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first Chief

ROBERT WATT, a North
Shore resident with a keen
interest in Canadian history,
will soon be making history
as Canada’s first Chief
Herald.

By MAUREEN CURTIS

Contributing Writer

On loan from the Vancouver
Museum, Watt went io Ottawa for
two wecks, where he took on this
nation’s first appointment of a
Chief Herald to grant armorial
bearings and promote existing and
future Canadian symbols.

Coats-of-arms ceased being
restricted to these connected to
royalty or the aristocracy in the
Middle Ages, and even now, Cana-
dian citizens of any ethnic
background may apply for
emblems symbolic of their family's
heritage.

“This is a very old idea that has
a new part to play...Even more
than the historical aspects, [ am
interested in the contemporary ap-
plications of heraldry in Canada,”
said Watt in a recent interview.

“Eve watched it} work for
municipalities,” said Watt, who
helped design coats-of-arms for
West Vancouver District on the
occasion of its 75th anniversary, as
well as North Vancouver City,
Richmond, Surrey, Port Moody,
Delta and Campbell River.

The original purpose of coats-
of-arms and other emblems was
for identification.

“That functional aspect is still
very strong, while adding a certain
richness and drama you don’t get
with a logo. You can say more,
imply more and the meanings grow
along with the symbols,’’ Watt
said.

Canada is the first country in the
western hemisphere to create a
heraldic authority outside of
England.

Part of Watt’s job will be to
create a new armorial, where the
various known arms, badges and
flags of Canada will be registered,
along with any new grants that
come along.

Watt will also be responsible for
ensuring the quality of all of the
designs, aithough he will not be as
involved in the actual design work
as he was in the past.

“Westward questing,’’ is the
Scottish motto Watt had applied to
the coat-of-arms he designed for
his grandfather, ‘“‘1.T.” John
Turner Watt, who arrived in West
Vancouver in £919, served as
postmaster at Hollyburn and
began the real estate and insurance
business that still operates in the
district under Robert’s brothers,
Duncan and David.

Born in Pickton, Ontario,
Robert Watt was eight when his
father brought him west to take up
the family business in West Van-
couver, Beginning his post-secon-
dary studies at the University of
British Columbia, Watt returned
east to finish his degree in Cana-
dian History at Carleton Universi-
ty.

After lecturing at Capilano Col-
lege’s first term, Watt went cast
again for a two year stay with the
National Archives in Ottawa,
where he joined the Heraldry
Society of Canada.

Back here again in 1971, Watt
served as city archivist for two
years and then began as a curator
of history at the Vancouver
Museum, becoming director in
1980.

Since the late *70s Watt has done
a lot of unofficial. unpaid work as
a heraldic advisor to various
municipalities and individuals. The
Heraldry Society of Canada,
meanwhile, had been pushing for
the establishment of a Canadian
heraldic authority, which was
achieved on June 4 of this year,
when Prince Edward brought
Queen Elizabeth’s royal Letters
Patent transferring the necessary
power to the Governor General,
Mme. Jeanne Sauve.

Watt, who has travelled east
again to take up the historic com-
mission created by Sauve, is joined
by his wife Alison, who is taking
leave of her job as Simon Fraser
University’s director of Academic
Relations, as well as son Michael
and daughter Catherine.

For more information on
coats-of-arms and applying for
such, contact: R.D. Watt, Chief
Herald of Canada, The Canadian
Heraldic Authority, Rideau Hall,
Ottawa, Ont., KIA OAL.

‘Booze who’ on the WN. Shore

RECENT CONVICTIONS in
North Shore courts have resulted
in the following fines and penalties
for drinking and driving related
offences.

NORTH VANCOUVER: Greta
Bomberry, 45, 838 Calverhall,
North Vancouver (over .08, $350
fine); Joan Laraine Wray, #2-154
East 17th St., North Vancouver
(over .08, $350 fine); Russell

Charles Douglas, 35, 119-275 East
13th St., North Vancouver (im-
paired, $500 fine); Neil Bruce
Sutherland, 31, 439 West 15th St.,
North Vancouver (impaired, 30
days jail); Ronald Christian
Jansen, 27, 503 East Fourth St.,
North Vancouver (impaired and
over .08, total $750 fine).

WEST VANCOUVER: list of re-
cent convictions unavailable this
week.

PERSONAL BANKRUPTCY...

requires professional help.

“FREE” copy of our booklet.
“ASSIGNMENT IN BANKRUPTCY”
Available Upon Request

291-9151
EVANCIC PERRAULT ROBERTSON LTD.
TRUSTEE IN BANKRUPTCY

(Across the 2nd Narrows Bridge at Hrentwood Mall at Willingdon Avo & Lougheed Hwy No Humaby)

PHOTO Maureen Curtis
THE PRESERVATION and creation of emblems, flags and coats-of-
arms (such as the one he had created for his grandfather, above? will be
the task taken on by Canada's Chief Herald Robert Watt daring bis two
year appointment lo Ottawa,

9 - Sunday, August 21, 1988 - North Shore News

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