London College of Music

[Andrew Kerensky]

I recently posted up the Arms of London College of Music but was unable to locate the colours or blazon. Thank you for those who helped me locate both. Here is the London College of Music arms. Blazon 'Azure on a pale Argent between two harps Or a sword palewise Gules.' It’s been suggested the sword is the emblem from the City of London coat of arms whom I suspect funded the LCM's armorial achievement, so only proper to have this as a charge on the LCM achievement.

This has been previously posted else where but I thought I would add the information here too.

[Chris Green]

Actually I suggested in another place that the reason for the sword, which seems likely to refer to the City of London (although the LCM never had its seat within the City's boundaries), was because the City contributed to the funds required for the College's foundation. The College of Arms would have been well aware that the LCM was sited in the City of Westminster whose arms do not include a sword.

[Andrew Kerensky]

A little update here from the Horses Mouth (College of Arms)


Dear Mr Kerensky,

Thank you for your letter and your email below with attachment. I have now looked in
our records and can confirm that the shield you have found is a true representation
of the arms granted to the LCM on 23 December 1944, save only that the strings of
the harps should really be silver. In addition the grant of arms included a crest
(shown over the shield) of five trumpets - of the ancient, simple sort rather than
valved modern trumpets - splayed up and out, with a blue ribbon tied rund them, and
two swans as supporters, each with a blue harp on the visible wing. The motto is
PERSEVERE.

The officialy recorded blazon of the shield is "Azure on a Pale Argent between two
Harps Or stringed of the second [= Argent] a Sword Gules". It isn't necessary to say
that the sword is palewise since it is on a pale, and the default position is
therefore palewise.

I hope that helps.

Yours sincerely,

Clive Cheesman
Richmond Herald