Court Activity 2006
During 2006 76 new grants of Arms were made, of which 63 were to individuals, 11 to corporate bodies and 2 to local authorities. In addition there were 28 matriculations from existing grants.
The project to create a computer-searchable copy of the Register of Arms was completed during the year. This is now in use in the Lyon office but is not yet available to the public. Discussion have continued on the arrangements for information from the Register to be made publicly available through the Scottish Family History Service which is due to come into operation in 2007.
The First Minister of the Scottish Executive, the Rt. Hon Jack McConnell, MSP, paid a visit to the Court on 3 March and saw the completed computer project and examples of artwork undertaken by artists for the Court.
The planned refurbishment of the Thistle Chapel at St. Giles Cathedral was completed during the early part of the year, apart from changes to the lighting which it is hoped will be completed in 2007. This is the first complete cleaning and restoration since the Chapel was first opened in 1911.
During the year a hearing took place at the Court of Session in an application for judicial review of certain decisions taken by the Lord Lyon. It is expected that the judgement will be issued during 2007.
A number of ceremonial engagements took place.
- On 19 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 Mackay of Clashfern, KT, 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 Carrick Pursuivant.
- On 20 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, and Unicorn Pursuivant, 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 21 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 Bute Pursuivant.
- The Annual Service of Commemoration at the Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh Castle took place on 31 May and was attended by the Lord Lyon, Albany Herald and Bute Pursuivant.
- On 2 June the Lord Lyon King of Arms was the Inspecting Officer for the Royal Gun Salute at Edinburgh Castle to mark the anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen¿s coronation.
- The Annual Festival of the Priory of Scotland of the Order of St. John took place on 23 June at Dunfermline Abbey and was attended by Ross Herald and Carrick Pursuivant.
- An Installation Ceremony of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle took place on 7 July in the Thistle Chapel in St. Giles Cathedral. Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh and His Royal Highness the Duke of Rothesay, attended the service when Sir David Steel and Lord Robertson of Port Ellen were installed as Knights of the Thistle. The Chancellor, the Dean of the Thistle, the Secretary and Lord Lyon King of Arms, and the Gentleman Usher of the Green Rod were in attendance, together with Albany, Rothesay and Ross Heralds, and Unicorn, Carrick and Bute Pursuivants.
- On 24 August the Lord Lyon, Ross Herald, Carrick and Bute Pursuivants attended the Opening Ceremony of the International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences held at St Andrews. The Congress was opened by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal. The Lord Lyon presented Letters Patent granting supporters and a crest to the University of St Andrews. The Lord Lyon gave a dinner party the same evening at which were present Ross Herald, Bute Pursuivant, Clarenceux King of Arms, Rouge Dragon Pursuivant, Fitzalan Pursuivant Extraordinary, the Chief Herald and Deputy Chief Herald of Canada, Assiniboine, Fraser and Sanguenay Heralds of Canada, the State Herald and Deputy State Herald of South Africa, The State Herald of Sweden, the State Archivist of Denmark, the Herald of Ireland, the Head of the State Heraldic Service for the Russian Federation, the Chief State Councillor for Heraldry of the Slovak Republic, the Norwegian Heraldic Adviser and the President of the Flemish Heraldic Council.
- The Annual Service of the Order of the Thistle took place on 3 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.
During the year Officers of Arms gave several lectures and undertook a number of presentations of new grants of Arms to Community Councils and other organisations.
