JMcMillan wrote:It would have been very interesting if the two sets of city fathers had taken this to the Court of Chivalry, since the crest of London was said as late as 1915 (by Fox-Davies) to be "of no authority," because not recorded in the College of Arms, and the arms of Birmingham (again according to F-D), were not granted until 1889. Before 1889, the city simply used the arms of the family of de Birmingham, who had once held the manor from which the village, town, borough, and eventually city took its name.
I wouldn't have put any money on the City of London losing a case at the Court of Chivalry over its CoA at any date. Despite the College's royal links, with the College building situated within the City and having enormous financial clout, the City Fathers held most if not all the trumps. In any case Kings of Arms of later date than F-D clearly did not agree with him as they were happy to grant Letters Patent in 1957 confirming the crest and supporters which had been in use since the 17th century. They could hardly do that while rejecting the validity of the CoA. You are absolutely right about Birmingham.