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Following Scottish heraldic
tradition, these arms are based on the oldest recorded arms associated with the
name. These are variously given in the old armorials as Or, on a chief Sable a
mullet (occasionally two mullets) Argent. As a difference, a gold swan’s head
and neck (a very common charge in Squire heraldry) was placed between the
mullets and the tincture of the mullets was changed to Or . The main charge on
the shield is a rose which relates to the grantee’s Yorkshire origins.
The York rose is, of course, white but, as heraldic
convention prohibits ‘metal on metal’, it was decided that the rose should be
black. The gold swan crest charged with a black rose echoes the iconography of
the shield. The motto, which translates as “NATURE’S ART IS BETTER”, refers to
the grantee’s career as a professional artist.
The undifferenced arms were granted to my father, Geoffrey Squire. As his heir
apparent, the arms are borne with a three point label.
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