Joseph Morrow (officer of arms)

The Reverend Canon
Joseph Morrow
CVO CBE KC DL FRSE
Dr Morrow formally robed as
Lord Lyon King of Arms
Lord Lyon King of Arms
Incumbent
Assumed office
27 February 2014
MonarchsElizabeth II
Charles III
Preceded byDavid Sellar
Personal details
Born(1954-12-12)12 December 1954

Joseph John Morrow CVO CBE KC DL FRSE[1] (born 12 December 1954), is the current Lord Lyon King of Arms.[2] He was appointed on 17 January 2014[3] and, sworn of office on 27 February before the Lord President of the Court of Session,[4] as Lord Lyon, Morrow took part in the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla in 2023.[5]

Biography

Dr Morrow in the Lord Lyon's tabard at the Scottish Parliament, 2021

A member of the Faculty of Advocates, Morrow took silk in September 2015.[6] In 2008 he was appointed President of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland (demitted office October 2019).[7] He has previously served as Her Majesty's Commissioner for the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland (1999–2006), as a First-Tier Tribunal Judge (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) (2002–2013), and as President of the Additional Support Needs Tribunals for Scotland (2010–2014).[8]

In 2009, Morrow was appointed as Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Dundee,[9] having served as a Labour councillor for the Maryfield ward until that year.[10] He held the positions of Convenor of the Economic Development Committee, Convenor of the Dundee Waterfront Development Board, and was Deputy Lord Provost during his time as an elected member.[11]

Formerly Chaplain of Glamis Castle and Chancellor of the Diocese of Brechin, Morrow now serves as an Honorary Canon of St Paul's Cathedral, Dundee.[12]

He was a Freemason who from 2004 to 2005 served as the 108th Grand Master Mason of the Grand Lodge of Scotland.[13] In March 2018 he was appointed as the First Grand Principal of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland.[14] On October 26, 2023, he was elected to a further term as the Grand Master Mason and was installed into this role in November 2023. It was announced on September 17, 2024 that he had resigned as Grand Master Mason and was stepping back from all Masonic duties with effect from September 16, 2024, citing personal reasons as the cause.[15]

Appointed Commander of the Order of St John (CStJ) in 2012,[16] in December 2015 he was promoted Knight of Justice of the Order of St John (KJStJ).[17][18] In 2016 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws by Edinburgh Napier University.

In 2020, Morrow was appointed Honorary Colonel of 2 (City of Dundee and Highland) Signal Squadron, a sub-unit of 32nd Signal Regiment, a Royal Signals Army Reserve based in Dundee and Aberdeen.[19]

Morrow's interests include ecclesiastical history, the practical application of ceremonial to state, civil, military and ecclesiastical areas of Scottish life, together with over thirty years' experience in the field of heraldry.

Arms

Coat of arms of Joseph Morrow
Crest
A Dexter Hand Or holding a Dagger erect Purpure hilted and pomelled Or
Escutcheon
Per Fess enhanced Or and Purpure over all three Piles conjoined in point counter-changed, the centre Pile charged with a Maunch and the other two with Passion Crosses Or
Motto
Deo Volente ("With God Willing")

See also

References

  1. ^ "MORROW, Dr Joseph John". Who's Who & Who Was Who. Vol. 2023 (online ed.). A & C Black. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ "Former Dundee councillor Joe Morrow made Lord Lyon King of Arms". thecourier.co.uk.
  3. ^ "New Lord Lyon King of Arms appointed" (Press release). Scottish Government. 17 January 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  4. ^ "Former member of Westwater Advocates Dr Joe Morrow Installed as the Lord Lyon King of Arms". Westwater Advocates. 28 February 2014.
  5. ^ "Coronation order of service in full". BBC News. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  6. ^ Robertson, John. "Lord Justice Clerk welcomes new silks". www.advocates.org.uk. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  7. ^ "MHTS - About the Tribunal". mhtscotland.gov.uk.
  8. ^ "Archive - Additional Support Needs". Additional Support Needs Tribunals for Scotland. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  9. ^ "No. 26831". The Edinburgh Gazette. 24 August 2010. p. 3309.
  10. ^ "BBC NEWS - UK - Scotland - Tayside and Central - Political battle in by-election". bbc.co.uk.
  11. ^ www.thecourier.co.uk
  12. ^ "Scottish Episcopal Church Priest appointed as the new Lord Lyon King of Arms". The Scottish Episcopal Church. 19 January 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  13. ^ "Office Bearers".
  14. ^ "Supreme Grand Office Bearers". Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  15. ^ Rowan, Will (17 September 2024). "RESIGNATION OF GRAND MASTER MASON". The Grand Lodge of Scotland. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  16. ^ "No. 60032". The London Gazette. 17 January 2012. p. 786.
  17. ^ "No. 61426". The London Gazette. 3 December 2015. p. 23750.
  18. ^ "Three promoted to Grade II". Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  19. ^ "Squadron Colonel appointment for Lord Lyon". www.scottishlegal.com. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
Masonic offices
Preceded by
Sir Archibald Orr-Ewing, 6th Bt
 Grand Master of the
Grand Lodge of Scotland
2004–2005 		Succeeded by
Sir Archibald Orr-Ewing, 6th Bt
Heraldic offices
Preceded by
Lord Lyon King of Arms
2014–present 		Incumbent