Bernard Joseph “Joe” Brown CBE, JP, FRICS had a long and distinguished career of public service, including his role as High Sheriff of the City of London 1977-78.  He was Master of the Worshipful Company of Fletchers in 1986-87.  He was awarded the CBE in the 1982 New Years’ Honours.  Mr Brown’s shrieval badge and armorial bearings are displayed at Farmers’ and Fletchers’ Hall as shown above.

The armorial bearings are mounted on a model of Alders Gate, a northern entrance gate to the City of London in the Ward which Mr Brown represented.  Inscribed on the two columns are the badges of the Royal Artillery & Combined Operations in which Mr Brown served 1939 – 46, the Round Table and the United Wards Club of the City of London of which he was a member.

The helmet on the armorial bearings denotes an Esquire.  Above this is the Barbican Tower on the Roman wall which was visible from Mr Brown’s residence in the Barbican.  Coming out of the Tower on the left-hand side is the Shrieval Fist grasping a bundle of Fletchers’ arrows (five arrows for five children).  Surmounting the Tower is a jay for Mr Brown’s familiar name of Joe.  Also above the helmet is a wreath indicating the National Colours, and above that foliage for Mr Brown’s country home.

Below the helmet is the shield.  This contains three lesser shields each having a Saxon cross taken from the arms of the Greater London Council, and a seaxe, a Saxon sword taken from the Middlesex arms.  The chevron is from the Fletchers’ Company coat of arms with at the apex the fasces (a bound bundle of sticks with hatchet denoting a Magistrate).  St Paul’s sword (the City of London arms) is shown on both sides of the chevron.  The wavy blue lines across the shield indicate Mr Brown’s membership of the Thames Water Authority and the River Thames Advisory Committee of the London Tourist Board.