BALLARD

Some Ballard’s lodged at

THE COLLEGE OF ARMS

extracts from a letter dated 17^th July 1978, edited by A J Ballard 12^th Sept 2000,.

from

Hubert Chesshyre, Rouge Croix Pursuivant

Azure a Griffin regardant (or more correctly, gardant) ermine. These were the arms borne by the father of William Ballard, March King of Arms circa 1481 – circa 1490 and are so blazoned on the second folio of the Book known as Ballard’s Book (College of Arms MS M3) which Garter Wrythe bought from his widow. I have looked at this and the passage which mentions the arms also names William as son of Thomas Ballard and grandson of William Ballard of Lecton, county Hereford, whose wife Rose was fourth in decent from Sir Richard Hurtisley, Lord of Lecton and of Hurtisley in that county.

This narrative Pedigree and description of the arms is repeated in a copy of the visitation of Chester in 1580 (MJD 14. 310). The arms are not illustrated in these two manuscripts, but I assume the Griffin was rampant or sergeant as most Ballard griffins were.

Sable a griffin segreant ermine beak and legs Or. This is attributed simply to Ballard in part 2 of Fenwick’s Roll, probably compiled at the time of Henry VI and in three early Tudor Armorials at the College of Arms, called L1, L2 and L10.

A bend cotised between six martlets. This coat is attributed in the earliest version of <Lant’s> Roll to a John Ballard who was Wallingford and Rouge Croix in the time of Henry IV and Windsor and possibly March in the time of Edward IV, but the editors of the London survey committee’s monograph on the College of Arms think the Arms were probably meant for William Ballard March King of Arms, though they are quite unlike those already mentioned.

Sable a griffin regardant ermine. Is attributed in an index to Thomas Ballard in 1448 (All Souls, Oxford).

Arms consisting of a Griffin sergeant with the crest of a demi griffin are attributed to Thomas Ballard on 15^th Century Seals at the British Museum and Ashmolean Museum. If in fact they relate to William Ballard’s father they strengthen the evidence that his griffin was sergeant. Whether or not the field was correctly black or blue I cannot say at this time. William Ballard states clearly that is fathers arms were azure, but most other Ballard coats of this pattern seem to be sable.

Per fess indented argent a lion rampant countercharged. This coat is attributed to Thomas Ballard in Randle Holmes Book “temp. Henry VI.

Per fess indented argent and gules, the two points gules and one argent each terminating in a fleur de lys, overall a fess sable cut in the midst by the point argent. This curious coat is attributed to Ballard in Randle Holmes Book.

Sable a griffin argent. Is attributed to Robert Ballard in an armoury of Kentish Gentry temp. Henry VII.

Two extensive pedigrees entered at the visitation of Sussex 1634 go back to Fulco Ballard living in 1346/7. Of his descendants the senior line was seated in Lincolnshire and Leicestershire, the second branch at Horton, county Kent and third branch at Wadhurst, county Sussex. The arms of this family were entered as, Sable a griffin sergeant ermine beak and forelegs Or with the crest a demi griffin, tinctures as in the arms.

A pedigree of four generations entered at the visitation of Nottingham in 1614 starts with Philip Ballard of Greenwich, county Kent, father of William Ballard of Southwell, county Nottingham, father of Henry Ballard of Southwell (living 1614) who had Thomas Ballard son and heir aged 14 in 1614. The arms of this family were apparently, Sable a griffin sergeant ermine with the crest of a demi griffin but the tinctures are uncertain.

An undated pedigree of five generations, probably of the mid 16^th Century starts with Robert Ballard who married Margaret Digby of Kettleby, Lincs. Robert’s Arms are blazoned as, Sable a griffin Salient ermine.

Sable a griffin sergeant ermine beaked and legged and holding a Fleur de lys Or. Crest, A demi griffin ermine beak and forelegs Or. These were entered at the visitations of London in 1633/4 for John Ballard of London, Vintner, one of several children of Thomas Ballard of Swepston, county Leicester.

Sable a griffin ermine gorged with a crown Or, beak and forelegs of the last. Crest, On a wreath argent and sable a demi griffin ermine beak and forelegs Or supporting a broken lance proper, mantled gules doubled argent. These arms were confirmed and the crest was granted to John Ballard of Much Dewchurch, county Hereford by a patent of Sir William Dethick, Garter, dated 1^st January 1557. All three records of this grant here show the griffin as passant, though it is not so blazoned. The fullest record of the patent mentions that the family had previously borne arms but does not refer to a decent from William Ballard March King of Arms.

Sable a griffin passant ermine beaked, membered and ducally gorged Or between two quatreifoils in chief and a crescent in base of the last. Crest, A demi griffin with several differences. These armorial bearing were granted in 1820 to Humphrey Ballard of Highbury Place, county, Middlesex, and to other descendants of his late father Humphrey Ballard of Ludlow, county, Salop. A pedigree recorded the same year show’s the grantee’s parents as Humphrey Ballard of Ludlow (died 1816) and Sarah daughter of James Vashon, Rector of Eye, county, Hereford, and “ Lecturer” of Ludlow, county, Salop. It is interesting that the griffin is passant and that it is collared.