Arms: Gules a griffin segreant within a double tressure flory counterflory Argent.
SOURCE/NOTES & CREDITS: Illustration for background, blazon and some text from Dr. David M. Bertie’s book , on page 89 “The Heraldry of the Ecclesiastical Deans of Scotland”2021; and pp 166-170, from his “The Heraldry of the Bishops of Scotland”2018, both with illustration by John H. Gaylor & both published by the Heraldry Society of Scotland; The Wikipedia article on Sir Harry Lauder and pp 123-124 mini article on Sir Harry Lauder from ”Scottish Clan and Family Names”, 1992 by Roddy Martine.
Sir Harry ( Henry ) Lauder was born on 4 August 1870 the eldest son of John Lauder and Isabella Urquhart McLennan in Edinburgh. John was the grandson of George Lauder of Inverleith Mains and the St. Bernard’s Well estate, Edinburgh, descendants of the feudal baron Lauders of the Bass.
Thought it appropriate to show “conjectural arms” for Sir Harry who was the famous music hall entertainer, described by Sir Winston Churchill as “Scotland’s greatest ever ambassador”!
He became a figure famous worldwide for promoting the wearing of the kilt and his cromach ( crooked walking stick) not to mention his inspiring songs such as “Roamin in in the Gloamin” and “I love a Lassie” In 1911 he became the highest paid performer in the world and the first British artist to sell a million records. He raised huge amounts of money for the WW1 war effort, so much so, that he was knighted in 1919.
Sir Harry was most lightly a descendant through his dad of James Lauder of the Bass who was murdered by his cousin Walter Lauder in 1580. So we have here illustrated James Lauder’s arms. We know Sir Harry did not matriculate arms but could have done. Believe too, the Dick-Lauder baronet family is related to Sir Harry, distant cousins. Sir Harry retired in 1935 but entertained troops in WW2 in the 1940s his health declined and he died on 26 Feb 1950, age 79.
The artwork is an interpretation by John Hamilton Gaylor.
2021 0517
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