The Guildhall in Plymouth

Plymouth

May 14, 2012

 

Ancestry research

I went over to the Guildhall, which was mostly rebuilt after the war, but was dismayed to see the bunch from some tattoo event there cleaning up. Apparently they'd be there all day, so I had to tread carefully over floor cloths and around tables while burly guys toted equipment out.

 

I wasn't too sure what I was looking for. There is supposed to be a window there dedicated to my great-great-great-grandfather, Thomas Stevens the mayor. I found three in one room that were like stained glass church windows. In a main hall were windows with pictures painted on - quite amateurish. There was also supposed to be a coat of arms. A shield/crest is in that room but no one in the building could tell me what it was for. There was writing on the wall below it but it was all covered by portable walls. I asked when they might come down - thought about going back the next day but was informed that some do for the mayor was being set up when the tattoo people were finished so the Guildhall would be closed all week. Luckily a helpful, non-tattooed man came along and moved the walls away for me. Didn't see anything related to my family there.

 

 

These pictures appear to be stuck on the glass, like Mac Tac.

Carvings on the ceiling supposedly depict the labours of Hercules.

The shield and panels were all behind the movable walls before the nice man moved them aside. The top part of the design on the shield is like part of the town's coat of arms.

I would think the window was lost when the building was gutted in the war, but can't find any info to confirm. Somewhere was stated that the Arms was formerly in the guildhall, and was in the window. I would have liked to have seen it. Apparently it had (a?) chevron azure and two eagles. In searching on the internet I learned something about colours used in heraldry...

There are five colours and two metals that may be used in heraldry, called tinctures. They use French names and are:

• Or (gold)
• Argent (silver)
• Gules (red)
• Azure (blue)
• Vert (green)
• Sable (black)
• Purpure (purple)
  
  
• Less common tinctures include:
• Tenne (orange or light brown)
• Sanguine (dark red)
• Murrey (dark purple)
• Bleu Celeste (light blue)
• Carnation (flesh coloured)
• Cendree (grey)
  These are, however, much rarer than the seven above.

Not related as far as I know, but Tozer is a name in our family. This man, Clifford Tozer, was alderman in 1952.

Outside, not far from the Guildhall, sit the remains of Charles Church, shown here with the mall in behind.

Thomas Stevens, mentioned above, was born in Plymouth in 1799 and was baptized in Charles Church on January 3rd, 1800.