Coat of Arms and Surname History

YOUR BASKET TOTAL £0

Come and see us at the Royal Bath and West Show, 29th May – 1st June

20 May 2013

We are very excited to be exhibiting again at this year's Royal Bath and West Show at Shepton Mallet, Somerset. As one of the oldest surviving agricultural shows in the county, it is celebrating its 150th year and will feature some of the finest livestock you will see, as well as trade stands, demonstrations and activities for all the family to enjoy.

Our stand will be situated in the craft tent where we will be showcasing our range of heraldic gifts.

The show countdown is on - let's hope the sun shines and we look forward to seeing you there!

Hall of Names pleased to be working in partnership with Scotland Magazine.

16 Apr 2013

As specialists in the field of surname histories and coats of arms, Hall of Names are pleased to be associated with Scotland Magazine, a fantastic bi-monthly resource for those interested in Scotland and its heritage. Over the coming months, Scotland Magazine will be publishing special Hall of Names competitions online, and we look forward to working them and providing a range of prizes, including surname histories, clan histories, anniversary doubles and small maps. If you are interested in finding out more about the magazine, simply click this link to find out more about how you can order your copy.

We team up with again with ‘Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine’.

15 Mar 2013

At Hall of Names, we pride ourselves on working with top publications all over the UK, providing articles, reader offers and competitions for our unique range of personalised heraldic gifts. We are delighted to be working once again with Who Do You Think You Are Magazine, providing their online newsletter readers with an exclusive offer.

Packed with fascinating articles for the family history enthusiast, including search tips, interviews and much more, Who Do You Think You Are Magazine is available by subscription and all good newsagents. To subscribe to the weekly online newsletter, simply follow the link for the home page, http://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/ and you will receive regular news, competitions and show updates direct to your inbox.

Visit our new display at Castle Welsh Crafts

13 Mar 2013

We are thrilled to have a new display area within Castle Welsh crafts, opposite Cardiff Castle. This prestigious family business, opened over forty years ago and run by Bob Rice, specialises in providing top-quality gifts to their many visitors. From silver spoons and thimbles, to miners' lamps and Whisky, the shop has something to suit every taste.

We initially discovered Castle Welsh Crafts at Cardiff Christmas Fair, and subsequently met again at the annual Spring Fair at the NEC. Like us, Castle Welsh Crafts pride themselves in offering beautiful and unique ranges, and service that is second to none. We have worked with Bob to create a stunning new display area, showcasing our range that sits so well alongside his existing product lines.

Next time you are visiting Cardiff, pay a visit to Castle Welsh Crafts and let us know what you think of our new display!

Another great weekend at Who Do You Think You Are Live!

01 Mar 2013

What a weekend we had exhibiting again at this year's Who Do You Think You Are Live show at Olympia in London! This is the biggest family history event in the world, so it is always a great place for us to showcase our business. Not only did we get to meet masses of new customers, but we were also able to meet up with our friends at Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine, Family Tree Magazine and Ancestry, all of whom we work closely with on joint promotions through the year. It is always a pleasure to have the opportunity to talk to other businesses in the family history industry, as well as meeting new customers and getting feedback on our product range.

Trade was very brisk at the Hall of Names stand throughout the weekend, but Friday was our busiest day, with people anxious to get through the doors as soon as they opened. Our most popular product of the weekend was our coat of arms and surname history print that customers loved.

We look forward with anticipation to next year's show and also to one of our forthcoming events in Spring, the Royal Bath and West show. We hope to see you there!  See images from the show by clicking here.

Come and Meet us at the Who Do You Think You Are Live! 22nd – 24th February.

18 Feb 2013

We are very excited to be exhibiting again at this year's Who Do You Think You Are Live show at Olympia in London – the biggest family history event in the world. Every year, we are thrilled to meet family history enthusiasts and find out more about their fascinating journeys as they trace their ancestral roots. Finding out about your surname history can be a good place to start, and visitors to our stand are often surprised to discover an ancient coat of arms for their name. We will be delighted to help you discover more about your own family's heritage, and show you some products from our range, which includes heraldic maps and bespoke hand-carved shields, as well as a whole host of other personalised products featuring your coat of arms.

Who Do You Think You Are Live will feature expert help and advice on every aspect of your family history research, including:

The National Archives

Ask the experts

Celebrity theatre

DNA

Society of Genealogists' Family History Show

Military Pavilion

Workshops

Over 160 exhibitors

Plus much more!

So whether you are new to tracing your family tree, or a seasoned researcher, the show is sure to have something you will find appealing, including the chance to meet celebrities from the series.

We look forward to seeing you there!

A Great Week At The NEC!

11 Feb 2013

We were thrilled to meet so many buyers and business owners at last week’s Spring Fair at the NEC in Birmingham - Europe’s leading home and gift trade fair. It’s always a great week for meeting potential new licensees and we found that those in the tourist attraction and heritage sectors were particularly keen on our personalised heraldic gifts, featuring coats of arms and surname histories.

Our stand was busy all week, and retailers were keen to find out more about our unique ranges. We are thrilled to be working with several new licensees, joining our existing number of outlets across the UK and have set up trials for several other companies wishing to find out more about our business opportunities. We look forward to working with all existing and new licensees to bring products that are not available on the high street to customers all over the country.

Pictured is Wendy Spencer, Director of Hall of Names with Chris Kewell, Retail Director at Buckfast Abbey.

Hall of Names are in the finals for the Somerset Business Awards! (Press Release)

11 Oct 2012

Williton-based company Hall of Names has made it into the final three of this year’s Somerset Business Awards, organised by the Somerset Chamber of Commerce.

There has been a record breaking number of entries and following a rigorous and intensive judging process, the organisers were pleased to announce that Hall of Names, run by local couple Wendy Spencer and Peter Horsler, has made it through in two categories; Business of the Year (0-1 employees) and Marketing and Promotion. Set up just over ten years ago, their company specialises in providing personalised heraldic gifts, coats of arms and surname histories to their customers online and at major attractions all over the country.

Sponsors of the Somerset Business Awards, along with other respected individuals from the Somerset Business community, were given the task of visiting the shortlisted companies to select the finalists in each category.

Judges were tasked with looking at each component of the businesses and rating them against the criteria for individual awards. A total of 14 categories were open to Somerset businesses of all shapes and sizes and from every sector.

Year on year, the number of quality entries increases and this year has been no exception. Categories have been hotly contested and Wendy was delighted to have made the final three. ""We are over the moon to have reached the final shortlist of such a prestigious award in both of the categories we entered. It is a testament to the hard work of our small team, and our extensive network of licensees across the UK, who sell our ranges through their outlets. This could not have been achieved without them."

Jenn Chidley, Marketing and Communications Coordinator at the Somerset Chamber of Commerce is delighted with the results for 2012 and comments, "This year there has been 20 per cent more entries and it is fantastic to see so many businesses have such passion to drive their business forward. The finalists have something very special about them, so well done to them all! The standard was exceptionally high this year and we are all looking forward to celebrating the finalists’ success at the awards ceremony evening in November."

Thank you for helping Hall of Names reach the next stage of Somerset Business Awards!

11 Sep 2012

We are delighted to announce that we have reached the next stage of judging in this year’s prestigious Somerset Business Awards, which recognise success, credibility and customer service across fourteen separate categories. A record number of companies have entered, with a 20% year on year increase.

We are potential winners in two categories – ‘Business of the Year’ and ‘Marketing and Promotion’.The selection process is rigorous, but judges are said to be impressed by the quality of entries. We are proud to have been selected for the next stage of this competition in both our categories.

It is fantastic news for our business and a real accolade. We work hard with our network of licensees all over the UK to ensure that our products remain at the forefront of our sector, and to be put forward to the next stage proves that the hard work is recognised.

Our customers have told us how much they value our excellent customer service and range of products – this plays a vital part in our success.

We will now receive a site visit from judges, who will have a keen eye on all aspects of our company’s operations. Shortlisted businessess will be invited to a glittering black-tie awards ceremony in November.

The annual awards, now in their seventh year, are organised by the Somerset Chamber of Commerce in association with a range of individual sponsors.

Longleat House Launching new Hall of Names Showcase

22 Jun 2012

Longleat House in Wiltshire is to launch new a new Hall of Names Showcase following a redevelopment at the site.After two successful years selling Hall of Names products in the Gifts and Treasures Shop, Longleat House are embarking upon a new 'heritage' exhibition in the Old Butchery which will include a full range of Hall of Names products.

As one of the top tourist attractions in the UK, Longleat House is owned by Lord Bath of the famous Thynne family. The display will emphasise the family's fascinating history as well as featuring interactive/craft activities for children.

Hall of Names products will be integral to this exciting new development and the entire range will be available to view and buy, from our always popular coats of arms and surname histories to our stunning crystal range, bespoke shields, oak shields, and more

Wendy Spencer, Managing Director at Hall of Names says "We are pleased that our products have proved so popular that they are to feature prominently in such an eye-catching new exhibition. We have some exciting plans for the shop and are looking forward to launching it in time for the Summer Season".

The photo shown above is the 'Old Butchery' at Longleat as an empty shell. Launch date is expected to be 14th of July.