Sir Edward Mervyn Archdale, 1st Baronet, PC (Ire), DL (26 January 1853 – 1 November 1943) was a Northern Irish politician.
Early life and naval career
Archdale was born the son of Nicholas Montgomery Archdale and his wife Adelaide Mary (née Porter) in Rossfad, County Fermanagh. He entered the Royal Navy in 1867. He was promoted lieutenant in 1875 and retired in 1881.
From 1921 to 1925, he served as Minister of Agriculture and Commerce in the Government of Northern Ireland and continued as Minister of Agriculture from 1925 to 1933. As a landowner and practical farmer he was well-qualified for the job. After Archdale's departure from his position, Cahir Healy, a Nationalist leader and member of the Northern Ireland House of Commons, criticised both the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, James Craig, and Archdale for their public campaign against the employment of Catholics. Healy stated that Archdale's slogan was "No Catholics need apply" and said that this policy was not a new one: "Sir Edward Archdale...declared on 31 March 1925 that out of 109 officials in his Department only four were Roman Catholics, and he apologized for even having four in the service of the Government."[1]
Out of a ducal crest coronet Or an heraldic tiger's head maned tufted and armed Sable.
Escutcheon
Quarterly 1st & 4th Azure a chevron Ermine between three talbots passant Or (Archdale) 2nd Or a chevron Sable (Mervyn) 3rd grandquarterly 1st & 4th Azure three fleurs-de-lis Or 2nd & 3rd Gules three gem-rings Gold all within a bordure Or charged with a tressure flory counterflory Gules in the centre point an inescutcheon Argent charged with a tilting spear and sword saltireways points upwards Proper (Montgomery).
Motto
Data Fata Secuta
Footnotes
^Reid, Gerard (1999), Great Irish Voices, Irish Academic Press, Dublin, pgs 252-253, ISBN 0-7165-2674-3