R. M. Urquhart, OBE, (1917-2003)
Arms: Or between three boars’ heads erased gules armed argent langued azure a fess sable fretty or charged with three pearl-mussels azure each with a pearl argent, all within a bordure gules for difference
SOURCE, NOTES & CREDITS: Source for blazon: J.H. Gaylor, Illustration: same,
Text & Bio taken from a “Tribute to RM Urquhart” by HSS Member, Gordon Casely, Double Tressure No. 26, 2003, pp 24-26
Roderick Mackenzie Urquhart, OBE, MA, was born 6 December 1917 at Beauly, Invernessshire. Roddie Urquhart was the university gentleman who single-handedly recorded the coat-of-arms of each county, burgh, town and community council in Scotland. In doing this, he wrote to every town clerk and county clerk in 33 counties and 201 burghs, as well as hundreds of letters to council clerks of regions, districts, islands and communities. The book, “Scottish Burgh and County Heraldry”, Heraldry Today, London, 1973 is a standard reference text. But no sooner was it published in 1973 than local government was re-organized two years later, and his entire work had to be rewritten to cover nine regions, 53 district councils, and three island councils. This second book,“Scottish Civic Heraldry: Regional – Islands – District”, Heraldry Today, London, 1979 was published in 1979. The then Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Forsyth, further reorganized local government, thus creating for Urquhart the unexpected task of transforming his two works into a trilogy to cover the heraldry of 32 yet more new councils. Now into his eighties and decidedly frail, he thwarted failing health and triumphantly produced the final work. Not only that, but he included within this all community councils which had used heraldry as a means of creating local identity. The final opus was published in 2001, “Scottish Civic Heraldry 2” Scottish Library Association, Hamilton, 2001.
Roderick Mackenzie Urquhart, OBE, MA, died on 1 June 2003 at Winchester, age 85, he had made a significant contribution to Scottish heraldry and its literature.
The artwork is a rendering by John Hamilton Gaylor
2009 0922
dqw266@gmail.com
