The coat of arms of
Vancouver was granted by the
College of Arms on 31 March 1969.
History
The city of Vancouver assumed its first municipal seal upon incorporation in 1886. Designed by City
Alderman Lauchlan Hamilton, it was pictorial in nature depicting a tree, a sailing ship and a train,
and did not conform to any rules of heraldry. The seal was in use until 1903, when a new armorial achievement was assumed. Designed by
James Blomfield, it contains many of the elements used in the current coat of arms: the
pile (
charged here with a
caduceus
The caduceus (☤; ; la, cādūceus, from grc-gre, κηρύκειον "herald's wand, or staff") is the staff carried by Hermes in Greek mythology and consequently by Hermes Trismegistus in Greco-Egyptian mythology. The same staff was also ...
), the logger and the fisherman as supporters, and the wavy bars alluding to the ocean. It also retains the motto from the previous emblem, ''By Sea Land and Air We Prosper''.
The development of the current coat of arms started in 1928, when the
city council attempted to register the arms designed by Blomfield with the College of Arms. The College rejected the registration. Between 1928 and 1932, a committee sat occasionally before shelving the issue. In 1962, the matter was reopened. Members of city staff visited the College to go over the design of the arms, assisted by the
Chester Herald,
Walter Verco. The grant of arms, as well as a badge derived from the arms, was finally approved on 31 March 1969 and presented to Vancouver City Council the following January.
Symbolism
*
Crest: A Ship signifying Vancouver's importance as a seaport, upon a
mural crown, the traditional heraldic emblem for a city.
*
Shield
A shield is a piece of personal armour held in the hand, which may or may not be strapped to the wrist or forearm. Shields are used to intercept specific attacks, whether from close-ranged weaponry or projectiles such as arrows, by means of a ...
: The
dogwood flowers in the chief are a symbol of the province (they can also be found in the compartment of the
coat of arms of British Columbia). The main charge is a Kwakiutl totem pole, symbol of the area's native heritage, surmounting wavy ribbons of blue and silver (for the waters surrounding the city).
*
Supporters
In heraldry, supporters, sometimes referred to as ''attendants'', are figures or objects usually placed on either side of the Escutcheon (heraldry), shield and depicted holding it up.
Early forms of supporters are found in medieval seals. H ...
: A logger and a fisherman, standing for the traditional industries of the area.
*
Motto: ''By Sea Land and Air We Prosper'';
the word "air" was added to the existing motto to acknowledge the growing importance of aviation to Vancouver's development.
Derived symbols
The mural crown from the crest forms the basis for the city badge.
Inside the crown is an axe and an oar placed in
saltire, alluding to the same two industries (logging and fishing) represented by the supporters of the arms.
The city badge is featured on the
flag of Vancouver.
The shield of arms also serves as the central feature of the
Vancouver Police Department's badge.
See also
*
Canadian heraldry
*
National symbols of Canada
*
List of Canadian provincial and territorial symbols
References
External links
Vancouver City symbols– City of Vancouver
{{Vancouver
Vancouver
Municipal government of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver