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Arms
painted by Andrew
Stewart Jamieson
The
armiger is a keen
amateur genealogist and
has researched his
particular branch of the
Latta ancestry for many
years. He is a sixth
generation Australian of
Irish descent from his
direct paternal line.
The design of his arms
pays homage to the two
historic designs of the
armiger’s namesakes.
His great, great great
grandfather, John Latta,
came from Strabane in
County Tyrone and his
great, great, great
grandmother, Catherine
Lemon, came from
Londonderry in County
Londonderry. They were
married in Dunnamanagh.
Their home towns and the
town of their marriage
are all in Ulster.
Sable is the traditional
Latta colour for the
shield; Piles Argent are
also a traditional
element of existing
Latta armorial bearings.
Black and silver are
also the colours of the
football team at which
the armiger played,
coached and held
committee positions for
many years. Crescents
also feature in
traditional Latta arms
and one is incorporated
into the crest, as per
the arms of Sir John
Latta, thus freeing up
space in the shield to
allow room for the star
which represents the
Australian Federation
Star.
A red chief has been
used instead of the
ancient fess gules,
allowing for the Irish
and Australian emblems
to be opposite each
other on the shield
centre. The hand is a
direct representation of
the Red Hand of Ulster
and complements the
Federation Star;
elements representing
the old country and the
new.
The three tinctures of
the wreath and mantling
reflect the tinctures of
the shield. The crescent
in the crest honours
that in the arms of Sir
John Latta, the Golden
Wattle, the floral
emblem of Australia,
replacing the
traditional Latta oak
crest of the northern
hemisphere.
The armiger is a Fellow
of the Fellowship of the
White Shield, a private
organisation devoted to
the promotion of all
things heraldic, but in
particular the artists;
this is represented by
the insignia illustrated
below the shield.
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