The Wilford Archive

Charles II Coat of Arms

The photograph was taken in January 2016, following the cleaning of the arms as part of the Great Hall's re-decoration. The Arms are signed and dated in the bottom right-hand corner - Dick Reid, 1964

Dick tells of how Rupert Alec Smith, the owner of Horsley Smith’s, who was to become Lord Mayor of Hull and Lord Lieutenant of East Yorkshire, invited him to select the timber he wished to use for the purpose from an enormous stack of timber in their yard in Hull.  Dick spied the 2 feet wide by 3-inch-thick planks 20 feet long, halfway down the enormous stack as being perfect for the job and left Horsley Smith’s foreman with the task of retrieving them!

The work of carving the Arms was spread over 2-3 months as Dick was also teaching at the time, and on completion, one of the biggest problems was manhandling the finished Arms down the narrow stairs from his 3rd-floor workshop into Stonegate – no mean feat!

 When the Charles II Arms were unveiled at the Company’s Livery Dinner in 1964 to great acclamation, Sir James Ritchie, the then Master of the London Company of Merchant Taylors, was present and was so impressed with the carved Arms that Sir James invited Dick Reid to quote for the carving of the Queen Mother’s Arms for the London Merchant Taylors’ Hall in Threadneedle St.  Dick was awarded the work against competition from others.  This was the second of the large carved arms which Dick was to produce (see photo below), followed by: 

•       The foundation Stone for Foyle College in Londonderry when it moved to its new site, 

•       the York Merchant Adventurers’ Arms for their Hall in Fossgate, 

•       the York Guild of Butchers Arms for Jacobs Well, and

•       the Arms of the York Guilds of Building, Freemen and Cordwainers for Bedern Hall. 

 In 2013 Dick was asked by the London Company of Merchant Taylors if he would carve the Arms of Princess Diana similarly for display in their Hall.  Although he was retired by that time and unable to do the work himself, he arranged for two experienced wood carvers who he had trained previously as his apprentices to produce the Arms (see photos below) 

The carved Arms were commissioned by the Company of Merchant Taylors in 1963 to commemorate the 300th Anniversary of the granting of the Charter of Charles II, which incorporated the Company.  They were carved personally by Dick Reid OBE, D.Univ, the well-known York wood carver and stone mason, in his workshop in Stonegate. 

 The Arms consist of 3-inch-thick planks of yellow pine (the traditional wood for such carvings) obtained from Horsley Smith’s in Hull.  Carved from three, 6 feet x 2 feet planks fixed side by side, with a further set on the front to give a depth of 6 inches, enabling the Arms to be carved in high relief with an extra piece fixed on the front for the lion’s nose, giving a total depth of 9 inches at that point.  The Arms were illuminated (painted) by Bellerby’s staff.

Queen Mother's Arms         Princess Diana's Arms

York Merchant Taylors    GAW – 6/2/24