Lawrence John Patten (we know him as Laurie) was born in Southampton, England, in 1930. He went to school in Taunton, after which he attended the Southampton and Brighton School of Arts and Crafts for some years, his major interest being – as it has remained – heraldic art and graphics.
In 1954, after a three-year stint in the RAF, – during which time he married his wonderfully hospitable wife, Lynn – Laurie emigrated to Canada, settling in BC and working initially as a sign-painter and hardware store proprietor. His interest in heraldry continued, however, and he was asked from time to time to paint arms for persons who had received grants under the old British system. In 1977, this interest led him to join the Heraldry Society of Canada and to assist in the formation of the new BC/Yukon Branch. Later he became its President for at least five years – longer than any other incumbent.
After the foundation of the CHA in 1988, Laurie became one of its “consultants”, assisting applicants with the design of their arms and with the initial graphics. About this time, he was also commissioned to paint the arms of all Canadian medical schools for display at the Ottawa headquarters of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. While continuing to paint in the traditional manner, Laurie found himself intrigued by the new technique of computer graphics. While the technique had not at this time been applied seriously to the matter of emblazonment, he was one of the rare artists to see its potential, – especially in its ability to reproduce identical copies of a piece of heraldic art, or of individual charges. This has proved to be one of his most useful tools, since, for example, it enables one to produce multiple high-resolution reproductions of a single heraldic creation, adding such features as cadency differences, but without having to reproduce a whole new painting.
Using his original artistic talent while combining it with computer graphics, Laurie produced an astonishing amount of work. In cooperation with with Cowichan Herald (our old friend Graham Anderson), he created numerous computer-driven armorial sketches and library drawings. He produced high-resolution heraldic graphics for his Branch publication, the BC Blazon. He has been very involved with genealogical research and the creation of computer-illuminated family trees, combining text with heraldic graphics. He painted shields for all the Canadian Anglican dioceses, for display in Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria.
Laurie's most extensive project to date has been the replacement of all the shields of Canadian Governors General and visiting royalty at Government House in Victoria – a task supported in part by our Society. Since the shields were to be mounted at eye level on the house's grand staircase, their creation required an entirely new technique, combining computer graphics and a process called “sublimation”, which protected the artwork from touching by curious spectators. This has been a huge project of historic significance to Government House.
Although now technically “retired”, Laurie has, as always, continued to serve both heraldry and the Heraldry Society, supporting its aims and that of the BC/Yukon Branch. He has continued to adapt the use of computer graphics to produce such items as table shields, certificates and line drawings for use by other crafts. After illustrating arms for so many others, he was granted his own armorial bearings (shown below) in 1994.
Laurie continues to work for the RHSC, producing table shields for individual members and doing his usual superb job on the Society's various certificates, for both awards of merit and heraldic proficiency. He continues to be an active member of the BC/Yukon Branch. In summary, then, this quiet unassuming man has, over a great many years, been one of our Society's most valuable members.
Honours
- 2002 Craftsman to the UK Society of Heraldic Arts
- 2002 Silver Jubilee Medal
- 2000 Fellow of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada
- 1994 Honorary Grant of Arms, Canadian Heraldic Authority, Ottawa