The City of Birmingham Coat of Arms
Granted to the City, April 1889
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The Arms (Heraldic description) Quarterly First and Fourth Azure a Bend of five Lozenges Or, second and third per pale indented of the last and Gules, over all a Fesse Ermine thereon a Mural Crown of the second. And for the Crest, on a wreath of the Colours A Mural Crown, issuant there from a dexter Arm embowed the hand holding a hammer all proper, the Motto "Forward." |
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Supporters (Heraldic description) On the dexter side A Man habited as a Smith (representing Industry) holding in the dexter hand a Hammer resting on an Anvil all proper And on the sinister side A Female Figure (representing Art) proper vested Argent wreathed around the temples with Laurel Vert tied by a Riband Gules holding in the dexter hand resting on the Shield a Book bound also Gules and in the sinister a Painter's Pallette Or with two Brushes proper Note: The Quarters on the Shield are based on the Arms of the de Bermingham family. The first and fourth Quarters (top left and bottom right) which are Azure (Blue) and a bend (diagonal) of five gold lozenges is the Arms of the de Bermingham family from circa 1160 to 1345. The second and third quarters (top right and bottom left) which consists of per pale indented (vertical 'zig-zag' separation) in Gold and Red are the arms of Robert de Bermingham, younger son of Peter de Bermingham c.1172 who went to Ireland with Strongbow and was ancestor of the Earls of Louth and barons of Athenry. |
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