• Born: April 6th, 1927



• Educated:
  • Clayesmore School, Dorset;
  • New College, Oxford – Master of Arts.


• Ranks
  • Royal Victorian Order – Commander, 1984 (Member (Fourth Class), 1969);
  • The Grand Priory in the British Realm of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jersualem – Knight of Justice, 1975 (Officer, 1965);
  • Sovereign Military Order of Malta – Knight Grand Cross of Grace and Devotion (initially Knight of Magistral Grace)
    • Chancellor of British Association, 1973-1977;
  • Order of Merito Melitense, 1964;
  • Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George [Franco-Neapolitan Branch (British Delegation)] – Knight Grand Cross of Grace;
  • Cruz Distinguida (1st class) de San Raimundo de Penafort.


• Arms
  • Arms – Quarterly (first and fourth) Argent goutté de sang three Unicorn Heads erased Sable armed and crined Or langued Azure (for Brooke-Little); (second and third) Azure two Dolphins haurient and addorsed Or the Eyes Gules between four Shamrocks slipped Or (for Egan);
  • Crest – A Demi-Unicorn rampant erased Sable armed crined and unguled Or langued Azure and collared gobony Or and Gules with a Chain Or reflexed over the back and attached with a Ring Or;
  • Badge – A Triquetra Or interlaced by an Annulet Argent;
  • Motto – Recte Aut Nil.


• Appointments at the College of Arms
  • Earl Marshal's Staff, 1952–1953:
    • Gold Staff Officer at Coronation, 1953;
  • Bluemantle Pursuivant, 1956–1967;
  • Richmond Herald, 1967–1980;
  • Registrar, 1974–1982;
  • Librarian, 1974–1994;
  • Treasurer, 1978–1995;
  • Norroy and Ulster King of Arms, 1980–1995;
  • Clarenceux King of Arms, 1995–1997.


• Other Appointments
  • Fellow, Society of Antiquaries, 1961;
  • Fellow, Society of Genealogists, 1969;
  • Honorary Fellow, Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies;
  • Honorary Fellow, Royal Heraldry Society of Canada, 1975;
  • Fellow, Heraldry Society (New Zealand), 1969;
  • Master, Worshipful Company of Scriveners of the City of London, 1985–1986;
  • Chairman of the Council, Harleian Society;
  • Honorary Vice-President, Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society:
    • Mountbatten Commemorative Lecturer – 1984, 1989, 1993 and 2001;
  • President, English Language Literary Trust, 1985–1996;
  • Director, Heralds' Museum, Tower of London [now closed], 1991-1997;
  • Trustee, R.A.F. Heraldic Trust.
  • Advisor on heraldry, National Trust, from 1983


• Married: Mary Lee (daughter of John Raymond Pierce), 1960;



• Issue: Three sons and one daughter;



• Publications – As author:
  • An Heraldic Alphabet, London: Macdonald and Co., 1973 [494:2.c.95.6 — 9494.c.364 — 9005.c.583 — 9494.c.360 — R492.14];
  • The British Monarchy in Colour, Poole, Dorset: Blandford Press, 1976 [9494.d.134];
  • Royal Heraldry – Beasts and Badges of Britain, Derby: Pilgrim, 1977 [1978.9.1012 — 1979.9.825 — 1982.9.826];
  • Beasts in Heraldry;
  • Royal Ceremonies of State, Feltham: Country Life Books, 1980 [9540.b.287];
  • Royal London
  
  
• Publications – As editor:
  • A Complete Guide to Heraldry, London: Nelson, 1969 [494:1.b.95.8 — R492.1] – original by A.C. Fox-Davies, 1909;
  • Boutell's Heraldry, London: Warne, 1963 [9494.c.199 — 9494.c.291 — 9494.c.363 — R492.4] – original by Charles Boutell (1812-1877);
  
  
• Tributes
  • Campbell-Kease, J. [editor], Tribute to an Armorist - Essays for John Brooke-Little to mark the Golden Jubilee of "The Coat of Arms", London: The Heraldry Society, 2000 [494:2.c.200.1]


• Died: February 13th, 2006



• References
  • Chesshyre, H. and Ailes, A., Heralds of Today – A Biographical List of the Officers of the College of Arms, London, 1987-2001, Illuminata Ltd, 2001 [0 9537845-1-7] UL: 2003.9.864
  • Wikipedia
  • Russian College of Heraldry
  • American College of Heraldry
  • The Heraldry Society of Scotland
  • The Daily Telegraph – Thursday, February 16th, 2006
  
  
• Footnotes
  • Mr Brooke-Little took great pleasure in noting that the Order of Saint Patrick was most assuredly not extinct since, by virtue of his position as Ulster King of Arms (merged with that of Norroy since 1943), he was ex officio an Officer of the (dormant) Order. Until such time as the Sovereign either chose formally to abolish the position of Ulster King of Arms or to specifically declare otherwise, the holder of the office would continue to serve as the Order's King of Arms, Registrar and Knight Attendant. (The late Duke of Gloucester (died 1974) was the last surviving knight; King George VI, as Duke of York, was the last knight appointed to the Order in 1936.)

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