8
« on: Thursday 15 February 24 18:49 GMT (UK) »
Hello Emma,
Firstly, a grant of arms is to a person (usually the head of the household) and not to the whole family. The eldest son would inherit the arms on the death of his father, and so on down the line. During the father's lifetime, all the sons could use the arms but with a 'difference'. That way no one could confuse people. Who was the father?, who was the son?
The trouble is that the College of Arms had no mechanism to police the arms. If one family used the arms of another (usurpation) there was very little that anyone could do.
Added to this is the fact that heraldry was in common use long before the founding of the College. For example, none of the non-royal Dukes ever had a grant. They all assumed their arms before the college was founded.
If a wealthy merchant started to use a coat of arms, who would stop him?
The General Armory gives the same arms for Busby of Addington and Busby of Uttoxeter. There might not be a common ancestor - I would look for cousins and marriages.
Regards
Chas