The coat of arms of the city of

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

was granted in 1962, and then subsequently registered with the

Canadian Heraldic Authority The Canadian Heraldic Authority (CHA; french: Autorité héraldique du Canada) is part of the Canadian honours system under the Canadian monarch, whose authority is exercised by the Governor General of Canada. The authority is responsible for t ...

in 2005. While the city employs a logo for common use, the arms are reserved for legal documents and for more historical or traditional purposes and events.

History

The City of Victoria

Coat of Arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...

dates to 1962, the centennial year of the city's incorporation. Based on the municipal seal and designed by

Alan Beddoe Lieutenant-Commander Alan Brookman Beddoe, OC, OBE, HFHS, FHSC (June 1, 1893 – December 2, 1975) was a Canadian artist, war artist, consultant in heraldry and founder and first president of the Heraldry Society of Canada in 1965. Born ...

, the Coat of Arms was initially granted by the heralds of the

College of Arms The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the British Sovere ...

in London, as

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

fell under the purview of the English heralds at that time, and was later registered with the

in 2005. The design of the shield consists of two piles, one atop the other, that gives the appearance of a white "V" separating the shield into red and blue segments, creating a cypher for the city's namesake and a representation of the peninsula where the city is located and juts into the blue sea. A Royal Crown is placed on the red pile as another allusion to

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 her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...

, for whom the city is named. There is no

torse In heraldry, a torse or wreath is a twisted roll of fabric laid about the top of the helmet and the base of the crest. It has the dual purpose of masking the join between helm and crest, and of holding the mantling in place. The torse is some ...

mantling In heraldry, mantling or "lambrequin" (its name in French) is drapery tied to the helmet above the shield. In paper heraldry it is a depiction of the protective cloth covering (often of linen) worn by knights from their helmets to stave off the ...

mentioned in the Canadian registry, yet mantling is depicted in the London grant as red and gold. A

mural crown A mural crown ( la, corona muralis) is a crown or headpiece representing city walls, towers, or fortresses. In classical antiquity, it was an emblem of tutelary deities who watched over a city, and among the Romans a military decoration. Later ...

, a common symbol found in municipal arms, is mentioned in the blazon of the crest, which shows a dove descending from and about the rays of the

Eye of Providence The Eye of Providence (or the All-Seeing Eye of God) is a symbol that depicts an eye, often enclosed in a triangle and surrounded by rays of light or glory, meant to represent divine providence, whereby the eye of God watches over humanity. ...

, emblems of peace and bounty. Two winged figures, said to personify Colony and Civilization, support the arms, standing upon a compartment of clouds and wavy bars of white and blue, a heraldic depiction of water.

Logo

The mayor and city council adopted a logo that is referred to as the "V Banner" in 2000, later

trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from othe ...

ing it in 2001, in an effort to create "a clear, contemporary and lasting image." It consists of a wavy elongated triangular shape in a blue colour and the type "The City of Victoria". The logo is used on all municipal communications and other common-day use, and may be used by local businesses and groups with permission, reserving the coat of arms strictly for the mayor's protocol, ceremonial events and legal purposes.

References

{{Heraldry in Canada

Victoria, British Columbia

History

Logo

See also

References