Nevile Wilkinson

Major Sir Nevile Rodwell Wilkinson, KCVO (26 October 1869 – 22 December 1940) was a British officer of arms, British Army officer, author and a dollhouse designer. Early life and military career Wilkinson was born in Highgate, Middlesex, the son of a barrister. He was educated at Harrow School and entered the Royal Military College, Sandhurst in 1889. He was commissioned into the Coldstream Guards in 1890, promoted lieutenant on 1 July 1896, and captain on 1 April 1899. He served twice with his regiment in the Second Boer War, the second time from April 1902 when he was in command of reinforcements of 250 officers and men. They left Southampton in the troopship Dilwara on 15 April, arriving in South Africa the following month. He retired from the army in 1907. He returned to service in the First World War as a staff officer, initially as a staff captain in the embarkation headquarters of the British Expeditionary Force, then as a deputy assistant quartermaster general (DAAG) from July 1915, as commandant of an advanced base (with the temporary rank of major) from November 1915, DAAG again from June 1916 and staff captain again from August 1917 to March 1919. He was granted the brevet rank of major in the reserve of officers on 3 June 1916 and the substantive rank of major on 9 May 1918. Heraldic career The office of Ulster King of Arms, Principal Herald of Ireland, was created 1552 by Edward VI, with full jurisdiction over Irish heraldry. There were two disparate heraldic traditions in Ireland at that time – the old Gaelic Irish tradition, and the Norman and Anglo-Irish traditions which were part of the European heraldic mainstream. At this time, Ulster King of Arms was Principal officer of arms of all Ireland.