Clan Ewing

**Dram** · 24th April 10, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by cajunscot

You don't need to. Some heraldic scholars believe that since America has no official heraldic authority like the Lyon Court or the College of Arms, American citizens may "assume" their own arms as long as they do not usurp someone else's achievement. This is still not a popular idea, and such assumed arms would never be recognised in the UK, but not all European nations heraldic customs are as strict as those found in the British Isles, especially Scotland.

You may also register your arms with other heraldic organisations, such as the Bureau of Heraldry in the Republic of South Africa, or the New England Genealogical & Historical Society's Committee on Heraldry.

T.

I am just kidding with you.

I may indeed attempt to register for my ancestors arms but that will be well in the future. For now I can live without my own arms.

Interestingly, my ancestor that had arms was not too keen on his American family. When that part of my family came to the U.S. he remained in Great Britain, my great Uncles were his brothers that came to the U.S.A.

Years later some of my family returned for a visit and I was told that they were less than welcome. Not sure what spurred this sort of reception but perhaps he wouldn't even want me to have his arms.

**MacMillan of Rathdown** · 25th April 10, 01:56 AM

Originally Posted by Tartan Jock

Indeed. For an American to apply to a foreign heraldic authority for their "permit" to use their coat of arms would be along the line of applying to the building authority of a foreign country for their permission to build and occupy a house here in America.

Your statement about permits doesn't make sense. If a citizen of the United States wishes to posses substantive arms then he or she has no option but to apply to one of the foreign heraldic offices for a grant of arms. Once the arms are granted how they are used is entirely one's own business, and no further license is required of the granting authority.

Originally Posted by Tartan Jock

These various heraldic authorities exist as a means of collecting fees (taxes) for the governments that they serve.

Here you are totally wrong-- the fees collected do not cover the costs of the grants. With the exception of the College of Arms in London (which is a private body) the cost of maintaining an heraldic authority is borne by their national government, and is justified on cultural grounds.

Originally Posted by Tartan Jock

In return they assume the authority of regulating the designs of coats of arms and make their determinations on who they believe to have the best rights to claim them.

Again, you are just plain wrong. Heralds do not assume any authority beyond that which is granted to them by the State or Government which maintains their office. A coat of arms is a species of property-- like a tea pot or a tombstone-- and it is the function of the heraldic authority to prevent frauds from misappropriating the heraldic property of those rightfully entitled to same.

Originally Posted by Tartan Jock

Any pretence of authority over Americans (or any other nationality oputside their political sphere of influence) is absurd and fraudulent.

Wrong again. When someone applies for and receives a grant of arms they become subject to the authority of the granting body, regardless of their nationality or place of residence. That authority is implicit in the granting process.

In fact, on Irish grants, after stating the arms can be "advanced on shield or banner without the let or hindrance of any manner of persons whatsoever", the letters patent go on to say, "excepting always the authority of this, my office". In other words, whatever the state may grant (through its heraldic authority) it may also revoke. Both Lyon and Garter share this prerogative, as does every other granting heraldic authority.

**csbdr** · 27th April 10, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by Dram

Does the clan Ewing of Dumbartonshire have a current chief? The U.S. or in Scotland? I cannot find any info on the web.

I want to formally ask for permission to wear a sporran that has their crest affixed (NOT ARMS). I am not a Ewing, and I am sure it won't be a problem, but I would like to do things properly. I would have the crest changed out to my own clan but the item is antique and I don't wish to "disturb" the item just yet in this fashion.

Any contact information would be greatly appreciated.

Well, as my ancestor is an Ewing, my understanding of this is that "Ewing " itself is one of the accepted related spellings associated with MacEwan, as are MANY others. The clan lands were given up by Ewan of Otter, if I remember right, to settle debts, which of course was the end of the MacEwan clan. The people of the clan then came under the protectorate of the MacLaughlans, andas well as other neighboring clans, or became highwaymen and brigands (so it's said...) Sad...one of the oldest highland clans. there has, naturally, been no chief due to this, not due to lack of caring. there are several family societies on both sides of the Atlantic, and some represent "coat of arms" with their branch, I guess, but there's really no "chief" to appeal to around any heraldry issues, per se.

**MacMillan of Rathdown** · 27th April 10, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by Tartan Jock

Someone must be asleep at the wheel then, as literally thousands of representations of coats of arms are sold at profit to persons having no grant from any heraldic authority - a situation which continues with complete impunity on a daily basis though hundreds of heraldic bucket shops like this one worldwide. How many cases has any of these heraldic authorities prosecuted against such businesses who sell the armorial bearings of others to persons they are not registered to?

No one is asleep at the wheel. There is, however, a popular misconception concerning "bucket shops" and the duties (as opposed to the authority) of heraldic officers such as the Lord Lyon.

Something which you and a great many "armchair armorists" overlook is the fact that it is not against the law to sell a coat of arms as a decorative item. Nor is it against the law to display a coat of arms as a decorative item. It is, however against the law to use someone else's arms in business, or to ursurp them and pass them off as your own.

Basically what it boils down to is this:

It is up to the armiger to defend and protect his rights in the first instance. Only if an armiger complains to the heraldic authority will they take action. Now in probably 99 out of 100 instances the bucket shop will comply with the request of the armiger to "cease and desist". If they don't (and a few won't) then the heraldic authority may, if so requested, intervene. Usually when this happens the shop keeper rolls over. If he doesn't it may lead to civil or criminal prosecution as has happened recently in Scotland with a bus company displaying the Royal Arms on its coaches, and a company in Edinburgh churning out baseball hats by the thousand.

**davidlpope** · 27th April 10, 05:44 PM

Was this the same sporran that Timothy Niall-Harris had for sale on his House of Labhran site? if so, then I'd ask him about the provenance.

David

Originally Posted by Dram

Does the clan Ewing of Dumbartonshire have a current chief? The U.S. or in Scotland? I cannot find any info on the web.

I want to formally ask for permission to wear a sporran that has their crest affixed (NOT ARMS). I am not a Ewing, and I am sure it won't be a problem, but I would like to do things properly. I would have the crest changed out to my own clan but the item is antique and I don't wish to "disturb" the item just yet in this fashion.

Any contact information would be greatly appreciated.