DIOCESE OF ZULULAND
Diocese established in 1870, a division of the Diocese of Maritzburg.
Cathedral: Pro-Cathedral of St Vincent, Isandhlwana (until about 1895); Pro-Cathedral of St Peter’s, Vryheid; most recently St Michael and All Angels, Eshowe.
Arms as in use from 1870 to 1954. The blazon reads:
Sable, a bamboo cross eradicated at the foot proper; on a canton Azure a mullet, Argent; a base Vert charged with an anchor Or.
Brownell writes: “This version of the arms which contravenes the heraldic colour rule was borne by the Diocese from 1870-1954.
“The cross represents the bamboo (sometimes referred to as wooden) cross erected over the grave of Bishop Charles McKenzie of Central Africa, in whose memory the See was founded in 1870. McKenzie was the first Missionary Bishop sent out by the Anglican Church in a thousand years.
“The black field alludes to ‘Darkest Africa’, the anchor in base links the arms to those of the Metropolitan See, while the blue canton and star links the arms with those of the Diocese of Natal, out of which Zululand was taken. The addition by the
College of Arms in 1954 of a border around the canton largely corrected the false heraldry in the earlier versions of these arms.”
Brownell also shows a second version of the arms of the Diocese of Zululand, as illustrated in Woodward’s Ecclesiastical Heraldry:
Sable, a wooden cross proper, on a champagne in base Vert an anchor (Or?), in chief on a canton Azure an estoile Argent.
Brownell writes: “This is a variant of the arms illustrated in Crockford’s Clerical Directory, which were borne by the diocese from 1870-1954. The cross in this version lacks
the segments found in bamboo, although the roots are those of bamboo. Although Woodward describes the star as being an estoile, i e with wavy rays, it is depicted as an ordinary six-pointed star. The anchor is depicted as Argent although he has questioned whether or not it should be Or.
Webmaster’s note: Although the cross is in both instances blazoned as being proper, the simplest course was to make it the
same yellow as the gold of the anchor (as shown in the original diocesan arms).
Bishops:
The first Bishop of Zululand was T E Wilkinson, who served until 1875. His successor, D McKenzie, was appointed only in 1880. Succeeding McKenzie were W M Carter (consecrated 1891), W L Vyvyan (1903), C A W Aylen (1930), A W Lee (1935) and E J Trapp (1947). Bishop Trapp was in office when the diocese was granted arms
by the College of Arms in 1954.
Afrikaanse blasoen:
Die oorspronklike wapen mag soos volg geblasoeneer word:
In swart, ’n ontwortelde bamboeskruis van natuurlike kleur; op ’n vryhoek van blou ’n silwer vyfpuntige ster; ’n groen skildvoet belaai met ’n goue anker.
Woodward se variasie op die wapen is:
In swart, ’n ontwortelde houtkruis van natuurlike kleur; op ’n groen skildvoet’n goue anker; op ’n vryhoek van blou ’n golwende sespuntige ster (van goud?).
