The Hassall of Australia crest was created at the time of the 1998 bicentennial celebration, marking the arrival of Rowland and Elizabeth Hassall in Australia on 14 May 1798.
The design incorporates the basic arms and crest of the English Hassall Coat of arms which originates in Medieval times:
“An arm cut off at the shoulder and bent at the elbow … holding an arrow … the point turned downwards”
The arm signifies strength and the arrow signifies aggression. However the arm is holding the arrow pointing downwards and thence the English Hassall coat of arms motto is “Fortis and Pacis” which translates to “Strong yet Peaceful”.
The shield displays the ship “Duff” signifying their mission to the South Seas and the Bible to indicate their missionary intent and spread of the Gospel. The sheep’s head and sheaf of wheat represent the family’s pastoral and agricultural pursuits.
“Semper Fidelis” means “Always Faithful” and is an old family motto and appropriate for Rowland and Elizabeth.
We are indebted to Neil Gunson for his assistance, and to Richard Barwick for the heraldic artwork in preparation of the arms. This crest can be used by all descendants.
Historic Crest and Coat of Arms
Understanding the various family crests or “Coat of Arms” has evolved over time. A number of entries in our newsletters have provided some explanations as more information comes to light.
Little is currently known about the various family crests, or “Coat of Arms” associated with the Hassall family.
Pictured here are three different renditions:
Rowland Geoffrey Hassall – great, great grandson of Jonathan Hassall – inherited the “Hassall of England” Coat of Arms from his father (“Top Hassall”) and was led to believe it was a Hassall crest or coat of arms. He is interested to know its origin and why it is different to the English Hassall Coat of Arms which was prepared for the 1998 Hassall Family Bicentenary.
There was no such thing as a family coat of arms, or a shield or badge. Arms are granted to an individual, sometimes with the ability for it to be used by certain descendants. This would mean that the Green Coat may have been produced by one of several companies engaged in the business of selling “family coats of arms” usually with a frame
The subject of the Hassall Family coat of arms was first raised in Newsletter 4, September 1996. This was updated in newsletter 6, August 1997,
“Following several suggestions, the Committee has explored the possibility of establishing a special Bicentenary Arms, Crest and Motto in commemoration of Rowland and Elizabeth Hassall. The ‘Arms’- presented here in black and white for the first time – can be used by all Rowland and Elizabeth Hassall descendants. We are indebted to the assistance and guidance of Niel Gunson and the heraldic artwork of Richard Barwick in the preparation of the arms. The draft design incorporates the basic arms and crest of the Hassall Coat of Arms shown in Newsletter No. 4, which originates from medieval times.”
The Hassall Family’s “Australian Coat of Arms”, designed by Dick Barwick, an enthusiastic palaeontologist, displays the ship Duff to signify the mission to the South Seas, the Bible to indicate their missionary intent and spread of the Gospel, and a sheep’s head and sheaf of wheat to represent the family’s pastoral and agricultural interests
Huon Hassall met with Dick on about four occasions during his preparation of the Coat of Arms. He was proposing an Australian Heraldic Society be formed so that Australians could submit “Coat of Arms” for registration, but this does not seem to have eventuated (see reference on page 2 of newsletter No 10).
For further information, try googling College of Arms, England (or Scotland) or Chief Herald, Dublin, Ireland. Australia does not have an official Heraldic Office. The Heraldry and Genealogical Society of Canberra- HAGSOC – may have information as well.
Our newsletter has looked at this topic in previous issues. The website “House of Names” (https://www.houseofnames.com) includes the following information:
“Early Origins of the Hassall family”
The surname Hassall was first found in Cheshire at Hassall, a village and civil parish in the Borough of Cheshire East which dates to at least the Domesday Book [1086] where it was listed as Etshale as land held by William Malbank. At that time it was part of the Middlewich Hundred and was land enough for two ploughs. The place name literally means “the witch’s nook of land” derived from the Old English haegtesse + halh. By the 13th century, the place name had evolved to be spelt Hatishale. Hassall Hall is a former manor house to the east of the village and dates from the 17th century. It was upgraded in the 19th century and has since been divided into two houses. Today, the buildings are designated by the English Heritage as a Grade II listed buildings. Hassall Green is a village in the civil parish of Betchton, near Hassall.”
Henry Guppy wrote in his 1890 book “Homes of Family Names in Great Britan: “The ancient family of Hassall or Hassell possessed the lordship of the manor of the name as far back as the reign of Edward II.; in later times a branch has established itself in Nantwich.” (Guppy’s book is available at Google Books).
The first record of the family was found in Oxfordshire in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, John de Hassett. It was not until 1299 when we find a Cheshire entry, that of Henry de Hasshal, there in 1299.
The website, 4crests.com, adds this additional interesting information:
“Habitation names are derived from names denoting towns, villages, farmsteads or other named places, which include rivers, houses with signs on them, regions, or whole counties. The original bearer of the name who stayed in his area might be known by the name of his farm, or the locality in the parish; someone who moved to another town might be known by the name of his village; while someone who moved to another county could acquire the name of that county or the region from which he originated.
A notable member of the name was Odd Hassell who was born in Oslo in 1897. He was professor of chemistry there from 1934, and he developed the idea of a chemical analysis for which he won the Nobel prize for chemistry in 1969. The rise of surnames, according to the accepted theory, was due to the Norman Conquest of 1066 when Old English personal-names were rapidly superseded by the new Christian names introduced by the Normans. Of these, only a few were really popular and in the 12th century this scarcity of Christian names led to the increasing use of surnames to distinguish the numerous individuals of the same name. Some Normans had hereditary surnames before they came to England, but there is evidence that surnames would have developed in England even had there been no Norman Conquest. The development of the feudal system made it essential that the king should know exactly what service each person owed. Payments to and by the exchequer required that debtors and creditors should be particularized, and it became official that each individual acquired exact identification.” (taken from http://www.4crests.com/hassall-coat-of-arms.html )
Note that the websites houseofnames.com and 4crests.com display different Hassall family crests.
