H. A. B. Lawson, CVO ( 1899-1985 ), Rothesay Herald
Arms: Parted per saltire Argent and Sable, a saltire Gules, on a chief engrailed Azure, three garbs Or.
SOURCE, NOTES & CREDITS: Source for blazon: from the “Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland” provided through the courtesy of Carrick Pursuivant, Lyon Clerk & Keeper of the Records, Mrs. C.G.W. Roads, MVO. Source for Illustration, B&W image of arms from a portrait on page 19, DT, 1979, No. 1. Source for text: Same.
Lt. Col. Harold Andrew Balvaird Lawson, born in 1899, enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery in 1916, gazetted 2nd Lt. in 1919 in the Royal Horse and Field Artillery and promoted Lt. Col. (TA) in 1939 was appointed Unicorn Pursuivant of Arms and as Lyon Clerk and Keeper of the Records in 1929. In 1939 he was appointed Rothesay Herald. He was made MVO in 1963 and retired in 1966. In 1971 he was prompted CVO.
As an Officer of Arms he attend all the appropriate public ceremonies in Scotland and funerals of leading Scotsmen such as Field Marshall Earl Haig and the 10th Duke of Argyll. He attended the Coronations of George VI and the present Queen and represented the Lord Lyon at the funeral of King George VI. In 1981 he was appointed Rothesay Herald Extraordinary. He died on 28 December 1985 at age 86 with 56 years serving successive Sovereigns as a Scottish officer of Arms.
In 1949, the late Don Pottinger, latterly Islay Herald, painted a large portrait in oils of Colonel Lawson in his tabard, which today hangs in the office of Lyon Clerk, which we are happy to report gives Carrick “huge pleasure”. A black and white copy of this portrait is to be found on page 19, DT, 1979, No.1.
The artwork is a rendering by John Hamilton Gaylor
2009 0620
dqw266@gmail.com
