Russell : tadpoles and a foot massage

Scottish Heraldry
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Arthur Radburn
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Russell : tadpoles and a foot massage

Postby Arthur Radburn » 01 Oct 2016, 16:18

From Lord Lyon's twitter feed and facebook page : a recent grant to Colin Russell, a podiatrist :

Image
Tadpoles ("powts" in heraldic terms) are, apparently, a feature of Russell arms in Scotland. The crest, blazoned as "two hands cradling a foot proper", alludes to his profession. There can't be too many other coats of arms or crests which depict a foot massage.
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Arthur Radburn

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Chris Green
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Re: Russell : tadpoles and a foot massage

Postby Chris Green » 01 Oct 2016, 16:55

"Stedfast" should be spelled "steadfast". Yes, I know it is given as an "alternative spelling" if one googles it, but that merely illustrates the fact that, sadly, too many people can't be fagged to spell correctly.

As for hands cradling feet, had Mr Russell no thought for his heirs and successors who will now be stuck with one of the world's sillier crests? I am sure he is proud of his trade or calling, but it is unlikely to become hereditary in the family.
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Bertilak de Hautdesert

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Arthur Radburn
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Re: Russell : tadpoles and a foot massage

Postby Arthur Radburn » 01 Oct 2016, 19:22

The motto is that of the Boys Brigade, with which the armiger has apparently been associated for many years. According to Wikipedia's article on the BB, it originally adopted the archaic spelling, and while some parts of the movement have changed it to "steadfast", others have kept the original. The armiger evidently prefers the original too.
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Chris Green
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Re: Russell : tadpoles and a foot massage

Postby Chris Green » 01 Oct 2016, 19:26

I thought I had seen the motto (at least the correctly spelled version) somewhere before. My mother and godmother were both Lifeboy (junior Boys' Brigade) leaders (when the world was young and lads could go to parades in uniform without being ridiculed or even beaten up by yobs).
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Michael F. McCartney
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Re: Russell : tadpoles and a foot massage

Postby Michael F. McCartney » 07 Oct 2016, 04:58

My impression (?) is that it's not all that difficult to change a crest as part of a matriculation, though of course there's the wee matter of the fees...
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Ryan Shuflin
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Re: Russell : tadpoles and a foot massage

Postby Ryan Shuflin » 10 Oct 2016, 16:20

I think the crest comes from thinking too literally. Heraldry is suppose to be symbolic. A carpenter would put a hammer( or other tool) but not actually the have it hitting the nail. In this case, a simple foot would have sufficed and looked better. Probably still a little unusual, but not as awkward.


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