There have been so many lovely moments involved with being Treasurer and I could easily fill this article with a summary of my favourites; however, I’d like to focus on one which has given me particular and unexpected joy.
As you probably know, Master Treasurer and Master Reader are each permitted to have their coats of arms on a plaque displayed in the Inn. Some, of course, already have one, but for most of us, the process involves the design of a coat of arms and, one hopes, approval of the design by the College of Arms.
The rules of heraldry are very complicated. I knew that I had three sections to think about; the main shield, the crest above the shield and the motto which sits just below the shield.
Weeks and then months were spent thinking about the possibilities. The idea is that one’s coat of arms should reflect oneself. What was important to me? What would I want to see on something which, one hopes, will exist long after I am gone? How would it all fit together?
Fortunately, I have a good friend called Susan Jacobs who is an award-winning artist. Over a glass or three of wine, she turned my random ideas into the core elements of what I wanted to represent. It was a particularly exciting moment when she showed me the final sketch.
We have the great good fortune of having, as one of our Benchers, Master Patric Dickinson. Master Dickinson was the Clarenceux King of Arms at the College of Arms and, although officially retired, still assists them in their work. Patric was pleased to help me, and I was delighted to have his help. I visited him at the College of Arms where he explained the process to me by which my design would be properly drawn up by one of the heralds and then a formal petition has to be drafted to the Earl Marshal in which my background is set out and I make the request to have my coat of arms approved.
The design is no simple matter. Strict heraldic rules govern what may and may not be placed on a coat of arms, including acceptable and forbidden combinations of colours. Duplication with existing symbols is not permitted – every design is unique and I was shown the huge volumes containing designs already in existence, painstakingly categorised for easy reference.
Discussing the topic with an expert was a truly memorable experience as was visiting the college, which still contains the High Court of Chivalry of which the Earl Marshal (the Duke of Norfolk) is the only judge. Although the court has not met for many decades, it still exists as a court and could, theoretically, sit to deal with cases involving coats of arms, pedigree and armorial bearings!
At the end of a delightful afternoon, I left feeling slightly overwhelmed. There was a lot to take in. My design would be given further consideration by the heralds before submission of any formal petition. A potential sticking point was my desire to have two books in a horizontal position with a cat sitting on top of them (as my crest). Only weeks before that same designed had been approved. No duplication was possible, but Patric told me that they would think of a way to accommodate my wishes.
In the early part of August, Patric sent me a black and white sketch of the proposed coat of arms. It did not look exactly like my original plan at all, but it captured all of the elements and, importantly, the spirit of the design which I submitted. I loved it and told Patric so. By the end of August, I had the coloured version of my coat of arms including the motto underneath the shield.
We now await formal approval, hopefully in time for it to be placed on the back of the menus for Grand Day. I hope everyone will like it but, ultimately, it is a personal expression of the things in my life which matter to me, my wife, my cat, my family, my main hobby and, of course, my football team.
Once finished, it will be placed on a panel, containing my name, some information about me that I’d like to have recorded (e.g. appointments) and the fact that I was Treasurer in 2026. All in Latin.
Finally, when all that work is done, it will be mounted onto one of the walls in the Bench Apartment corridors and years from now, people will ask, ‘who was Bernard Richmond?’ and the resounding answer will come back, ‘don’t know!’
The Benchers’ magazine, High Table, will include a feature on Middle Temple armorial plaques. Keep an eye out for copies around the Inn when it is published in January to find out more about the process.
