Matthew Howard-Gibbon

Matthew Charles Howard-Gibbon (13 November 1796 – 16 December 1873) was a long-serving

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 ...

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 ...

London London is the capital and 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 down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. He was born Matthew Charles Howard Gibbon in London, and was the oldest son of

Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk (15 March 1746 – 16 December 1815), styled Earl of Surrey from 1777 to 1786, was a British nobleman, peer, and politician. He was the son of Charles Howard, 10th Duke of Norfolk and Catherine Brockho ...

and Mary Ann Gibbon—his long-time mistress and purportedly his third wife. Matthew was married to Charlotte Blackman in 1822, and they originally lived on a small estate in

Yapton Yapton is a village and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England. It is centred three miles (4.8 km) north east of Bognor Regis at the intersection of the B2132 and B2233 roads. The parish of Yapton lies on the coastal plai ...

, but were not known to have had any children. Matthew received his hyphenated surname and family coat of arms in 1842 by Royal Licence obtained by his brother,

Edward Howard-Gibbon Edward Howard Howard-Gibbon (9 August 1799 – 22 June 1849) was an English surgeon, lawyer, and officer of arms. He was born Edward Howard Gibbon in London and was the second son of the Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk, and Mary Ann Gibbon� ...

, with consent of the 13th Duke of Norfolk. He was appointed by the

Duke of Norfolk Duke of Norfolk is a title in the peerage of England. The seat of the Duke of Norfolk is Arundel Castle in Sussex, although the title refers to the county of Norfolk. The current duke is Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk. The dukes ...

to the office of

Richmond Herald Richmond Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms of the College of Arms in England. From 1421 to 1485, Richmond was a herald to John, Duke of Bedford, George, Duke of Clarence, and Henry, Earl of Richmond, all of whom held the Honour ( ...

of Arms in Ordinary at the

in 1846. In 1869, he was noted as the last member of the College to actually reside there during his long tenure in that position. He died 16 December 1873 in Yapton, and he left most of his estate to his niece and accomplished

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

schoolteacher-artist

Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon (24 July 1826 – 6 February 1874) was a teacher and artist known for her talents during the 1860s in Ontario, Canada. In 1966, her most comprehensive work, ''An Illustrated Comic Alphabet'', was published by librarian ...

. 1796 births 1873 deaths English officers of arms People from Yapton {{heraldry-stub