Caribbean heraldry
Posted: 27 Apr 2017, 15:10
Continuing our world tour of the heraldry of island states, we reach the Caribbean.
To begin with, the Leeward Islands. This was an administrative grouping (1871-1956) of six British colonies, namely Antigua, Dominica, Montserrat, Nevis, St Christopher (a.k.a. 'St Kitts') and the Virgin Islands. There was a single governor for the whole group, and an administrator on each island.
Each island had a public seal. Here, for example, is the seal of the Virgin Islands. It's a typical 19th-century design (the so-called 'Newfoundland pattern seal') displaying the royal arms at the top, and a design representing the colony in the lower half :
In 1869, the British government had introduced a system of flag badges for use at sea. Each territory in the British Empire had to have a badge, which its governor would display in the centre of the Union Jack, and its government ships would display on the Blue Ensign. In many cases, the design from the public seal was adopted as the badge, but some territories introduced new designs. This was the badge of the Leeward Islands. The pineapple is believed to represent the governor at the time Sir Benjamin Pine :
Very few colonies had coats of arms in those days. In 1905, the College of Arms persuaded the UK government to encourage colonies to apply for grants of arms. The Leeward Islands obtained theirs in 1909. It was not the best design ever produced by the College :
The six small shields contain the devices from the seals of the islands. From dexter chief to sinister base : Antigua, Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis (which had been combined under a single administrator), Montserrat, and the Virgin Islands. The pineapple from the flag badge became the crest.
After Dominica was removed from the Leeward Islands in 1940. the arms were amended by omitting its shield :
After the Leeward Islands colony was dissolved in 1956, the islands became separate governments, and in due course each was granted arms. In three cases, the small shield on the Leeward Islands' arms was simply converted into a coat of arms in its own right. The Virgin Islands' arms were thus :
Montserrat's were :
The arms of St Kitts & Nevis were less successful. The dexter chief represents St Kitts (the figure being Christopher Columbus), the sinister chief Nevis, and the base Anguilla :
New arms were granted when St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla was granted self-government as an 'associated state' in 1967. The motto was originally 'Unity in Trinity', but it was changed to 'Country above Self' in 1983 :
(Anguilla had seceded from the associated state, so there was no longer a 'trinity").
Antigua was also granted arms in 1967 :
To begin with, the Leeward Islands. This was an administrative grouping (1871-1956) of six British colonies, namely Antigua, Dominica, Montserrat, Nevis, St Christopher (a.k.a. 'St Kitts') and the Virgin Islands. There was a single governor for the whole group, and an administrator on each island.
Each island had a public seal. Here, for example, is the seal of the Virgin Islands. It's a typical 19th-century design (the so-called 'Newfoundland pattern seal') displaying the royal arms at the top, and a design representing the colony in the lower half :
In 1869, the British government had introduced a system of flag badges for use at sea. Each territory in the British Empire had to have a badge, which its governor would display in the centre of the Union Jack, and its government ships would display on the Blue Ensign. In many cases, the design from the public seal was adopted as the badge, but some territories introduced new designs. This was the badge of the Leeward Islands. The pineapple is believed to represent the governor at the time Sir Benjamin Pine :
Very few colonies had coats of arms in those days. In 1905, the College of Arms persuaded the UK government to encourage colonies to apply for grants of arms. The Leeward Islands obtained theirs in 1909. It was not the best design ever produced by the College :
The six small shields contain the devices from the seals of the islands. From dexter chief to sinister base : Antigua, Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis (which had been combined under a single administrator), Montserrat, and the Virgin Islands. The pineapple from the flag badge became the crest.
After Dominica was removed from the Leeward Islands in 1940. the arms were amended by omitting its shield :
After the Leeward Islands colony was dissolved in 1956, the islands became separate governments, and in due course each was granted arms. In three cases, the small shield on the Leeward Islands' arms was simply converted into a coat of arms in its own right. The Virgin Islands' arms were thus :
Montserrat's were :
The arms of St Kitts & Nevis were less successful. The dexter chief represents St Kitts (the figure being Christopher Columbus), the sinister chief Nevis, and the base Anguilla :
New arms were granted when St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla was granted self-government as an 'associated state' in 1967. The motto was originally 'Unity in Trinity', but it was changed to 'Country above Self' in 1983 :
(Anguilla had seceded from the associated state, so there was no longer a 'trinity").
Antigua was also granted arms in 1967 :