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The Presiding Officer’s Gown

While the Westminster Parliament has a Speaker, the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh has a “Presiding Officer” — a rather dull title if you ask me. The auld Estaits of Parliament abolished in 1707 were headed by the Lord Chancellor of Scotland, an office which fell into abeyance shortly after the Act of Union.

When the “Scottish Parliament” was refounded in 1997, the first man to hold the new job of Presiding Officer was Sir David Steel (the Rt. Hon. the Lord Steel of Aikwood), the despicable creature who as an MP introduced legal abortion to the United Kingdom in 1967, and who has inexplicably and disgracefully been created a Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, the highest honour in the land (the Scottish equivalent of England’s Garter).

Anyhow, the St Andrews Fund for Scots Heraldry decided to commemorate the hosting of the Heraldic & Genealogical Congress in Scotland by commissioning a ceremonial gown for the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, who lacked one at the time. This rather handsome creation was presented to George Reid, the holder of the office at that time, during 27th International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences held at St Andrews in 2006. Unfortunately I can find no evidence that this well-executed gown has ever been used.

Published at 9:08 pm on Thursday 3 June 2010. Categories: Errant Thoughts Scotland Tradition Tags: , .
Comments

Shouldn’t the word “Thistle” find its way into this story somewhere?

— Baron v Hetterscheidt 4 Jun 2010 1:56 pm

Cheers. Not sure how that got deleted.

— Andrew Cusack 4 Jun 2010 10:45 pm

Ever considered a freedom of information request? I’m sure that would suitably illuminate your readers on the subject. I’m certainly curious. I cannot imagine it ever being used in the chamber: it would be rather like when my old history teacher wandered into our school’s modern science department to retrieve and errant pupil, fully gowned and looking, to adopt the term of one of your countrymen, entirely incongruous to the setting.

— David 5 Jun 2010 9:09 pm

It’s difficult to imagine anyone not wanting to wear it. Beautiful and dignified.

— Maureen 7 Jun 2010 10:02 am

Apart from the blue being a bit ‘electric’ (you certainly wouldn’t miss the presiding officer), this looks very apt for high-days and holidays.

— johnboy 7 Jun 2010 4:40 pm
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