History
The Society was founded in 1966 by a group of Ottawa heraldic enthusiasts under the leadership of Lieutenant Commander Alan Beddoe. The founding meeting was held on 25 October 1966 at the Beacon Arms Hotel in Ottawa, where a full Board of Officers and Directors was formed under the presidency of L/Cdr. Beddoe. Its original name was The Heraldry Society of Canada. Today, it continues to inform and educate Canadians and assist them and their institutions in the acquisition of properly granted coats of arms.
During its first twenty-five years, the Society was the driving force toward the establishment of Canada's own body for the granting of arms. On June 4, 1988, at Government House in Ottawa, Prince Edward presented Letters Patent from Her Majesty authorising the Governor General of Canada to grant arms in her name and the establishment of a Canadian Heraldic Authority. The first Chief Herald of Canada was the then President of the Society, Robert Watt.
In December, 2001, on the initiative of its then President, Dr. Kevin Greaves, the Society petitioned the Queen via the Governor General to grant the designation "Royal" to the Society's name. This privilege was granted by Her Majesty on March 20, 2002, in the year of her Golden Jubilee. The change of name to the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada was proclaimed officially at the Society's Annual General Meeting in Victoria, B.C., on October 26, 2002. The announcement was made by Her Majesty's then-personal representative in the Province, the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, the Hon. Iona Campagnolo.
In keeping with its new status a Royal Society, the RHSC subsequently petitioned for an augmentation to its arms, using the Royal Crown on the shoulders of the Shield's supporters. This was granted by Her Majesty and new arms were granted on 18 December of that year.
Since that time, the Society has expanded its educational efforts with the further development of its three-level Heraldry Proficiency Course and with extension of its outreach programme for children, called Heraldry 4 Kids.
The Society publishes a biannual journal Heraldry in Canada and a quarterly newsletter, Gonfanon. Various branches also publish newsletters such as The Blazon (BC-Yukon Branch), The Prairie Tressure (Prairie Branch) and Hogtown Heraldry (Toronto Branch).
Read more about this topic: Royal Heraldry Society Of Canada
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