Slains Pursuivant
Encyclopedia
Private Officer of Arms
A private officer of arms is one of those heralds and pursuivants appointed by great noble houses to handle all heraldic and genealogical questions.-History:...
appointed by the Chief of the Name and Arms of Hay – presently the Earl of Erroll
Earl of Erroll
The Earl of Erroll is an ancient title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1453 for Sir William Hay.The subsidiary titles held by the Earl of Erroll are Lord Hay and Lord Slains , both in the Peerage of Scotland. The Earls of Erroll also hold the hereditary office of Lord High Constable...
, Lord High Constable of Scotland
Lord High Constable of Scotland
The Lord High Constable is a hereditary, now ceremonial, office of Scotland. In the order of precedence of Scotland, the office traditionally ranks above all titles except those of the Royal Family. The Lord High Constable was, after the King of Scots, the supreme officer of the Scottish army. He...
. It is believed that the Hay family
Clan Hay
Clan Hay is a Scottish clan that has played an important part in the history and politics of Scotland. Members of the clan are to be found in most parts of Scotland and in many other parts of the world. However, the North East of Scotland, i.e...
had an officer of arms
Officer of arms
An officer of arms is a person appointed by a sovereign or state with authority to perform one or more of the following functions:*to control and initiate armorial matters*to arrange and participate in ceremonies of state...
since the time that the office of Lord High Constable was forfeited by the Comyn family and passed to the Hays. The first mention of Slains Pursuivant is from around 1412 when the Earl of Erroll introduced Slains to a guild in Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk
Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk
Sir Rupert Iain Kay Moncreiffe of that Ilk, 11th Baronet, CVO, QC was a British officer of arms and genealogist. He used various forms of his name: His columns for Books and Bookmen wete signed Iain Moncreiffe; Royal Highness is by Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk, Bt.; Simple Heraldry is by...
revived the practice of appointing private officers. Slains Pursuivant is senior among these officers because his master ranks before all peers
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
The present holder of the office, Peter Drummond-Murray of Mastrick
Peter Drummond-Murray of Mastrick
William Edward Peter Louis Drummond-Murray of Mastrick is the Slains Pursuivant of Arms to the Chief of the Name and Arms of Hay — the Earl of Erroll, Lord High Constable of Scotland. Drummond-Murray of Mastrick is a retired banker and an authority on heraldry who continues to publish on that...
is a retired banker and an authority on heraldry who continues to publish on that subject.
Holders of the office since 1948
- 1948-1970 Michael MaclaganMichael MaclaganMichael Maclagan, CVO, FSA, FRHistS was a British historian, antiquary and herald. He was Fellow and Tutor in Modern History at Trinity College, Oxford for more than forty years, and a long-serving officer of arms.-Career:Maclagan was educated at Winchester College and Christ Church, Oxford...
- 1970-1978 Peregrine MoncreiffePeregrine Moncreiffe of that IlkThe Hon. Peregrine David Euan Malcolm Hay, later Moncreiffe of that Ilk, baron of Easter Moncreiffe and Chief of Clan Moncreiffe is the second son of Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk, 11th Baronet Moncreiffe and Diana Denyse Hay, 23rd Countess of Errol...
- 1978-1981 Sir Crispin Agnew of Lochnaw
- 1981- Present Peter Drummond-Murray of MastrickPeter Drummond-Murray of MastrickWilliam Edward Peter Louis Drummond-Murray of Mastrick is the Slains Pursuivant of Arms to the Chief of the Name and Arms of Hay — the Earl of Erroll, Lord High Constable of Scotland. Drummond-Murray of Mastrick is a retired banker and an authority on heraldry who continues to publish on that...