The Ancient History and Armorial Bearings of the Family of de Huby/Juby

Owners of the Manor of Huby

The family takes its name from the manor of Huby in Leicestershire which we owned from circa 1141 (the first recorded entry being when Anketill de Huby was fined the sum of £11.13s 4d in order to keep his army, having backed the wrong side in the Stephen-Matilda wars) until it passed out of the family during the Wars of the Roses. The first recorded pedigree starts 6HenIII (1222) with Alanus de Houby and Collins' Roll (circa 1295) records the shield of Gilbert de Houby as Azure a bend between six mullets Argent. Other contemporary versions show the mullets as spur rowels pierced, some Gules. By 1374 a junior branch was established in East Anglia by John de Houby together with the advent of the phonetic spelling of Juby. We have been farming there ever since, although we have tended to spread further afield since the 1800s.

Connections with farming, medicine, Yorkshire and the Rose Theatre, Southwark

This, then, is the back-ground to the family Arms. With no crest, badge or motto and, at that time, a yet-to-be established right to the de Huby Arms (differenced or otherwise) the Crown, through the Earl Marshall, authorised the use of Vert a chevron paly (of six) Argent and Gules between in chief two roses Argent seeded proper and in base a triangular harrow Or. This reflected the farming background, the medical profession and connections with Yorkshire (via Gilbert de Houby's marriage to Maude, sister and co-heiress of John de Kirkby, Chancellor of England). The rose also alluded to the fact that an ancestor, Edward Juby was the actor-manager of the Rose Theatre near to the Globe in Southwark and was a contempory of Shakespeare. The crest was a demi-bear proper muzzled Gules and holding in the paws a fleam Or (another reference to medicine). The Motto, "Depositum Custodi" (keep what is placed in your custody) was an oblique reference to trying to regain the Arms, losing the original land (we also lost the manor of Sutton Cheyney & Anabin over which the battle of Bosworth was fought vide supra and the manor of Helperby in Yorkshire which was stolen from us by the Church in the 14th Century) as well as being a reference to the confidentiality of the medical consultation. The eldest son bears "Sub Rosa" for his motto as another difference. With Sir Walter Verco, KCVO, Norroy and Ulster King of Arms acting as my agent the Letters Patent were signed and sealed by Garter Wagner and Clarenceux Walker on the 25th March 1974. The inclusion of the cornish chough on the patent was taken from the Arms of, and alluded, to Sir Walter.

The Family Badge

By Letters Patent signed and sealed by Garter Cole and Clarenceux Wagner on the 10th March 1981 a Badge and Standard were Granted. The Badge, to my own design, consisted of an Egyptian ankh Gules (the sign of long life and health, again reflecting medicine) surmounted of a rose Argent, barbed and seeded proper (as in the Arms).

Use in Scotland

The Arms were Matriculated for use in Scotland on the 20th January 1982 and remain so today. The Badge, despite being Granted by the same Sovereign, is not recognised in Scotland since this technically makes me a Clan Chief (which, as head of the family, is what I am in the rest of the world!). Despite a shrinking Clan system, which worries Scottish authorities, they refuse to recognise Badges legitimately Granted beyond their borders. I have often threatened to assemble English (and other) "Badged" armigers so that we may march north of the border with drums beating and standards raised. They can't lock us all up at once as there would not be enough room.

de Huby Differenced

By 1990 Bernard had finally amassed sufficient proofs and obtained the agreement of Norroy and Ulster for the Grant of de Huby suitably differenced. My suggestion that, in keeping with past family practice of showing 'differences' on the bend, elements from the 1974 Grant were used and were accepted by Norroy and Ulster and, subsequently, Garter Cole and the Arms of de Huby differenced by charging the bend with a green strip bearing a golden triangular harrow between two white roses was formally approved. The crest, motto and Badge remained as before.

This translates as: Azure on a bend Vert fimbriated between six mullets Argent a triangular harrow Or between two roses also Argent barbed and seeded proper.

The Letters Patent were signed and sealed by Garter Swan.

The Family of Lines

My wife, Pamela is the Armorial heiress of her late father, William Edward Lines. As such I bear the Arms of Lines in pretence - i.e. on a small shield in the centre of my own - 

"Azure a bend Argent cotised wavy Or between six cinquefoils of the second."

[See also "Juby-Lines Arms" infra.]

The early pedigree of ancient House of de Houby (Juby)

The pedigree lodged at the College of Arms starts with Alan de HOUBY of Houby, Co. Leics. 6 Hen III (1222)

The Arms are first recorded on the Collins' Roll (circa 1295) as "Azure a bend between six mullets Argent"

The pedigree is also reproduced via the pedigree of the heirs of Kirkby of Medbourne and is supported by various State Papers (e.g. Inq. Post Mortem, Close Rolls, etc)

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