Heraldic Badges
An heraldic badge is linked to heraldry but not part of the main arms. In days gone by, an Armiger might use their badge in everyday life rather than their arms. Badges can be worn by authorised holders such as the Armiger’s supporters, retainers, vassals, servants, perhaps family members to show their connection, allegiance or affiliation. The badge might typically be pinned or embroidered on a tunic. Badges are generally fairly simple, the Scottish ones often appear within a buckle.
Dragon Badge
Blazon: On a Bezant a Chinese Dragon Globular Gules.
A Bezant is a gold disc. The blazons for badges don't have to be as precise but the blazons for both of mine appear to be correct.
This badge is derived directly from the shield of course. I see this as my personal badge.
Tree Badge
Blazon: From a grassy mound a tree parted per pale of an oak fructed proper and plum proper blossomed Carnation, and in front of the trunk a spade Or.
Carnation is the term for light pink in heraldry. In my case the tree is also very appropriate as a badge symbol as I have spent many years researching my family tree. An endless job in fact! I see it as a family badge.
Original sketch from 2017
The tree badge pre-dates the grant of arms from the Chief Herald of Ireland. I call it the 'half and half tree'. On the right is the original idea and sketch that Rodger King came up with in early 2017. Rodger's draft has the tree eradicated (uprooted), I prefer it growing on a grassy mound.
There are plenty of veteran and ancient oaks (quercus robur) in the New Forest, Hampshire where I grew up. There are many plum blossom trees (prunus mei) in the Yangmingshan National Park near Taipei where my wife comes from. The oak is the national tree of both England and Ireland (English oak or sessile oak for Ireland). The plum blossom is Taiwan's national flower and appears on many national symbols. The two halves of the tree are out of sync with the seasons. The oak's acorns turn brown and fall in the early autumn and the plum tree is in blossom in the spring, but they're the most distinctive times of year.
There is a golden spade leaning against the trunk. The spade symbolises the many gardeners that have been in the family and hard work and honest labour.
My pin for twenty years service with the National Trust. I have been volunteering for the organisation for about twenty years nationally. The first working holiday I did with them was on the Island of Lundy in 2003. I have been volunteering locally on the Wey Navigation estate since 2015.
Simplified tree badge
A simpler version of the tree badge with just the reference to the oak and to the plum blossom. No golden spade. This simpler one could be embroidered fairly easily.
A few examples of the badge below. The top row are versions by Brian Abshier, a simplified tree showing the essentials of an oak and a plum blossom tree and can therefore be easily replicated or embroidered. Brian also did versions in monochrome and with and without a decorative border.
Brian Abshier
Brian Abshier
Gecktron
An exquisite version by Danilo Carlos Martins which goes beyond heraldry to artwork.
Another excellent version by AOG, he correctly shows that the blossoms appear before the leaves on the plum tree.
