Lyon Morrow on Youtube

[Michael F. McCartney]

Martin - we seem to be generally on the same wavelength, though I could really use a tongue-in-cheek icon...

Stephen - adding additional artistic froo-froo to a Scottish LP may raise the cost closer to the English fees; but isn't that also an option in an English grant?

In any case, if cost is a consideration, I'd opt for the simplest & therefore least costly option - text, emblazonment, signature and seal. Plain meets the legal requirements just as well as fancy...

[Stephen J F Plowman]

The "basic" CoA Grant is quite ornate but you can go the whole hog with decorated borders and initial letters etc.. I went with the basic Matriculation from Lord Lyon. The Lyon Clerk's secretary asked me if I wanted more but said he didn't expect me to do so because I had the CoA Grant.

[Chris Green]

Interesting development. I posted a copy of my original comment of 7 November under the original You Tube clip. It was still there yesterday but this morning had mysteriously disappeared. I have re-posted it and await developments.

[Michael F. McCartney]

I've listened to all three YouTube links - Dr Morrow's is an interesting and knowledgeable speaker, and a welcome breath of fresh air! - though I still don't think lifetime grants are a good idea

[Martin Goldstraw]

Interesting development. I posted a copy of my original comment of 7 November under the original You Tube clip. It was still there yesterday but this morning had mysteriously disappeared. I have re-posted it and await developments.

Clearly whoever posted the video in the first place is not open to descent. It is of course their right to delete comments; it is most likely as a result of the worship of all Lords Lyon, past and present, which is not an uncommon symptom of Scottish Societies throughout the world. Your comments were no doubt seen a blasphemy and therefore, in their minds, justifiably deleted!

[Chris Green]

Dr M and I are probably both opinionated gits. He has the decided advantage of being an opinonated git in a position of considerable influence. I can only snipe from cover.

[JMcMillan]

I don't understand Mike McCartney's logic in his defense of the value-for-money argument. If an American seeks a Scottish rather than English grant as better value for money on the logic that his junior descendants don't really have to rematriculate (because Scottish law doesn't apply in the States), or that any whimsical limitation Lyon chooses to fabricate out of thin air such as lifetime arms can also be ignored for the same reason, then simple reason dictates getting even greater value for money by devising and assuming one's own arms unilaterally. This would hold intrinsic value constant and reduces cost almost to zero.

For my own part, I don't find Morrow a breath of fresh air, but I don't want to go on and on about his shortcomings. David Sellar was a breath of fresh air, and it's too bad for Scottish heraldry that his health and the absurd age limits imposed by British law on holders of such positions didn't allow him to stay in office.