The Great Seal of Newfoundland is a seal used to authenticate
documents
A document is a writing, written, drawing, drawn, presented, or memorialized representation of thought, often the manifestation of nonfiction, non-fictional, as well as fictional, content. The word originates from the Latin ''Documentum'', w ...
issued by the government of
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
that are released in the name of the
King in Right of Newfoundland and Labrador, including the appointment of the
Executive Council and
Ministers (the Cabinet).
Design
The fisherman kneeling before Britannia, a colonial image, was replaced by the coat of arms, with "Newfoundland" written near the bottom curve on a scroll. Encircling the top are the words "Elizabeth II D.G. Canadæ Regina".
History
The earliest documented Great Seal of Newfoundland received royal approval from
King George IV
George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten y ...
on 1 September 1827. It depicts Mercury, the classical god of commerce and merchandise, presenting to Britannia a fisherman who, kneeling, offers her his catch. Below are the words ''Hæc Tibi Dona Fero'' (Latin: These gifts I bring thee) and written around the circumference of the seal is ''Sigillum Terræ Novæ Insulæ'' – "Seal of the Island of Terra Nova".
In 1837, when
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
took the throne of England, she approved a new seal for Newfoundland. Britannia, Mercury and the Newfoundland fisherman occupy the bottom two thirds and are contained within an elaborate frame. Above sit the royal arms, with a lion and unicorn on either side. Written around the top edge of the circular seal are the words ''Victoria Dei Gratia Britanniæ Reg F D'' (Victoria, by the grace of God, Queen of the Britains, Defender of the Faith), and the bottom edge reads ''Sigillum Terræ Novæ Insulæ'' (Seal of the Island of Terra Nova).
Keeper
The keeper of the Great Seal is the
Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador
The lieutenant governor of Newfoundland and Labrador () is the viceregal representative in Newfoundland and Labrador of the , who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada, as w ...
.
See also
*
Symbols of Newfoundland and Labrador Official symbols of Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is one of Canada's provinces, and has established several official symbols.
Unofficial symbols of Labrador
Labrador, the mainland portion of the province, has its own di ...
*
Monarchy in Newfoundland and Labrador
By the arrangements of the Canadian federation, the Canadian monarchy operates in Newfoundland and Labrador as the core of the province's Westminster-style parliamentary democracy. As such, the Crown within Newfoundland and Labrador's jurisdict ...
References
Newfoundland and Labrador, Great Seal of
Provincial symbols of Newfoundland and Labrador
Monarchy in Canada
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