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David Hubert Boothby Chesshyre (22 June 1940 – 24 December 2020) was a British
officer of arms An officer of arms is a person appointed by a sovereign or Sovereign state, state with authority to perform one or more of the following functions: * to control and initiate coat of arms, armorial matters; * to arrange and participate in ceremo ...
. Chesshyre served for more than forty years as an officer of arms in ordinary to
Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...
and as a member of Her Majesty's Household. He was
Clarenceux King of Arms Clarenceux King of Arms, historically often spelled Clarencieux (both pronounced ), is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Clarenceux is the senior of the two provincial kings of arms and his jurisdiction is that part of Englan ...
, the second most senior member of the
College of Arms The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional Officer of Arms, officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the ...
and the second most senior heraldic position in
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
,
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
,
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
,
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
, and several other
Commonwealth countries The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of 56 sovereign states. Most of them were British colonies or dependencies of those colonies. No one government in the Commonwealth exercises power over the others, as is the case in a po ...
. His other appointments included those of Registrar of the College of Arms, Secretary of the
Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George C ...
, and Honorary Genealogist to the
Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, o ...
. Chesshyre undertook heraldic and genealogical work for high-profile clients such as the former
prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
Sir Edward Heath Sir Edward Richard George Heath (9 July 191617 July 2005), often known as Ted Heath, was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. Heath a ...
. He wrote seven books, including the official history of the Order of the Garter. In October 2015, a jury sitting at
Snaresbrook Crown Court Snaresbrook Crown Court is a historic, Grade II listed building situated in Snaresbrook, an area within the London Borough of Redbridge. It is one of 12 Crown Court centres serving Greater London and is designated as a third-tier court. It is ...
found by a unanimous verdict that Chesshyre had committed
child sexual abuse Child sexual abuse (CSA), also called child molestation, is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include engaging in sexual activities with a child (whet ...
offences in the 1990s. He was found to be
unfit to plead In the law of England and Wales, fitness to plead is the capacity of a defendant in criminal proceedings to comprehend the course of those proceedings. The concept of fitness to plead also applies in Scots and Irish law."During the period 1946 to ...
, and his trial was therefore a
trial of the facts In law, a trial is a coming together of parties to a dispute, to present information (in the form of evidence) in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court. The tribunal, ...
. This means that no formal conviction is recorded and Chesshyre was therefore given an absolute discharge.


Early life and family

David Hubert Boothby Chesshyre was born on 22 June 1940, the son of
Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
(later
Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
) Hubert Layard Chesshyre (d. 1981), an officer in the
Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...
, and his wife Katharine Anne (d. 1995), daughter of
Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
Basil Tanfield Beridge Boothby. Hubert had adopted the surname Chesshyre in 1938, renouncing his previous surname Isacke; he was the son of
Major-General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Hubert Isacke Major-General Hubert Isacke (28 October 1872 – 12 February 1943) was a British Army officer. Military career Educated at The King's School, Canterbury and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Isacke was commissioned into the Queen's Own Ro ...
and maternal grandson of Sir Charles Layard, the Chief Justice of
Ceylon Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
. Among Chesshyre's other ancestors were the
Earls of Dundee Earl of Dundee is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1660 for John Scrymgeour, 3rd Viscount Dudhope. At his death in 1668, the Duke of Lauderdale declared that the first Earl had no heirs-male, and had the crown seize all ...
and
Lauderdale Lauderdale is the valley of the Leader Water (a tributary of the Tweed) in the Scottish Borders. It contains the town of Lauder, as well as Earlston. The valley is traversed from end to end by the A68 trunk road, which runs from Darlington to ...
, the
Boothby baronets There have been two baronetcies created for persons with the surname Boothby, both in the Baronetage of England. One creation is extant as of 2022. The Boothby Baronetcy, of Broadlow Ash in the County of Derby, was created in the Baronetage of ...
and the lawyer Sir
John Chesshyre Sir John Chesshyre (11 November 1662 – 15 May 1738) was an English lawyer who rose to the position of king's first serjeant. Family background Sir John Chesshyre was born at Hallwood, Runcorn, Cheshire, the son of Thomas and Catherine Ches ...
.


Education and early career

Chesshyre was educated at
St Michael's Preparatory School, Otford St Michael's Prep School is a coeducational Preparatory school (UK), preparatory school in Otford, located in a site in the North Downs, Kent, England. History St Michael's was founded at Hatcham in 1872 by the Reverend Arthur Tooth as a scho ...
, where he was a contemporary of
John Hurt Sir John Vincent Hurt (22 January 1940 – 25 January 2017) was an English actor whose career spanned over five decades. Hurt was regarded as one of Britain's finest actors. Director David Lynch described him as "simply the greatest actor in t ...
.'News of OKS', in ''For the Record'' ublished by the OKS Association No. 15 (May 2012), p. 1. He went on to
The King's School, Canterbury The King's School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school for 13 to 18 year old pupils) in Canterbury, Kent, England. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and the Eton Group. It is Britain's ...
(1954–59).'The_Legacy_Club',_''O 'The_Legacy_Club',_''O[ld
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K[ing'sS[cholarsOffcuts'', no. 29 (May 2010) (scroll to page 5).] Chesshyre studied at
Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by Henry VIII, King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge ...
, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1962, and proceeding by convention to Master of Arts (Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin), Master of Arts in 1966. After graduating from University of Cambridge, Cambridge Chesshyre worked for Moët et Chandon and
John Harvey & Sons John Harvey & Sons is a brand (trading name) of a wine and sherry blending and merchant business founded by William Perry in Bristol, England in 1796. The business within 60 years of John Harvey joining had blended the first dessert sherry, d ...
between 1962 and 1965. He then studied at
Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...
, where he was awarded a Diploma in Education in 1967."Chesshyre, (David) Hubert (Boothby)"
''
Who's Who ''Who's Who'' (or ''Who is Who'') is the title of a number of reference publications, generally containing concise biography, biographical information on the prominent people of a country. The title has been adopted as an expression meaning a gr ...
'' (online ed.,
Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...
, December 2019). Retrieved 4 February 2020. Chesshyre served in the
Honourable Artillery Company The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) is a reserve regiment in the British Army. Incorporated by royal charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII, it is the oldest regiment in the British Army and is considered the second-oldest military unit in the w ...
from 1964 until 1965.''Debrett's People of Today'', ''s.v.'' Chesshyre, David Hubert Boothy.


Heraldic career


College of Arms

Having received his Diploma in Education from
Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
, Chesshyre did not enter the teaching profession, but instead was appointed in 1967 to a position as an assistant at the
College of Arms The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional Officer of Arms, officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the ...
. He was a Green Staff Officer at the Investiture of the Prince of Wales in 1969. Appointed a member of the Chapter of the College of Arms the following year, he served as
Rouge Croix Pursuivant Rouge Croix Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary is a junior officer of arms of the College of Arms. He is said to be the oldest of the four pursuivants in ordinary. The office is named after St George's Cross which has been a symbol of England since th ...
(1970–78),
Chester Herald Chester Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. The office of Chester Herald dates from the 14th century, and it is reputed that the holder was herald to Edward, Prince of Wales, also known as the Black ...
(1978–95), Norroy and Ulster King of Arms and Principal Herald of the North part of England and of Northern Ireland (1995–97), and Clarenceux King of Arms and Principal Herald for the South, East and West parts of England (1997–2010). From 1971 until 1978 he also served on the staff of
Anthony Wagner Sir Anthony Richard Wagner (6 September 1908 – 5 May 1995) was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He served as Garter Principal King of Arms before retiring to the post of Clarenceux King of Arms. He was one of ...
. He was Registrar of the College of Arms from 1992 until 2000 and was the Founder Secretary of the College of Arms Uniform Fund in 1980, serving in that capacity until 1999. From early in his career Chesshyre from time to time served as a deputy to
Garter Principal King of Arms The Garter Principal King of Arms (also Garter King of Arms or simply Garter) is the senior King of Arms, and the senior Officer of Arms of the College of Arms, the heraldic authority with jurisdiction over England, Wales and Northern Ireland. ...
for the purpose of introducing
peers Peers may refer to: People * Donald Peers * Edgar Allison Peers, English academician * Gavin Peers * John Peers, Australian tennis player * Kerry Peers * Mark Peers * Michael Peers * Steve Peers * Teddy Peers (1886–1935), Welsh international ...
into the
House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the Bicameralism, upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by Life peer, appointment, Hereditary peer, heredity or Lords Spiritual, official function. Like the ...
. For example, in 1975 he introduced
Baroness Vickers Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knigh ...
. As a herald, Chesshyre designed the coats of arms of a number of notable people, including the former Prime Minister Sir
Edward Heath Sir Edward Richard George Heath (9 July 191617 July 2005), often known as Ted Heath, was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conserv ...
, two Speakers of the House of Commons (
Baroness Boothroyd Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knig ...
and
John Bercow John Simon Bercow (; born 19 January 1963) is a British former politician who was Speaker of the House of Commons from 2009 to 2019, and Member of Parliament (MP) for Buckingham between 1997 and 2019. A member of the Conservative Party prior to ...
),''The Heraldry Gazette'', NS 53 (September 1994), p. 6 the
Archbishop of York The archbishop of York is a senior bishop in the Church of England, second only to the archbishop of Canterbury. The archbishop is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and the metropolitan bishop of the province of York, which covers th ...
David Hope, the businessman
Lord Sugar Alan Michael Sugar, Baron Sugar (born 24 March 1947) is a British business magnate, media personality, author, politician and political adviser. In 1968, he started what would later become his largest business venture, consumer electronics com ...
, the musician Sir
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
, the author Sir
Terry Pratchett Sir Terence David John Pratchett (28 April 1948 – 12 March 2015) was an English humourist, satirist, and author of fantasy novels, especially comical works. He is best known for his ''Discworld'' series of 41 novels. Pratchett's first nov ...
and the actor Sir
John Hurt Sir John Vincent Hurt (22 January 1940 – 25 January 2017) was an English actor whose career spanned over five decades. Hurt was regarded as one of Britain's finest actors. Director David Lynch described him as "simply the greatest actor in t ...
. Chesshyre was Secretary of the
Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George C ...
from 1988 until 2003, having been trained for the role by his predecessor
Walter Verco Sir Walter John George Verco (18 January 1907 – 10 March 2001) was a long-serving officer of arms who served in many capacities at the College of Arms in London. Biography Walter John George Verco was born in London on 18 January 1907. He was ...
and by Verco's predecessor-but-one,
Anthony Wagner Sir Anthony Richard Wagner (6 September 1908 – 5 May 1995) was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He served as Garter Principal King of Arms before retiring to the post of Clarenceux King of Arms. He was one of ...
. Upon his resignation Chesshyre had an audience with
The Queen In the English-speaking world, The Queen most commonly refers to: * Elizabeth II (1926–2022), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 1952 until her death The Queen may also refer to: * Camilla, Queen Consort (born 1947), ...
at
Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...
, during which he surrendered his badge of office. Following the 1992 Windsor Castle fire Chesshyre was, together with Peter Begent, appointed heraldic consultant for the reconstruction of St George's Hall. Chesshyre was also Honorary Genealogist of
The Society of the Friends of St George's and Descendants of the Knights of the Garter ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
.''Heralds of Today'' (2nd edn.), p. 12. He also served for twenty-three years as Honorary Genealogist to the
Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, o ...
(1987–2010), again, succeeding
Walter Verco Sir Walter John George Verco (18 January 1907 – 10 March 2001) was a long-serving officer of arms who served in many capacities at the College of Arms in London. Biography Walter John George Verco was born in London on 18 January 1907. He was ...
. As
Ulster King of Arms Norroy and Ulster King of Arms is the Provincial King of Arms at the College of Heralds with jurisdiction over England north of the Trent and Northern Ireland. The two offices of Norroy and Ulster were formerly separate. Norroy King of Arms is th ...
(merged with
Norroy Norroy (, also: ''Norroy-sur-Vair'') is a commune in the Vosges department in Grand Est in northeastern France. Inhabitants are called ''Nogarésiens''. Geography Norroy is positioned to the north-west of Vittel on a plateau that separates the ...
) Chesshyre also held the technically extant position of King of Arms, Registrar, and Knight Attendant of the
Order of St Patrick The Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick is a dormant British order of chivalry associated with Ireland. The Order was created in 1783 by King George III at the request of the then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, The 3rd Earl Temple (later cre ...
. He was therefore briefly one of just two members of the Order of St Patrick, the other member being
Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...
, who remained Sovereign of the Order. Chesshyre retired from the College of Arms on 31 August 2010. His last public duties took place at the
State Opening of Parliament The State Opening of Parliament is a ceremonial event which formally marks the beginning of a session of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It includes a speech from the throne known as the King's (or Queen's) Speech. The event takes place ...
on 25 May 2010 and at the Garter Day ceremony on 14 June 2010. Commentating on the State Opening for the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
,
Huw Edwards Huw Edwards (; born 18 August 1961) is a Welsh journalist, presenter, and newsreader. Edwards presents ''BBC News at Ten'', the corporation's flagship news broadcast. Edwards also presents BBC coverage of state events, international events, th ...
remarked upon Chesshyre's forty years of service.


Other work

In 1973, Chesshyre completed a report into the missing collar on the tomb of
Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". El ...
in
Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...
. He was a member of the Abbey's Architectural Advisory Panel from 1985 until 1998, and then of its Fabric Commission from 1998 until 2003. He was also heraldic advisor for the west window of the
Henry VII Lady Chapel The Henry VII Lady Chapel, now more often known just as the Henry VII Chapel, is a large Lady chapel at the far eastern end of Westminster Abbey, paid for by the will of King Henry VII. It is separated from the rest of the abbey by brass gates a ...
, donated by
John Templeton Sir John Marks Templeton (29 November 1912 – 8 July 2008) was an American-born British investor, banker, fund manager, and philanthropist. In 1954, he entered the mutual fund market and created the Templeton Growth Fund, which averaged grow ...
and devised by
Donald Buttress Donald Reeve Buttress is an architect based in St Albans, Hertfordshire. He co-founded the Manchester-based practice Buttress Architects. From 1988 to 1999 he was Surveyor of the Fabric of Westminster Abbey, and is now Surveyor Emeritus. During ...
, which
The Queen In the English-speaking world, The Queen most commonly refers to: * Elizabeth II (1926–2022), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 1952 until her death The Queen may also refer to: * Camilla, Queen Consort (born 1947), ...
unveiled in 1995. Chesshyre served as heraldic advisor to the committee that organised the re-enactment of the funeral of
Arthur, Prince of Wales Arthur, Prince of Wales (19/20 September 1486 – 2 April 1502), was the eldest son of King Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York. He was Duke of Cornwall from birth, and he was created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester in 1489. As ...
in
Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Engla ...
on 3 May 2002. On the day of the re-enactment, Chesshyre processed through the streets of Worcester bearing Arthur's crested
helm Helm may refer to: Common meanings * a ship's steering mechanism; see tiller and ship's wheel * another term for helmsman * an archaic term for a helmet, used as armor Arts and entertainment * Matt Helm, a character created by Donald Hamilton * ...
, followed by other heralds bearing his sword, tabard, gauntlets, and spurs. Chesshyre worked as a freelance lecturer in the United Kingdom and abroad. For many years he lectured for the National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies and Speaker Finders. Chesshyre has been credited with establishing the probable origins of the common error of using the term ''
crest Crest or CREST may refer to: Buildings *The Crest (Huntington, New York), a historic house in Suffolk County, New York *"The Crest", an alternate name for 63 Wall Street, in Manhattan, New York *Crest Castle (Château Du Crest), Jussy, Switzerla ...
'' to refer to the whole achievement. He explains that in the 18th century it was common for smaller items, such as spoons and forks, to be engraved with the crest alone, while the full achievement was reserved for larger items such as salvers. For this reason a number of publications appeared from the late 18th century through to the early 20th century which recorded only crests. Chesshyre later successfully lobbied the chief revise editor of ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' to include an explanation of the precise meaning of the term ''crest'' in a new edition of the newspaper's staff manual. Chesshyre was a choral clerk of
Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by Henry VIII, King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge ...
during his time as an undergraduate at the college.''Who's Who 2010'' (162nd year of issue) (London: A. & C. Black, 2009), s.v. 'Chesshyre, David Hubert Boothby' (p. 418). From 1979 until 1993 Chesshyre was a member of
The Bach Choir The Bach Choir is a large independent musical organisation founded in London, England in 1876 to give the first performance of J. S. Bach's ''Mass in B minor'' in Britain. The choir has around 240 active members. Directed by David Hill MBE (Yal ...
. Chesshyre sang for the London Docklands Singers, which he joined in 2002. He was, from 1980, a member of the Madrigal Society, the oldest musical society in Europe (see
Madrigal A madrigal is a form of secular vocal music most typical of the Renaissance (15th–16th c.) and early Baroque (1600–1750) periods, although revisited by some later European composers. The polyphonic madrigal is unaccompanied, and the number o ...
). He became a Freeman of the
Worshipful Company of Musicians The Worshipful Company of Musicians is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. Its history dates back to at least 1350. Originally a specialist guild for musicians, its role became an anachronism in the 18th century, when the centre of ...
in 1994 and a Liveryman of the Company in 1995.


Scholarly publications

''The Most Noble Order of the Garter'', which Chesshyre co-authored with Peter Begent and Lisa Jefferson, included a foreword by
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021) was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he served as the consort of the British monarch from El ...
. One of the book's reviewers,
John Goodall John Goodall (19 June 1863 – 20 May 1942) was a footballer who rose to fame as a centre forward for England and for Preston North End at the time of the development of the Football League, and also became Watford's first manager in 1903. He ...
, wrote that it was the "most comprehensive" study of the subject since that of
Elias Ashmole Elias Ashmole (; 23 May 1617 – 18 May 1692) was an English antiquary, politician, officer of arms, astrologer and student of alchemy. Ashmole supported the royalist side during the English Civil War, and at the restoration of Charles II he ...
, and "unlikely to be superseded". Another reviewer,
Maurice Keen Maurice Hugh Keen (30 October 1933 – 11 September 2012) was a British historian specializing in the Middle Ages. His father had been the Oxford University head of finance ('Keeper of the University Chest') and a fellow of Balliol College, Ox ...
, wrote that it was "invaluable to scholars whose interests touch on the history of the order, from the widest variety of points of view and period specialisation", and that "Altogether, Peter Begent and Hubert Chesshyre have put together a volume that for its thoroughness, its interest and its physical attraction is a worthy tribute to the longevity of England's highest order of chivalry." M. K. Ridgway, reviewing ''The Identification of Coats of Arms on British Silver'', wrote that Chesshyre "has the undoubted gift of making a difficult and complicated subject both exciting and interesting". In the early 1970s Chesshyre met the architect Thomas Saunders when Chesshyre and one of his brothers unsuccessfully competed with Saunders to bid for a property in
Bethnal Green Bethnal Green is an area in the East End of London northeast of Charing Cross. The area emerged from the small settlement which developed around the common land, Green, much of which survives today as Bethnal Green Gardens, beside Cambridge Heat ...
, 17 Old Ford Road. Four years after he had purchased the property, Saunders contacted Chesshyre with a commission to write a history of
Bethnal Green Bethnal Green is an area in the East End of London northeast of Charing Cross. The area emerged from the small settlement which developed around the common land, Green, much of which survives today as Bethnal Green Gardens, beside Cambridge Heat ...
, with particular reference to the legend of
the Blind Beggar The Blind Beggar is a pub on Whitechapel Road in the East End of London, England. Due to its location close to Whitechapel Station, the pub is generally described as being in Whitechapel; it is however located just on the Bethnal Green side of ...
. This resulted in ''The Green'', co-authored with A. J. Robinson, which was later described by Victor E. Neuburg as "The best—indeed only—comprehensive account of the subject".


Honours

Chesshyre was appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) in the
Queen's Birthday Honours The Birthday Honours, in some Commonwealth realms, mark the reigning British monarch's official birthday by granting various individuals appointment into national or dynastic orders or the award of decorations and medals. The honours are present ...
of 11 June 1988 and was promoted to be a Commander of the Order (CVO) in the
New Year Honours The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, with New Year's Day, 1 January, being marked by naming new members of orders of chivalry and recipients of other official honours. A number of other Commonwealth realms also mark this ...
of 31 December 2003. Chesshyre's appointment to be a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order was cancelled and annulled with effect from Tuesday 15 May 2018. Chesshyre became a
Freeman of the City of London The Freedom of the City of London started around 1237 as the status of a 'free man' or 'citizen', protected by the charter of the City of London and not under the jurisdiction of a feudal lord. In the Middle Ages, this developed into a freedom or ...
in 1975. He was elected a fellow of the
Society of Antiquaries of London A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Societ ...
in 1977 and was a member of its heraldry committee, known as the Croft Lyons Committee. Since 1983 he has been a member of the Cocked Hat Club, the senior dining club of the Society of Antiquaries, serving as ''praeses'' (president) in 1986. Chesshyre was also a member of the Council of the Heraldry Society from 1973 until 1985, and he was elected a fellow of the Society in 1990.The Heraldry Society: The Society: Fellows and Honorary Fellows. Accessed 4 September 2013.
/ref> He was vice-president of the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies (IHGS) and was a Director of the IHGS until 31 December 1993. However, after his sexual offences and the forfeiture of his main honour came to light, ''
The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the w ...
'' reported that the "trustees promptly removed him as vice-president". Chesshyre has been honoured with the titles of associate member of the Society of Heraldic Arts and honorary member of the White Lion Society. He was also the patron of the now defunct Middlesex Heraldry Society. In 1998 the
Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society The Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society was formed as the result of the merger in 1957 of a previous Heraldic Society (founded 1948) with the Cambridge University Society of Genealogists (founded 1954). Foundation of the soci ...
appointed Chesshyre to deliver its annual Mountbatten Memorial Lecture. Two years later, Chesshyre was a guest of honour at the CUHAGS Fiftieth Annual Dinner held in the Great Hall of
Clare College Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college was founded in 1326 as University Hall, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. It was refounded ...
on 25 March 2000.


Child sexual abuse and honours forfeiture

Chesshyre was charged with offences of
child sexual abuse Child sexual abuse (CSA), also called child molestation, is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include engaging in sexual activities with a child (whet ...
and in October 2015 stood trial before a jury sitting at
Snaresbrook Crown Court Snaresbrook Crown Court is a historic, Grade II listed building situated in Snaresbrook, an area within the London Borough of Redbridge. It is one of 12 Crown Court centres serving Greater London and is designated as a third-tier court. It is ...
. The offences pertained to a teenage male, and took place during the 1990s. Chesshyre was determined to be
unfit to plead In the law of England and Wales, fitness to plead is the capacity of a defendant in criminal proceedings to comprehend the course of those proceedings. The concept of fitness to plead also applies in Scots and Irish law."During the period 1946 to ...
due to a
stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...
and
dementia Dementia is a disorder which manifests as a set of related symptoms, which usually surfaces when the brain is damaged by injury or disease. The symptoms involve progressive impairments in memory, thinking, and behavior, which negatively affe ...
. The trial therefore went ahead as a
trial of the facts In law, a trial is a coming together of parties to a dispute, to present information (in the form of evidence) in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court. The tribunal, ...
. The jury found unanimously that he had committed two of the offences charged against him on the indictment. However, no conviction is formally recorded and the court consequently granted him an absolute discharge. The Honours and Appointments Secretariat, which is part of the
Cabinet Office The Cabinet Office is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for supporting the prime minister and Cabinet. It is composed of various units that support Cabinet committees and which co-ordinate the delivery of government objecti ...
, said in evidence to the
Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) in England and Wales was an inquiry examining how the country's institutions handled their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse. It was announced by the British Home Secretary ...
that it "takes the view that the outcome of the trial holds equivalent weight to a full criminal investigation nd hence a criminal conviction" Despite a criminal finding of fact having been made, Sir Alan Reid, Secretary of the Royal Victorian Order, refused to recommend the forfeiture of Chesshyre's appointment to the order, stating that Chesshyre had not technically been convicted and that he had been given an absolute discharge. Following an appeal by the victim's MP, which led to the
Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
,
Theresa May Theresa Mary May, Lady May (; née Brasier; born 1 October 1956) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2016 to 2019. She previously served in David Cameron's cab ...
, seeking to have the original decision reviewed by an independent committee, Reid's decision was overturned and Chesshyre's award was forfeited with effect from 15 May 2018. Unusually, however, the forfeiture was not notified in the ''
London Gazette London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
'', normally the standard procedure in such cases. At the time of his death, Chesshyre still held almost all the many other honours conferred upon him throughout his career, despite calls for these, too, to be revoked. The case avoided wide public knowledge, in part because Chesshyre's name was misspelled in court documents throughout his legal process, until March 2019, when it was mentioned at a public hearing of the
Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) in England and Wales was an inquiry examining how the country's institutions handled their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse. It was announced by the British Home Secretary ...
, which led in turn to an article in ''
The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the w ...
'' newspaper. According to journalist Jamie Doward, "When approached by the ''Observer'', the various societies of which he hesshyreis a member confirmed that they would not be dissociating themselves from him." In response to calls by a number of its fellows, the Council of the
Society of Antiquaries of London A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Societ ...
subsequently proposed a resolution to revoke Chesshyre's Fellowship. However, the Fellows present at the meeting on 24 October 2019 (109 out of a total of over 3,000) voted by 76 votes to 33 to reject the resolution, and to allow Chesshyre to remain a Fellow. In a statement the Council said that it "regrets that a majority of those present did not see fit to support the resolution", and was said to be "dismayed" by the outcome.


Death

Chesshyre died on 24 December 2020, aged 80."Announcements: Chesshyre, Hubert (online reference 590424)"
''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was fo ...
''. Retrieved 19 February 2021. "Hubert, former Clarenceux King of Arms and Secretary of the Order of the Garter, much loved brother, uncle and godfather, died peacefully aged 80 on 24th December."


Coat of arms


List of publications


Books

* Carl Alexander von Volborth, ''Heraldry of the World'', ed. D. H. B. Chesshyre, translated into English by Bob and Inge Gosney (London: Blandford Press, 1973) * D. H. B. Chesshyre, ''The Identification of Coats of Arms on British Silver'', drawings by Margaret J. Clark (London: Hawkslure Publications, 1978) * A. J. Robinson and D. H. B. Chesshyre, ''The Green: A History of the Heart of
Bethnal Green Bethnal Green is an area in the East End of London northeast of Charing Cross. The area emerged from the small settlement which developed around the common land, Green, much of which survives today as Bethnal Green Gardens, beside Cambridge Heat ...
and the Legend of
the Blind Beggar The Blind Beggar is a pub on Whitechapel Road in the East End of London, England. Due to its location close to Whitechapel Station, the pub is generally described as being in Whitechapel; it is however located just on the Bethnal Green side of ...
'' (1st edn., London: Borough of Tower Hamlets, 1978; 2nd edn., London: London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Central Library, 1986) * D. H. B. Chesshyre and Adrian Ailes, ''Heralds of Today: A Biographical List of the Officers of the College of Arms, London, 1963–86'', with a foreword by the Duke of Norfolk, KG,
Earl Marshal of England Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...
(Gerrards Cross: Van Duren, 1986) * D. H. B. Chesshyre and Thomas Woodcock, eds., '' Dictionary of British Arms: Medieval Ordinary'' vol. 1 (London:
Society of Antiquaries of London A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Societ ...
, 1992) * D. H. B. Chesshyre, ''Garter Banners of the Nineties'' (Windsor: College of Arms, 1998) * Peter J. Begent and D. H. B. Chesshyre, ''The Most Noble
Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George C ...
: 650 years'', with a foreword by His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh KG and a chapter on the statutes of the Order by Dr Lisa Jefferson (London: Spink, 1999) * D. H. B. Chesshyre and Adrian Ailes, ''Heralds of Today: A Biographical List of the Officers of the College of Arms, London, 1987–2001'', with a foreword by the Earl of Arundel (London: Illuninata, 2001)


Book chapters

* D. H. B. Chesshyre, "The Most Noble Order of the Garter", in ''The Orders of the Thistle and the Garter'' (Kinross, 1989), pp. 27–46 * Anthony Harvey and Richard Mortimer, eds., ''The Funeral Effigies of Westminster Abbey'' (Woodbridge: Boydell, 1994; rev. edn. 2003) ontribution* D. H. B. Chesshyre, "The Modern Herald", in
Patricia Lovett Patricia Lovett is a British scribe, calligrapher and illuminator from Kent. She is the author of several books and teaches calligraphy, illumination and manuscript skills in the UK and worldwide. She was chair of the Heritage Crafts Associati ...
, ''The
British Library The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and is one of the largest libraries in the world. It is estimated to contain between 170 and 200 million items from many countries. As a legal deposit library, the British ...
Companion to Calligraphy, Illumination and Heraldry: A History and Practical Guide'' (London:
British Library The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and is one of the largest libraries in the world. It is estimated to contain between 170 and 200 million items from many countries. As a legal deposit library, the British ...
, 2000), pp. 257–268 * Peter Begent, Hubert Chesshyre, and Robert Harrison, "The Heraldic Windows of St George's Chapel", in ''A History of the Stained Glass of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle'', ed. Sarah Brown (
Historical monographs relating to St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle The historical monographs relating to St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle are a series of scholarly publications supported by the Dean and Canons of Windsor. Much of the scholarship is based on the material held in the archives at St. George’s C ...
, vol. 18; Windsor: Dean and Canons of Windsor, 2005)


Reference work articles

* Stephen Friar, ed., ''A Dictionary of Heraldry'' (New York: Harmony Books, 1987) (author of articles on "Garter, Order of", pp. 160–2; "Grant of Arms", pp. 171–2; "Pedigrees, Proof and Registration of", pp. 264–5) * D. H. B. Chesshyre, " Sir Edward Walker (1612–1677)", ''
The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...
'' (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004)


Journal articles

* P. J. Begent and D. H. B. Chesshyre, "The Fitzwilliam Armorial Plate in
St George's Chapel, Windsor St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in England is a castle chapel built in the late-medieval Perpendicular Gothic style. It is both a Royal Peculiar (a church under the direct jurisdiction of the monarch) and the Chapel of the Order of the Gart ...
", ''The Coat of Arms'', NS 4 (1980–82), no. 114, pp. 269–74 * P. J. Begent and D. H. B. Chesshyre, "The
Spencer-Churchill Spencer-Churchill is a British double-barrelled surname associated with the Marlborough dukedom. Notable people with the surname include: * Lord Alan Spencer-Churchill (1825–1873), British army officer * Albertha Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Ma ...
Augmentations", ''The Coat of Arms'', NS 6 (1984–86), no. 134, pp. 151–5 * D. H. B. Chesshyre, " Canting Heraldry", ''The Coat of Arms'', NS 7 (1987–89), no. 138, pp. 29–31 * Hubert Chesshyre, "The Heraldry of the Garter Banners", ''Report of the Society of the Friends of St George's and the Descendants of the Knights of the Garter'', vol. VII, no. 6 (1994/5), pp. 245–55 * In addition to the above, Chesshyre was also formerly a regular contributor to the journal ''British History Illustrated''


Book reviews

* D. H. B. Chesshyre, review of Richard Marks and Ann Payne, eds., ''British Heraldry from its Origins to ''c''. 1800'' (London: British Museum Publications, 1978), ''The Antiquaries Journal'', vol. 59, issue 2 (1979), pp. 460–461 * D. H. B. Chesshyre, review of G. D. Squibb, ''Precedence in England and Wales'' (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1981), ''The Antiquaries Journal'', vol. 62, issue 2 (1982), pp. 435–436


Unpublished MSS

* D. H. B. Chesshyre, "Number Seventeen, or the History of 17 Old Ford Road, Bethnal Green and the Natt Family" (Unpublished MS, ''c''. 1970–80; Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives L.6160 (class 040)) * D. H. B. Chesshyre, "The Restoration of the Regalia to the Tomb of Queen Elizabeth the First in Westminster Abbey: Research into the Identity of the Collar Missing from the Queen's Marble Effigy" (Unpublished MS, 1973; The National Archives SAL/MS/852)


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chesshyre, David Hubert Boothby People stripped of a British Commonwealth honour English officers of arms 1940 births 2020 deaths Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford People educated at The King's School, Canterbury Local historians British medievalists Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of London English folklorists English genealogists English biographers British people convicted of child sexual abuse