In the early 1480s Richard III incorporated the College of Arms, to oversee the granting and use of Arms. In the 1500s the regulations were much tightened: a property requirement of land worth ｣100 per annum, or property of ｣300 per annum was introduced and control over the use of arms was tightened. From 1530 the King of Arms made Visitations of the country to examine claims. After considering the evidence provided by the family, they either confirmed or disclaimed the right. A large number of pedigrees were collected.

The Visitations took place between 1530 and 1686, at roughly twenty or thirty year intervals. Other published Visitations for Cheshire exist for 1533, 1580, 1613, 1633.

From The Heraldic Visitation of Cheshire, 1580 :

Argent, on a cross flory between four martlets Gules, a martlet Or;
a canton Azure, charged with a crescent for difference, Gold.

What the crest signifies

Argent (silver or white) : Peace and sincerity
Azure (blue) : Truth and loyalty
Canton : As in a flag borne at the top corner of the shield; reward from the sovereign for performance of eminent service
Crescent : One who has been honored by the sovereign; hope of greater glory (horns to the chief)
Cross flory (cross flowered at each end) : One who has conquered
Gold : Generosity and elevation of the mind
Gules (red) : Warrior or martyr; Military strength and magnanimity
Martlet (footless swallow) : Symbol of the fourth son (mark of difference); may signify one who has to subsist by virtue and merit, not inheritance

Copies of the text are illustrated below.

In the early 1480s Richard III incorporated the College of Arms, to oversee the granting and use of Arms. In the 1500s the regulations were much tightened: a property requirement of land worth ｣100 per annum, or property of ｣300 per annum was introduced and control over the use of arms was tightened. From 1530 the King of Arms made Visitations of the country to examine claims. After considering the evidence provided by the family, they either confirmed or disclaimed the right. A large number of pedigrees were collected.

The Visitations took place between 1530 and 1686, at roughly twenty or thirty year intervals. Other published Visitations for Cheshire exist for 1533, 1580, 1613, 1633.

From The Heraldic Visitation of Cheshire, 1580 :

Argent, on a cross flory between four martlets Gules, a martlet Or;
a canton Azure, charged with a crescent for difference, Gold.

What the crest signifies

Argent (silver or white) : Peace and sincerity
Azure (blue) : Truth and loyalty
Canton : As in a flag borne at the top corner of the shield; reward from the sovereign for performance of eminent service
Crescent : One who has been honored by the sovereign; hope of greater glory (horns to the chief)
Cross flory (cross flowered at each end) : One who has conquered
Gold : Generosity and elevation of the mind
Gules (red) : Warrior or martyr; Military strength and magnanimity
Martlet (footless swallow) : Symbol of the fourth son (mark of difference); may signify one who has to subsist by virtue and merit, not inheritance

Copies of the text are illustrated below.

The Merkara was a steamship operated by the British India Steamship Company. Between 1881 and 1896 it made an incredible 31 voyages from London to Queensland, averaging just 57 days.

The Merkara inaugurated a new regular mail service on 12th Feb 1881 when she left London for Naples, Suez, Colombo, Batavia, Cooktown, Townsville, Rockhampton and Brisbane; arriving on 13th April. This service filled a gap left by other shipping companies which tended to concentrate on the Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney routes. A four weekly service was run with the Merkara, Roma, Almora, Chyebassa and Dorunda. All were barquentine rigged, single funneled vessels of between 2600 and 3000 tons with a service speed of around 10 knots. They also chartered the "Durham" until delivery of their new vessels "Compta" and "Camorta" in late 1881 enabled the company to operate the service with their own vessels.

The "Merkara" made her last sailing in Oct 1896 and was broken up in Bombay in 1901.

The Merkara

Code letters : PDCW
Official registration # : 71749
Master : Captain Withers, appointed to the Shipping Line in 1872 and to the ship in 1886
Rigging : iron single screw Schooner; 2 decks, 1 of iron & 1 partly of iron; 3 tiers of beams; 6 cemented bulkheads.
Tonnage : 3,094 tons gross, 2,919 under deck and 1,996 net.
Dimensions : 368.2 feet long, 37.2 foot beam and holds 28.5 feet deep.
Construction : 1875, William Denny & Bros., Dumbarton.
Propulsion : compound engine with 2 inverted cylinders of 47 & 82 inches diameter respectively; stroke 48 inches; operating at 65 p.s.i.; 400 horsepower; engine by the builders
Owners : British India Associated Steamers Ltd.
Port of registry : Glasgow

The Merkara was a steamship operated by the British India Steamship Company. Between 1881 and 1896 it made an incredible 31 voyages from London to Queensland, averaging just 57 days.

The Merkara inaugurated a new regular mail service on 12th Feb 1881 when she left London for Naples, Suez, Colombo, Batavia, Cooktown, Townsville, Rockhampton and Brisbane; arriving on 13th April. This service filled a gap left by other shipping companies which tended to concentrate on the Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney routes. A four weekly service was run with the Merkara, Roma, Almora, Chyebassa and Dorunda. All were barquentine rigged, single funneled vessels of between 2600 and 3000 tons with a service speed of around 10 knots. They also chartered the "Durham" until delivery of their new vessels "Compta" and "Camorta" in late 1881 enabled the company to operate the service with their own vessels.

The "Merkara" made her last sailing in Oct 1896 and was broken up in Bombay in 1901.

The Merkara

Code letters : PDCW

Official registration # : 71749

Master : Captain Withers, appointed to the Shipping Line in 1872 and to the ship in 1886

Rigging : iron single screw Schooner; 2 decks, 1 of iron & 1 partly of iron; 3 tiers of beams; 6 cemented bulkheads.

Tonnage : 3,094 tons gross, 2,919 under deck and 1,996 net.

Dimensions : 368.2 feet long, 37.2 foot beam and holds 28.5 feet deep.

Construction : 1875, William Denny & Bros., Dumbarton.

Propulsion : compound engine with 2 inverted cylinders of 47 & 82 inches diameter respectively; stroke 48 inches; operating at 65 p.s.i.; 400 horsepower; engine by the builders

Owners : British India Associated Steamers Ltd.

Port of registry : Glasgow

Capital city : Melbourne

Chapman county code : VIC (complete list of codes)

The state of Victoria covers an area on the south east of the continent. The Bird family have lived in various places around Victoria over the years.

Capital city : Melbourne

Chapman county code : VIC (complete list of codes)

The state of Victoria covers an area on the south east of the continent. The Bird family have lived in various places around Victoria over the years.

Chapman county code : STS (complete list of codes)

The county of Staffordshire is in the English Midlands, covering an area to the north and west of Birmingham [see 1631 map]. The Bird, Chetwynd, Wells, Shaw and Wormington families have lived in various places around Staffordshire over the years, including Halesowen, Kings Norton, Smethwick, Tamworth and West Bromwich.

Resources

Brief history of Smethwick
Old county maps of England
Maps of various English counties as they were in 1886.
Cyndi's List : Staffordshire
History of Staffordshire
A brief history of the county.
County map
Map of Staffordshire County from expedia.com.
Staffordshire Registration Service
Responsible for registration of births, deaths and marriages in Staffordshire.
This is Staffordshire
An online Staffordshire newspaper.
Sue's Staffordshire Family History Research Service
Sue is researching the surnames LOTE, LOCKE, DERRY and GLOVER in the Staffordshire area. Research services are available in the Staffordshire area for a small fee.
Staffordshire Look-up Exchange
A list of various Staffordshire historical records (such as census listings, marriage indexes) together with the names of people willing to perform lookups on them. An invaluable resource.
Black Country Maps
Maps of the Black Country put together in the 1830s and 1880s.
Derbyshire Photographic Services
Have the location of your ancestor's childhood, marriage etc professionally photographed by a local photgrapher with excellent knowledge of the area's history. Services available for anywhere in the counties of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire.
Stoke-on-Trent maps
Maps of Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire, dated 1890.
This is Halesowen
Birmingham UK : Halesowen
Yeltz MAD
Halesowen pubs

Chapman county code : STS (complete list of codes)

The county of Staffordshire is in the English Midlands, covering an area to the north and west of Birmingham [see 1631 map]. The Bird, Chetwynd, Wells, Shaw and Wormington families have lived in various places around Staffordshire over the years, including Halesowen, Kings Norton, Smethwick, Tamworth and West Bromwich.

Resources

Brief history of Smethwick
Old county maps of England
Maps of various English counties as they were in 1886.
Cyndi's List : Staffordshire
History of Staffordshire
A brief history of the county.
County map
Map of Staffordshire County from expedia.com.
Staffordshire Registration Service
Responsible for registration of births, deaths and marriages in Staffordshire.
This is Staffordshire
An online Staffordshire newspaper.
Sue's Staffordshire Family History Research Service
Sue is researching the surnames LOTE, LOCKE, DERRY and GLOVER in the Staffordshire area. Research services are available in the Staffordshire area for a small fee.
Staffordshire Look-up Exchange
A list of various Staffordshire historical records (such as census listings, marriage indexes) together with the names of people willing to perform lookups on them. An invaluable resource.
Black Country Maps
Maps of the Black Country put together in the 1830s and 1880s.
Derbyshire Photographic Services
Have the location of your ancestor's childhood, marriage etc professionally photographed by a local photgrapher with excellent knowledge of the area's history. Services available for anywhere in the counties of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire.
Stoke-on-Trent maps
Maps of Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire, dated 1890.
This is Halesowen
Birmingham UK : Halesowen
Yeltz MAD
Halesowen pubs

Capital city : Sydney

Chapman county code : NSW (complete list of codes)

The state of New South Wales covers a large area on the east of the continent. The Bird family have lived in various places around New South Wales over the years, including Grafton, Lismore and Sydney.

Capital city : Sydney

Chapman county code : NSW (complete list of codes)

The state of New South Wales covers a large area on the east of the continent. The Bird family have lived in various places around New South Wales over the years, including Grafton, Lismore and Sydney.