THE WHITE LION SOCIETY

Once having become amigerous, and seen the inside of, and been enthralled by the ambience and contents of the College building in Queen Victoria Street, London EC4, it was natural we would want to know more. I heard about The White Lion Society, whose President is the Earl Marshal. It is a Society of Friends of Her Majesty's College of Arms, formed in 1986.
The Society's name was derived from the heraldic supporters of the College of Arms being two white lions taken from the Earl Marshal's Mowbray Supporters.
The Society's Badge above was granted in 1988: "Standing erect upon a grassy mound Or a Lion guardant Argent gorged with a Ducal Coronet Or and supporting with a forepaw a Spear Gold headed Argent flowing therefrom to the sinister a Banner of the Corporation of Her Majesty's Kings Heralds and Pusuivants of Arms".

Membership is open to all interested persons. The Society raises funds for the purchase of items or services of historical or heraldic importance to the College of Arms for which it cannot budget. Heraldic books are purchased, ancient letters patent bought and framed, armorial glasses provided for receptions, and a special camera bought to enable photographs to be taken of old grants not in the College's archive. There is a quarterly Newsletter, and visits to sites of heraldic interest are organised. For example, in October 2008 members visited Lambeth Palace, on the south bank of the Thames, where there was a most interesting display in the Library**, followed by a coach trip to the church of St. Stephen Walbrook in the City of London. There are also occasional Receptions and Dinners at the House of Lords. The Society also has its own website: http://www.whitelionsociety.org.uk/

The Society holds an Annual General Meeting in January each year, normally held in St. Benet's Church, Paul's Wharf, Queen Victoria Street - immediately opposite the College. Some of the College's Officers of Arms have been buried in the church. The A.G.M. is followed afterwards by a drinks and nibbles Reception across the road at the College. Here members have the opportunity to mix and talk with Heralds, Heraldic Artists, etc., and inspect College artifacts.
The College has its own website http://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/ and issues a quarterly Newsletter on it.


**Seeing what the Library contained prompted me later to enquire about whether there were any holdings concerning Purse Caundle. It so happened that there were some of the Commonwealth period, which have since been incorporated into CHAPTER 6 of my History of Purse Caundle.