Early life and heraldic career before 1950 Born in
Dublin,
Ireland, on 13 December 1899, Bellew was the son of
the Hon. Richard Eustace Bellew by his second wife Gwendoline Marie Josephine, elder daughter of William Reginald Joseph Fitzherbert Herbert Huddleston of
Clytha. His father was the younger son of the second
Baron Bellew. The same year, he married Ursula Kennard Cull (died 1994), eldest daughter of Anders Eric Knös Cull (died 1968), a merchant banker and founder of Cull & Co., of Warfield House,
Berkshire, and had one son, Richard George Bellew (born 1936); through her mother, Ursula Bellew was a descendant of
James Robinson Planché, sometime
Somerset Herald. Following schooling at
Wellington College, Bellew went up to
Christ Church, Oxford. He arrived at the
College of Arms in 1922, when he was appointed
Portcullis Pursuivant. After four years in that capacity, he was promoted to the office of Somerset Herald and went on to serve as the College’s registrar from 1935 to 1946. Having spent 24 years as
Somerset Herald, he succeeded Sir
Algar Howard as
Garter Principal King of Arms in 1950,
Gartership As Garter, Bellew was tasked with overseeing the State Funeral of
George VI in 1952, but many of the details had been prepared in advance. A
Knight Bachelor since 1950, he was appointed a Knight Commander of the
Royal Victorian Order in 1953 in recognition for his service during the Coronation. Garter is
ex officio the officer of arms of the
Order of the Garter, England's senior
Order of Chivalry. The post of Secretary of the Order had been created in the early 20th century and had been held by
courtiers since then, not always in friendly relations with other officers. In 1952, Bellew and most of the chapter came to an agreement that a herald be appointed to the post; after appealing to Sir
Alan Lascelles, the
Sovereign's Private Secretary, the Queen agreed and
Anthony Wagner was given the position.
Retirement Having served as Garter for 11 years, Bellew retired in 1961 and was succeeded by
Anthony Wagner, then
Richmond Herald. He then served as Secretary of the
Order of the Garter until 1974, which included responsibility for the Orders' finances, and received a third knighthood when he was appointed a Knight Commander of the
Order of the Bath. He was a Fellow of the
Society of Antiquaries and Knight of the
Order of St John. Having been Knight Principal of the
Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor from 1957 to 1962, he was its Deputy Knight Principal from then until 1971. In the aftermath of World War II, he and his wife purchased Woodside Dower House in Old Windsor, Berkshire; then a ruin, he took a keen interest in renovating it and hosting parties there. While Secretary of the Order of the Garter, he entertained friends and colleagues at the house after the order's annual service in June. In later years, he lived at The Grange in
Farnham and died on 6 February 1993. == Legacy and appraisal ==