Dr Charles Aubrey Hamilton Franklyn (1896-1982) was a well-known figure in the study of academic dress, genealogy and heraldry. Perhaps best known for his 1923 heraldic work The Bearing of Coat-Armour by Ladies, and his 1970 monograph Academical Dress from the Middle Ages to the Present Day, he was in many ways a complicated and often opinionated man. This biography traces his life and work, together with his contributions to academic dress and heraldry, including his designs of hoods and gowns for several universities and other organisations.