George Cokayne
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George Edward Cokayne, FSA (29 April 1825 – 6 August 1911) was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Cokayne was baptised with the name of George Edward Adams. On 2 December 1856, he married Mary Dorothea Gibbs, daughter of George Henry Gibbs and Caroline Crawley. Cokayne studied law at university and was a barrister with a Master of Arts degree. He began his heraldic career with an appointment to the post of Rouge Dragon Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary in 1859. He held this position until his promotion to the office of Lancaster Herald of Arms in Ordinary in 1870. On 15 August 1873 his name was legally changed to George Edward Cokayne by Royal Licence. In 1882, Cokayne was promoted again, this time to the office of Norroy King of Arms. This office he held until his appointment to the position of Clarenceux King of Arms in 1894. He held this office until his death in 1911. Cokayne was also the author of the book The Complete Peerage, the first edition of which was published between 1887 and 1898.
