Fredericton, New Brunswick

Last modified: 2005-06-11 by phil nelson
Keywords: fredericton | new brunswick | union jack | royal arms | cross | fir tree |
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by Luc Baronian

• Canadian Cities and Muncipalities
• New Brunswick

From http://www.city.fredericton.nb.ca/ee2.asp?552

Coat of Arms

Fredericton's coat of arms consists of three shields: the Union Jack in the upper left shield surmounted by the crown; the Royal Arms crowned the personal flag of the reigning sovereign of Britain in the upper right shield and the irradiated cross above signifies Fredericton's status as a cathedral city; and below a fir tree symbolizes the forests of New Brunswick.

The motto is: Fredericopolis silvae filia nobilis (Fredericton noble daughter of the forest).

The arms on the flag were designed at the time of the city's incorporation (March 30, 1848)

by Dr. James Robb, a professor at Kings College (now University of New Brunswick), who was also a member of Fredericton's first City Council. The arms were drawn without regard to the laws of heraldry and were not recorded nor approved by the College of Arms in Britain at the time. In 1955, when the late Brigadier Michael Wardell of Fredericton entered into discussions with the College of Arms, on behalf of the City, with a view of obtaining official authority for the arms, it was stated that in no circumstances could such use of the Royal Emblems be sanctioned. The difficulties seemed insurmountable, but the discussions continued over the years, and three successive Mayors of Fredericton urged the City's case for the official recognition of its arms based on unbroken usage for more than a century. In 1970, as a result of procedures suggested by Sir Anthony Wagner, the Garter King of Arms, a petition was made to the Queen by the Governor General of Canada on a proposal of the Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick. The Queen, in view of the special circumstances, approved in principle the use of the old arms, thus empowering the College of Arms to grant to the City of Fredericton the lawful authority and unique distinction of being entitled to bear and use the Royal Arms forever, as set forth in Letters Patent presented to the City on June 10, 1971.