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Hello everybody

Is there anyone who could help me on the subject of deciphering a family crest?

We have a few pieces of silver cutlery that have come down to us through our Fowler ancestors. Each has the same crest depicting an owl. The designs and levels of detail are all slightly different: sometimes he has a crown on his head or round his neck, sometimes he has a cross on his chest, sometimes he has his claw resting on a square-shaped cross. I'm sure there are terms for all these things but I don't know what they are! One has a Latin motto, 'Sapiens qui vigilat' (he is wise who watches).

All I have done so far is to google it and I have found plenty of references to it, including Victorian images and references to an entry in Burke's Peerage with a possibly mythical tale relating back to the crusades explaining the presence of the owl. There are also various coats of arms associated with it, but I have never seen one of those for my own family.

What I would like to know is:
how does a crest or a coat of arms pass down through a family. Who has the right to bear a coat of arms or use a crest, and how do I find out if my family have the right or if perhaps they've just 'borrowed' it from a distant cousin?

Hoping someone knows a bit about this subject.
Many thanks
Nicola

Hi James

Thanks for your help. Since posting my original post, another researcher has suggested that James was indeed another son of Archibald Robertson and Janet Moody – but neither of us have found his baptism record so it can only be a supposition. The fact that he shares a grave with Colin Douglas Robertson (grandson of Archibald and Janet) in Liverpool suggests to me that they are related, and this scenario would make Colin James' nephew .

I hadn't pursued Isabella's roots actually, but I do think its likely that she is the daughter of John Hamilton and Isabella Gellie as you suggest. I've just done a trawl on Scotland's People, and she's the only one that comes up in 1803. It would mean that brothers Archibald and James married sisters.

Can I ask if it's the Robertson link you're interested in, or the Hamilton side? If it's the Robertsons, you may be able to help with another little issue...!

Thanks again,
Nicola

PS Breakthrough!!

I've found William and Mary Hollis residing in Horsforth, Yorks in 1841 and 1851. He was born Buckinghamshire and she was born somewhere in Warwickshire, both c.1781. It looks like 'Harding' but above it someone's written 'Henley'. I thought it related to William's birth in Bucks, but it's not clear and I wonder if it could be Henley in Arden...? More to get my teeth into!

 

Nicola

Nemo, thanks so much for checking that out for me, AND the marriage index and probate. Bit disappointing that no further info was forthcoming re the baptism – but that's life! Perhaps the family did actually come from Yorkshire and were out of their territory? Well, more digging to do....

One last favour – can you tell me which parish church the baptism would have taken place in?

Again, thanks for your help everyone.
Cheers, Nicola

Hello all, and thankyou very much for your replies.

I have checked out those Genuki pages and those, backed up with what you all say, seem to confirm what I thought – that he could have been born in the Redditch area, yet still in Warwickshire.

If you get a chance to check that 1803 baptism, Nemo, that would be fantastic. I had spotted that entry in the IGI and wondered about it.

Mike, I can't find an obvious match for a John Hollis b.ca. 1803 in local Warwickshire censuses, although some might say mine isn't that obvious with all his later claims to be born in Yorkshire.

I have now found him in 1881, where he states his place of birth was Fearnley Bank, Yorkshire, and then in 1891, where he gives it as Shipley, Yorkshire. So, basically, none of the censuses give the same place of birth, although all the Yorkshire places seem to be roughly in the same area.

Would you agree with my thought that Warwickshire seems to be the best lead, rather than Yorkshire? As he got older perhaps Warwickshire seemed less and less important....? Can't see why he would have mentioned it in the first place if he didn't have reason to!

Anyway, thankyou again everyone for your interest.
Nicola