Coat of Arms

In early 1952, BOA President Sir Reginald Watson Jones, acting on behalf of the Executive Committee, petitioned the Duke of Norfolk, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, Earl Marshal and Hereditary Marshal of England for a royal Grant of Arms. The request was agreed by the Duke on 9 May 1952, and the grant was effected by a formal deed with the authority of the Garter Principal King of Arms, Clarenceux King of Arms and Norroy and Ulster King of Arms on 16 July.

The transcript of the last part of the Grant reads, “Know ye therefore that We the said Garter, Clarenceux and Norroy and Ulster in pursuance of His Grace’s Warrant and by virtue of the Letters Patent of Our several offices to each of us respectively granted do by these Presents grant and assign the Arms following for the British Orthopaedic Association that is to say:- Azure a Scamnum between two cords nowed Or on a Chief paly of four Gules and Gold a Lion passant guardant counterchanged And for the Crest On a wreath of the Colours On a Mount Vert a young Plane tree in leaf with a crooked stem bound with cords to a straight post on the dexter all proper. And by the Authority aforesaid I the said Garter do by these Presents further grant and assign the Supporters following for the British Orthopaedic Association that is to say:- On the dexter side a representation of Hippocrates habited Azure supporting with his exterior hand a ladder from which a rung has been removed and on the sinister side a representation of Aesculapius habited Argent supporting with his exterior hand his staff all proper the whole to be borne and used for ever hereafter for the British Orthopaedic Association on Seals, Shields or otherwise according to the Laws of Arms.”

The scamnum was used in the treatment of fractures and dislocations two centuries ago. The knots on each side of the scamnum were reproduced with accuracy from early Hippocratic illustrations. The ladder held by Hippocrates has one rung removed as it usually was removed in the treatment for dislocations of the shoulder so that the patient would not break his neck. Aesculapius with rod and serpent is supporter on the left side. The crest is a tree with twisted trunk bound to a straight post, copied from Andry’s ‘Orthopaedia’ - probably the first published volume on the prevention and correction of deformity. A plane tree was selected because it was beneath a plane that Hippocrates stood at Cos to teach his disciples. The mount below includes the English rose, the Welsh daffodil and the Scottish thistle.

The motto on the British grant of arms is the single word ‘Recte’ which is to be translated not only as straightly but uprightly - befitting, proper and good.

The emblem, the tree of Andry, is now also incorporated in the Presidential badges of our fellow associations in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, with an American eagle, a maple leaf, a spray of wattle, a kowhai flower and a giant protea respectively.