St Kilda Kilts & Scottish Gifts

A surprisingly aggressive crest for a family famous for its Quakers. Here we have a hand holding a dagger emerging from a cap of maintenance. The dagger is probably just a symbol of military prowess. The cap is a sign of special royal favour, so is possibly referring to Sir Walter de Berkeley who was Chamberlain of Scotland in 1165 for William the Lion. The Latin motto ‘aut agere aut mori’ translates as ‘either to advance or to die’, essentially ‘DO or DIE’.

A number of Barclay crests are recorded in Nisbet’s 1722 System of Heraldry, although none take this form. One form was a cross patee with motto Crux Salutemm confert (Barclay of Touch) or Sola Cruce Salus (Barclay of Balmakeuan), or a sword pale ways with motto ‘crus Christi nostra corona).

This Barclay crest seems to emerge with Sir Robert Barclay (1759-1829), Knight of the Order of the Bath, who came from the Barclays of Towie. His crest was a right arm holding a sword with this motto. So essentially the modern crest, minus the cap. Sir Robert’s crest is first mentioned in Burke’s General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales of 1884. By the 1905 edition of Fairbairn’s Book of Crests, Sir Robert’s crest was being used by the Barclays of Fraserburgh and Inchedura. The 1910 Armorial Families by Arthur Charles Fox Davies the crest was used by Barclay of Knockleith and Barclay of Towie. When exactly the cap was added is unclear, although it was deemed the authentic arms by Don Pottinger (1919-1986), Lyon Clerk and Keeper of the Records of the Lyon Court.

MKP July 2020