Stained-glass window displaying the armorial bearings of Sir Hugh Poate
[Click on the image for a closer look.]
Sir Hugh Poate’s Coat of Arms (armorial bearings) displayed as a stained-glass panel, depicts a shield displaying an inverted blue chevron on a gold background, above which is a bar showing what appears to be two Australian parrots on either side of a central Tudor rose.
The Latin motto in the scroll below, ‘Conabimur’ means ‘We will try to’. The bird atop the crowned helmet appears to be an Australian crested pigeon. Charles Campbell (Priory Secretary 1975–1997) said that this stained-glass had been a window in the Poate family home at 38 Victoria Road, Bellevue Hill, Sydney.
Sir Hugh Poate (1884–1961):
- St John Ambulance Brigade Commissioner in New South Wales, 1926–1941.
- Commander, Commandery of the Commonwealth of Australia (exclusive of Western Australia), 1941–1946. As Commander, Sir Hugh headed the first effective St John Ambulance federal structure in Australia.
- Inaugural Priory Chancellor, 1946–1961
The panel is mounted on display at the Australia Office in Canberra.