CHAPTER FOUR

The Search

In The Arms of Breakey (de Brequet), Dr. Edward P. Breakey (1963a, p.3) states that the arms were confirmed to John Breakey of Drumskelt House in 1812. Prompted by this and the various discrepancies found in the Breakey achievement, in April of 1980 I commissioned a search to be done by the College of Heralds in London.[1] The following report is that of the Rouge Croix Pursivant, T. Woodcock (personal communication, 10 April 1980):

I have made a search in our Official Records and cannot find a single Grant or Confirmation of Arms to anyone named Breakey in the 18^th or 19 centuries.

I have also checked a card index which we have here relating to Grants of Arms recorded in the former Ulster Office of Arms and have not found any entries of Breakey, Brekey, or Brakey. This confirms the search made by the Chief Herald.

[1] The achievement I submitted was that of the engraved bookplate belonging to Dr. John Breakey.