John Heaton-Armstrong

Heaton-Armstrong was born at Salisbury House, Edmonton, the son of the Austrian-born politician and businessman William Heaton-Armstrong and his wife, Baroness Bertha Adalberta Maximiliana Zois-Edelstein, who came from an ennobled Habsburg family. She was the granddaughter of Karl von Zois, whose brother was Sigmund Zois. Heaton-Armstrong was educated at Eton College and Trinity Hall, Cambridge.[1]

During the First World War, Heaton-Armstrong was commissioned into the Cavalry Branch of the Reserve of Officers of the British Indian Army as a second lieutenant,[2] and was later promoted to lieutenant.[3] His first heraldic appointment at the College came on 6 April 1922, when he was made Rouge Dragon Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary. On 14 October 1926, Heaton-Armstrong was promoted to the position of Chester Herald of Arms in Ordinary.[4] This office was made vacant by the promotion of Arthur Cochrane to the office of Norroy King of Arms. He was made a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (fourth class) (MVO) in 1937.[5] While holding this post, Heaton-Armstrong took a leave from the College of Arms to fight in World War II.[6] During this conflict, he rose to the rank of squadron leader in the Administrative and Special Duties Branch of the Royal Air Force.[7][8] He relinquished his commission in 1944,[9] and returned to the College of Arms, and was knighted in the Coronation Honours of 1953.[10][11]

In 1956, with the death of Archibald George Blomefield Russel, Heaton-Armstrong was promoted to the office of Clarenceux King of Arms.[12] As such, he was responsible for the granting of arms in his jurisdiction south of the River Trent. While Chester Herald, Heaton-Armstrong was appointed to the honorary post of Inspector of Royal Air Force Badges, which post he held for the rest of his life.[13] Heaton-Armstrong continued to serve as Clarenceux until his own death in late 1967.[14]

• Pursuivant
• Herald

• John Heaton-Armstrong at Find a Grave
• CUHAGS Officer of Arms Index