Robert Riddle Stodart (1827-1886)
Arms: Quarterly, 1st and 4th: Argent a fess nebuly between three stars of six points Sable all within a bordure Gules (Stodart) ; 2nd and 3rd: Or a chevron between three bulls’ heads couped Sable armed Vert (for Turnbull)
SOURCE, NOTES & CREDITS:
Source for blazon: From “An Ordinary of Arms”, Sir James Balfour Paul, Second Edition, 1903, page 60, entry 885 for Stodart: 2nd & 3rd quarters ( Turnbull ) and page 146, entry 2176 for Stodart: 1st & 4th Quarters ( Stodart ), entries dated 1871.
Robert Riddle Stodart was appointed Lyon Clerk Depute on 9 May 1864 held this position until his death in 1886. He was the penultimate person to hold this position, his successor being promoted to Lyon Clerk and the office abolished in 1890. Stodart is well known for his system of cadency by the use of bordures with his chart being reproduced in numerous books on Scots heraldry, but have yet to see a published example of the chart actually attributed by name. Don’t look for it in his huge two volume “Scottish Arms”, published in 1881, its not there either. This is his “opus magnum” having to do with the reproduction of ancient Scottish armorials, it is being replaced with specific armorials being published now. We were particularly impressed with the green horns of the bulls in the Turnbull quarters of his arms.
The artwork is a rendering by John Hamilton Gaylor
2009 0217
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