Bird family, of Drybridge House, Hereford

Arms of Bird, of Drybridge House, Hereford

Blazon  

Shield: Argent, a cross flory between four martlets gules, on a canton azure a mullet or.

Crest: A martlet gules.

Motto: Cruce spes mea.

The Bird family of Drybridge House, St.Martin's, Hereford, claimed descent from the Birds of Chester.

Among their number were:

The Rev. Charles John Bird (11 Jul 1777- Dec 1854), born at Drybridge House, he becamc vicar of Mordiford. In 1827 he wrote a book called A practical exposition of the Apostles' creed, by a clergyman of the Church of England. On 19 May 1803 he married Harriet Jones.

His brother Dr. George Gwynne Bird (1779-1863) was a doctor in Breconshire but eventually emigrated to Canada, where he died in 1863 in Bowmanville, Upper Canada (now Ontario). He married Elizabeth Priest, and among their children was:

Dr. George Gwynne Bird (1803-1863), who followed his father into the medical profession and became a well-respected doctor in Swansea. He served as Mayor of Swansea 1842-43 and also as a justice of the peace. Amoag his children were:

Dr. George Gwynne Bird (1844-1410), the third of that name and third doctor, who lived and practised in London.

Heraldry

The Birds of Hereford used the same arms as their reputed Chester ancestors but with the addition of a gold mullet (star) on the blue canton. Some sources say they also added a crescent for difference, indicating descent from a second son. These are an example of canting arms, where charges on the shield reflect the person's name.

The chain of office of the mayor (now lord mayor) of Swansea was commissioned in 1876 and contains arms of the mayors from 1835 (when the office was created) to 1875. However, for George Gwynne Bird it omits the gold mullet which distinguishes the Hereford family from their Chester ancestors.

Sources

• Bird of Drybridge House, in Burke’s Landed Gentry 1847-49 vol.1.

• Bird pedigree

• Francis, George Grant. Notes on a gold chain of office presented to the Corporation of Swansea in the year 1875 .... Swansea, 1876.

• Dr G. Gwynne Bird. of Swansea, in The Monmouthshire Merlin, 26 August 1853.

• Strong, George. The Heraldry of Herefordshire: being a collection of the armorial bearings of families which have been seated in the county at various periods down to the present time. Together with the Commission of the Peace for 1847, etc.. London, 1848.

• Obituary (Dr George Gwynne Bird). The Hospital, 28 May 1910.