Thomas Woodcock (officer of arms)

Sir Thomas Woodcock KCVO DL
Woodcock, Norroy and Ulster King of Arms, processing at the Garter Ceremony, 2006.

Garter Principal King of Arms
In office 1 April 2010 – 1 July 2021
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Preceded by	Sir Peter Gwynn-Jones
Succeeded by	David White

Personal details
Born	(1951-05-20) 20 May 1951 (age 72)
Nationality	British
Spouse	Lucinda Harmsworth King (m. 1998)
Education	University College, Durham; Darwin College, Cambridge
Alma mater	Eton College
Awards	Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (2021) Officer of the Order of Saint John (2018)

Sir Thomas Woodcock KCVO DL FSA FHS FRHSC (born 20 May 1951) is a genealogist who served as Garter Principal King of Arms at the College of Arms from 2010 to 2021.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Early life

Woodcock was educated at Eton College before going up to University College, Durham, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then pursued further studies at Darwin College, Cambridge, becoming LLB. He was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple.

Woodcock began his heraldic career in 1975 as a research assistant to Sir Anthony Wagner, Garter King of Arms. In 1978 he was appointed Rouge Croix Pursuivant.^[4] In 1982 he was promoted to Somerset Herald,^[5] becoming Norroy and Ulster in 1997,^[6] then Garter Principal King of Arms on 1 April 2010.^[7] On 1 July 2021, Woodcock retired as Garter as well as his other heraldic and genealogical offices.^[8]

In 1998, Woodcock married Lucinda Harmsworth King.^[9]

Elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London (FSA) on 3 March 1990,^[16] he was awarded the SAL's Society Medal in 2015.^[17] He was also elected a Fellow of The Heraldry Society (FHS) on 26 June 1996.^[18]

Coat of arms of Thomas Woodcock
	Adopted 20 April 1961 Crest Out of a circlet or charged with three roses gules barbed and seeded proper a dexter arm embowed in armour also proper garnished gold, the hand grasping a scimitar likewise proper hilt and pommel gold. Escutcheon Or on a bend cotised gules three cross crosslets fitchy of the field.^[19] Motto Leges Juraque Serva ("Observe the laws and ordinances") Orders the circlet of the Royal Victorian Order as KCVO.

^ The College of Arms Newsletter No. 21 (June 2009)
^ "RHSC Honorary Fellows". www.heraldry.ca. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
^ "Garter King of Arms, 02 July 2021". College of Arms. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
^ "No. 47661". The London Gazette. 12 October 1978. p. 12091.
^ "No. 49155". The London Gazette. 1 November 1982. p. 14201.
^ "No. 54756". The London Gazette. 6 May 1997. p. 5349.
^ "No. 59385". The London Gazette. 8 April 2010. p. 6033.
^ "No. 63408". The London Gazette. 5 July 2021. p. 77.
^ "Thomas Woodcock". www. burkespeerage.com. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
^ "No. 54427". The London Gazette. 14 June 1996. p. 4.
^ "No. 59808". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 2011. p. 4.
^ "No. 63377". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 2021. p. B4.
^ The College of Arms Newsletter no. 51 (July 2017)
^ "No. 62346". The London Gazette. 6 July 2018. p. 1.
^ "No. 57843". The London Gazette. 16 December 2005. p. 16252.
^ "Mr Thomas Woodcock". The Society of Antiquaries of London. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
^ "About the Fellowship". The Society of Antiquaries of London. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
^ "Fellows and Honorary Fellows of The Heraldry Society". The Heraldry Society. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
^ Chesshyre, Hubert (2001). Heralds of today: A biographical list of the officers of the College of Arms, London, 1987–2001. London: Illuminata. ISBN 0953784517.

Heraldic offices
Preceded by Hubert Chesshyre	Rouge Croix Pursuivant 1978–1982	Succeeded by Sir Henry Paston-Bedingfeld
Preceded by Rodney Dennys	Somerset Herald 1982–1997	Succeeded by David White
Preceded by Hubert Chesshyre	Norroy and Ulster King of Arms 1997–2010	Succeeded by Patric Dickinson
Preceded by Sir Peter Gwynn-Jones	Garter Principal King of Arms 2010–2021	Succeeded by David White