Arms for McCaughey
June 3rd, 2007 at 11:36 am by Denis Towner (General Heraldry)
I am seeking to design arms for the inaugural President of the Uniting Church in Australia (in 1977). The late Rev’d Prof Davis McCaughey was born and raised in Ireland and ordained there as a Presbyterian minister. He came to Australia as Principal of Ormond College in the University of Melbourne where he was responsible for the training of Presbyterian ministers, and headed the United Faculty for Methodist, Congregational and Presbyterian ministry training.
In recognition of his service to the community, on retirement he was appointed Governor of the State of Victoria.
There seems to be no Irish arms for McCaughey or any cognate surnames, so it’s starting from scratch.
Some ideas: The field Vert, a Celtic cross, branches of pink heath, floral emblem of Victoria. Perhaps a crown (vice-regal) or academic symbol such as a torch.
He was also honoured with the Order of Australia (can’t recall which degree).
Any suggestions welcome.
Anthony Maxwell said,
June 4th, 2007 at 3:40 am
I am not too sure that designing arms for the dead is such a good idea. It rather smacks of the medieval heralds creating arms for the saints and nine worthies, Does the gentleman have heirs to whom these arms can be given? It would be assuring to know that any arms we helped design were going to a good home!
I would imagine as a Presbyterian, the Rev’d McCaughey came from Northern Ireland so the Green is perhaps not such a good idea. Also the celtic crosses are rather associated with the Church of Rome and you will know how I feel about flowers on shields!
The Clan of MacAulay would undoubtedly claim the good Reverend as one of their own in Scotland thus, Gules two arrows in saltire Argent overall a fess chequey of the Second and first. McCaughey does sounds rather like it has a caw in it and caws are the cries of crows, a noble bird in heraldry although a great many of the big black birds are usually blazoned Coughs which another large black bird still found in Ireland thought rare on mainland Britain. The bloody hand of Ulster is possibly a little ‘angry’ for a man of God but perhaps a red hand in ‘benediction’ (is that right?) might be a nice little charge. With the name Davis, as we have been discussing Dividsons which claim Davis as a sept in Scotland a stag might be quite a nice way to go.
I rather like the stags heads with the cross between the antlers which were favoured by Scots in the past (something to do with David I having a vision in which a cross, or ‘rood’, belonging to his mother St Margaret appeared between the antlers of an attacking stag thus the Holy Rood) Not enough of these being used now. Maybe a golden stag’s head with a red hand in benediction between the antlers for a crest…
Maybe; Argent two arrows saltirewise between two Coughs, one in chief and one in base all Proper surmounted of a Fess chequey Gules and of the First, with the above crest. I will ponder further!
Anthony Maxwell said,
June 4th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
Here is the design I did earlier with different coloured arrows…
Denis Towner said,
June 21st, 2007 at 11:56 am
Thanks for the ideas Anthony. Just back from 3 weeks in sunny Queensland, so my response is tardy.
The name McCaughey is actually pronounced “McCackee”, so I wonder if the MacAulay connection can be sustained. And that might also subvert the Choughs (pity, I like them).
I shall have to check whether the esteemed gentleman had any children. The Victorian Synod should know.
I do like the stag and cross between the antlers as a Crest. The red hand in benediction sounds promising too, probably as a charge.
You surprise me about the Celtic cross, though I had heard that the reason the Uniting Church avoided it for our symbol was because of competing claims! Out here in Australia it seems to be more used by the Presbyterians than the Catholics.
Anthony Maxwell said,
June 21st, 2007 at 6:14 pm
The rotten old house of names website has the following;
“McCaughey is one of the native Irish surnames that come from the Irish Gaelic language. The original Gaelic form of the name McCaughey is Mac Eachaidh, from the personal name Eachaidh, which is Anglicized as Aghy. It is cognate with Eochaigh, which is Anglicized as the once-common Christian name Oghy.
Before widespread literacy came to Ireland, a name was often recorded under several different variations during the life of its bearer. Accordingly, numerous spelling variations were revealed in the search for the origin of the name McCaughey family name. Variations found include Caughey, McCaughey, McGaughey, Coffee, Coffey, Coffy, O’Coffey, O’Coffy, Mulcahy, McGahey and many more.”
Whilst I am sure that this is full of the usual nonsense there may well be sufficient truth in it to say that you are dealing with a wholly Irish name and not one of Scots descent. Again the nasty house of names website come up with a coat of arms….! Vert a fess Ermine between three gold things (they look square tankards with multiple handles!) the crest is a man riding on the back of a green dolphin and the motto is ‘Non providentia Sed Victoria’ but I don’t suppose for one moment these arms are anything to do with the surname.
Where to from here?
Denis Towner said,
June 28th, 2007 at 1:59 am
Thanks again, Anthony. I am inclined to go with the field Vert with a fess of a fur -perhaps Ermine with a different partition line. I’ll have to think about suitable charges on the field.
Denis Towner said,
July 5th, 2007 at 6:57 am
I checked the Web and found out that the Rev Prof Dr John Davis McCaughey was born in Belfast in July 1914. He was ordained a Presbyterian minister in 1941 and in 1953 migrated to Australia to take up the position of Professor of New Testament studies at Ormond College in the Uni of Melbourne. He was Master of Ormond 1957-1979, first national President of the Uniting Church in Australia 1977-1979. He served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne 1978-1979 (busy boy). In 1986 age 71, he was appointed Governor of Victoria serving till 1992 during which time he did much to make the Governor more accessible. He was honoured with a Companion of the Order of Australia (our highest honour). In March 2005 he died in Melbourne at the age of 90. He was survived by his wife, Jean, 5 children, 11 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.
Now how can we celebrate this man heraldically?
hnwombat said,
July 6th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
I think it would be wise to contact the Official Secretary of the Governor of Victoria and ask whether or not Dr McCaughey had armorial bearings.
Denis Towner said,
July 7th, 2007 at 2:40 am
Thanks for the suggestion, but as a Uniting Church minister, I very much doubt if he did, especially as he came to Australia back in 1953.
Interesting that Davis was appointed on recommendation by the John Cain Labor Gov’t of Victoria and he served with his successor, Joan Kirner. So much for all the hullabaloo when Bishop Hollingsworth was appointed Gov Gen with the shibboleth “religion and politics don’t mix”. Neither they should, but a Gov Gen is an apolitical position. And Pastor Doug Nicholls served very well as Gov of South Australia.
Denis Towner said,
July 8th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Anthony, I checked the online bucket shops and the yellow thingies are blazoned as Irish cups, whatever the distinction might be. So I’ve decided to go with their claim as a basis but with some chanes in tincture and new charges for difference.
Arms: Vert on a fess Erminois between in chief two Irish cups and in base a Celtic cross Argent an open book proper bound Sable. The escutcheon encircled by the ribbon of the Order of Australia and ensigned with a Geneva bonnet Azure cords and three tassels on each side Or.
Motto: Non Fortuna Sed Dominus (cf Non Providentia Sed Victoria)
Lay Crest: Within a chaplet of common heath proper a dolphin naiant Vert.
Any comments?
Denis Towner said,
July 16th, 2007 at 10:43 pm
An Irish contact has pointed out that the Ulster McCaugheys have absolutely no connection with the O’Coffeys et al who arms are Vert a fess Ermine between three ancient Irish cups Or, but come from County Tyrone and are affiliated with the O’Neills. So it’s de novo design:
Arms: quarterly Sable and Argent on a fess Erminois between in chief two covered cups and in base the head of a Celtic cross counterchanged an open book proper edged and bound Gules.
Lay Crest: within a chaplet of common heath proper a dexter hand couped at the wrist Gules.
The Sable and Argent from the County Tyrone arms, the cups and ermined fess a vague allusion to the O’Coffeys, the cross for his Christian faith and Celtic heritage, the book/Bible for his role as New Testament scholar and work in Melbourne University, the red hand for the O’Neills and the pink heath chaplet for the State of Victoria. I’ll post a pic when I finish the painting.