursuivant.
The Ceremony of Installation of Major General Euan Loudon OBE, General Officer Commanding Second Division and the Army in Scotland, as Governor of Edinburgh Castle took place on 9 July at Edinburgh Castle. The ceremony was attended by the Lord Lyon accompanied by Albany and Rothesay Heralds and Unicorn and Carrick Pursuivants.
The Official Opening of the Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood took place on 9 October when Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, attended a ceremony at Parliament Hall and later opened the new building.
The Duke of Hamilton and Brandon bearing the Crown of Scotland was present. The ceremonies were attended by the Lord Lyon, Albany, Rothesay and Ross Heralds and Unicorn, Carrick and Bute Pursuivants.
The Annual Service of the Order of the Thistle took place on 5 December in the Thistle Chapel. It was attended by the Chancellor and Members of the Order and by the Dean, the Secretary, Green Rod, Albany, Rothesay and Ross Heralds and Carrick and Bute Pursuivants.
In July an appeal was launched by the Lord Lyon for funds to meet the cost of a programme of refurbishment of the Thistle Chapel at St. Giles Cathedral. As a result of the generous support of the appeal, which remains open for further contributions, it is hoped that the work can be undertaken during 2005.
