Last modified: 2008-12-20 by rob raeside
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Today's edition of The Times (London) newspaper reports that yesterday the
Centenary Service of the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor was held St.
Paul's Cathedral. During the course of the service the Pennons of the Society,
the Spurs, the Sword Chivalry [sic], and the Pennons were brought into St.
Paul's and presented to the Prelate of the Society, the (Anglican) Bishop of
London, who also dedicated the new Chapel of the Society.
I know a bit
about the Knights Bachelor, but I was unaware that they had their own Society.
The Sword and the Spurs are traditional symbols of knighthood and the Pennon
traditionally tipped the lance of a knight
Ron Lahav, 14 November 2008
The knights have a website at
http://www.iskb.co.uk/history.htm. The Pennon and the Banner are seen &
described at
http://www.iskb.co.uk/TODAY.htm:
"Each year a Service of Dedication is
held in the Society's Chapel and the Knight Principal, the Registrar (carrying
the Ceremonial Sword Chivalry) and the Treasurer (carrying the Spurs symbolic of
Knighthood) process with the Prelate (The Bishop of London), the Council and the
Imperial Society's Chaplain to the Knights' Altar. An Esquire carries the Pennon
of the Imperial Society."
and
"The Council in 1999 authorised the hanging
of a banner in the Chapel of the Imperial Society. This was designed by the
Registrar and made by Turtle and Pearce of Tower Bridge, London, using real gold
leaf. The Banner shows the Arms of the Society and measures five feet by five
feet. It was consecrated at the Annual Service by the Prelate."
Jan
Mertens, 14 November 2008
The "banner" is, as we know, a "banner of arms" (as per the Law of Arms),
whilst their "pennon" is in the swallow-tailed form traditional (that is dating
from the medieval period) to a "knight bachelor", who would "cut" his pennon
into a square-tailed lance flag when and if promoted to the rank of "knight
banneret" (or if you prefer, a knight given
a military command over other knights).
Christopher Southworth, 15
November 2008