Thomas Woodcock (officer of arms)

Genealogist (born 1951)

Sir Thomas Woodcock

KCVO DL

Woodcock, Norroy and Ulster King of Arms, processing at the Garter Ceremony, 2006.

Garter Principal King of Arms
In office
1 April 2010 – 1 July 2021
Monarch| Elizabeth II
Preceded by| Sir Peter Gwynn-Jones
Succeeded by| David White
Personal details
Born|  (1951-05-20) 20 May 1951 (age 73)
Nationality| British
Spouse|

Lucinda Harmsworth King

(m. 1998)​

Education| University College, Durham;
Darwin College, Cambridge
Alma mater| Eton College
Awards| Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (2021)
Officer of the Order of Saint John (2018)

Sir Thomas Woodcock KCVO DL FSA FHS FRHSC (born 20 May 1951) is a genealogist who served as Garter Principal King of Arms at the College of Arms from 2010 to 2021.[1][2][3]

## Early life

[edit]

Woodcock was educated at Eton College before going up to University College, Durham, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then pursued further studies at Darwin College, Cambridge, becoming LLB. He was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple.

## Career

[edit]

Woodcock began his heraldic career in 1975 as a research assistant to Sir Anthony Wagner, Garter King of Arms. In 1978 he was appointed Rouge Croix Pursuivant.[4] In 1982 he was promoted to Somerset Herald,[5] becoming Norroy and Ulster in 1997,[6] then Garter Principal King of Arms on 1 April 2010.[7] On 1 July 2021, Woodcock retired as Garter as well as his other heraldic and genealogical offices.[8]

## Personal life

[edit]

In 1998, Woodcock married Lucinda Harmsworth King.[9]

## Honours

[edit]

Woodcock was appointed Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) in the 1996 Birthday Honours,[10] promoted Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in the 2011 Birthday Honours[11] and Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in the 2021 Birthday Honours.[12]

In 2017, he succeeded William Hunt, Windsor Herald, as Genealogist of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem serving until 2021,[13] having been appointed in July 2018 an Officer of the Order (OStJ).[14]

A Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Lancashire since December 2005,[15] he assists the Lord Lieutenant, Amanda Parker, to represent King Charles III throughout the county.

Elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London (FSA) on 3 March 1990,[16] he was awarded the SAL's Society Medal in 2015.[17] He was also elected a Fellow of The Heraldry Society (FHS) on 26 June 1996.[18]

## Arms

[edit]

Coat of arms of Thomas Woodcock  |

Adopted
20 April 1961
Crest
Out of a circlet or charged with three roses gules barbed and seeded proper a dexter arm embowed in armour also proper garnished gold, the hand grasping a scimitar likewise proper hilt and pommel gold.
Escutcheon
Or on a bend cotised gules three cross crosslets fitchy of the field.[19]
Motto
Leges Juraque Serva ("Observe the laws and ordinances")
Orders
the circlet of the Royal Victorian Order as KCVO.

|

## See also

[edit]

* Heraldry
* College of Arms
* King of Arms
* Herald
* Pursuivant

## References

[edit]

1. ^ The College of Arms Newsletter No. 21 (June 2009)
2. ^ "RHSC Honorary Fellows". www.heraldry.ca. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
3. ^ "Garter King of Arms, 02 July 2021". College of Arms. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
4. ^ "No. 47661". The London Gazette. 12 October 1978. p. 12091.
5. ^ "No. 49155". The London Gazette. 1 November 1982. p. 14201.
6. ^ "No. 54756". The London Gazette. 6 May 1997. p. 5349.
7. ^ "No. 59385". The London Gazette. 8 April 2010. p. 6033.
8. ^ "No. 63408". The London Gazette. 5 July 2021. p. 77.
9. ^ "Thomas Woodcock". www. burkespeerage.com. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
10. ^ "No. 54427". The London Gazette. 14 June 1996. p. 4.
11. ^ "No. 59808". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 2011. p. 4.
12. ^ "No. 63377". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 2021. p. B4.
13. ^ The College of Arms Newsletter no. 51 (July 2017)
14. ^ "No. 62346". The London Gazette. 6 July 2018. p. 1.
15. ^ "No. 57843". The London Gazette. 16 December 2005. p. 16252.
16. ^ "Mr Thomas Woodcock". The Society of Antiquaries of London. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
17. ^ "About the Fellowship". The Society of Antiquaries of London. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
18. ^ "Fellows and Honorary Fellows of The Heraldry Society". The Heraldry Society. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
19. ^ Chesshyre, Hubert (2001). Heralds of today: A biographical list of the officers of the College of Arms, London, 1987–2001. London: Illuminata. ISBN 0953784517.

## External links

[edit]

* Thomas Woodcock's Coat of Arms – Granted in 1961
* CUHAGS Officer of Arms Index
* Debrett's People of Today

Heraldic offices

Preceded by

Hubert Chesshyre

|  Rouge Croix Pursuivant
1978–1982  | Succeeded by

Sir Henry Paston-Bedingfeld

Preceded by

Rodney Dennys

|  Somerset Herald
1982–1997  | Succeeded by

David White

Preceded by

Hubert Chesshyre

|  Norroy and Ulster King of Arms
1997–2010  | Succeeded by

Patric Dickinson

Preceded by

Sir Peter Gwynn-Jones

|  Garter Principal King of Arms
2010–2021  | Succeeded by

David White

Portals:

* United Kingdom
* Biography
* History

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* FAST
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* United States
* Spain
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Latvia
* Poland
* Israel
* Belgium

People|

* Archaeology Data Service

Other|

* IdRef

*[m.]: married