The Heraldry of the Worshipful Company of Firefighters
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1 THE HERALDRY OF THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF FIREFIGHTERS THE ARMORIAL BEARINGS Arms: Quarterly Argent three Bars wavy Azure and Argent over all on a Cross Gules between in the first and fourth quarters a Firemans Helm peak inwards Or each charged with the Arms of the City of London a Sword point upwards Argent. Crest: Upon a Mural Crown Or charged with Crosses1 couped in fess Gules a Salamander regardant Gold enflamed proper. Mantled Gules doubled Argent Supporters: On the dexter side a Sea Lion Or supporting with the exterior paw a Long Handled Axe blade uppermost proper and on the sinister side a Dragon Or supporting with the exterior foreclaws a Firemans Syringe point uppermost Sable.2 Motto: FLAMMAS OPPUGNANTES FIDIMUS DEO Granted: P. Ll. Gwynn-Jones, Garter J. P. Brooke-Little, Clarenceux D.H.B. Chesshyre, Norroy & Ulster 20th September 1996 Agent: H. Bedingfeld, York [Grants 162.256] Almost as soon as the original Guild had been formed in 1988 plans were put in hand to seek a Grant of Armorial Bearings. There was an exchange of letters 1 The illustration ought to show 3 red crosses on the mural crown – not the single cross depicted here. 2 The technical description of the arms is known as a blazon. Traditionally it has no punctuation marks and a strict convention governs the use of capital letters. 2 between the Clerk and Garter King of Arms in the autumn and by April 1989 Sir Colin Cole [Garter] had sent the outline of a Memorial3 to the Guild’s Clerk. Despite this early start it was not until the Guild obtained recognition as a City Company without Livery in 1995 that serious discussions began, and a new Memorial was despatched to the Clerk in December of that year for signature by the Master and others. Then research into the symbolism that it was hoped could be incorporated into the final design was conducted by two Members of the Court, J.W. Beech (who was Master in 1995-6) and Senior Past Master G.D. Clarkson; these gentlemen also steered the subsequent negotiations with the College of Arms and especially with Henry Bedingfeld4, York Herald. When the original Guild was formed in 1988 it adopted as its device the Arms of the City of London surmounted by a Victorian firefighter’s helmet with crossed axes at the base of the shield. At the first meeting with York Herald5 in December 1995 he explained the difficulties inherent in using the City shield in its present form, as no two bodies could use the same arms. It was agreed to develop a design based upon the shield but with the sword moved to the centre of the cross. It was also suggested that the four quadrants of the cross should contain depictions of the nation emblems of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales to reflect the nationwide dimension of the fire service. York Herald also explained the need for “supporters” to stand at either side of the shield and a Heraldic Sealion and a chained Dragon were selected, the former holding a long-handled axe and the latter a water “squirt”. Above the shield would be a helmet surmounted by a crest. The Company had hoped to employ a firefighter’s helmet, but York Herald advised that this would not be considered appropriate as there were firm rules as to the proper style of helmet to be represented in a Coat of Arms. For the crest there was discussion 3 A Memorial is the formal document from the petitioner (i.e. The Firefighters) to the Earl Marshal seeking his authority to permit the Kings of Arms to proceed to grant armorial bearings. 4 Sometimes shown as Paston-Bedingfeld 5 From a Progress Report submitted by the Master 3 on using a Phoenix but eventually a Salamander was selected, which, it was later confirmed, would be depicted emerging from a Mural Crown. Within short order an artist’s proof was prepared. This was swiftly amended, especially in regard to the salamander (initially showing just its head but soon replaced by the entire beast); whilst the dragon’s collar and chain was removed, and, in this revised format the proposal was put to the Court in January 1996. Whilst much of the design was admired there were reservations expressed at the inclusion of the national emblems as it was stressed that the Company was specifically to become a Livery Company of the City of London. It was also considered a disappointment that there was no representation of a firefighter’s helmet which had formed part of the Guild’s original device. Accordingly, the overall design was rejected, and York Herald was to be asked to reconsider in the light of the observations made. The design then went through a number of iterations. The national emblems were banished and initially replaced by two modern black helmets facing one another in the top two quadrants of the cross. The axe and “squirt” were changed from gold to black, the more clearly to be seen. The Privileges Committee, which oversaw the process, still had several reservations. It was thought that the black helmets were aesthetically unpleasing, and all members proposed that just one helmet was preferable, The second version prepared by York Herald, shown here with annotations by located in the upper “dexter” quadrant. the Master. 4 It was also suggested that a brass helmet could have, as a background, blue and white wavy lines to symbolise water for firefighting purposes and to suggest the River Thames. The green compartment upon which the supporters stood was thought to be an over-dominant aspect of the design. Apparently neither Garter King of Arms nor York Herald would countenance just one helmet, although the wavy lines [Barry Wavy Argent and Azure] were accepted. Initially Garter insisted on a helmet in each quadrant. [see illustration below left] This was not well received – being considered too busy and lacking simplicity. Senior Past Master Clarkson even produced a design where all but one of the helmets was replaced by flaming torches. [Illustration below right] Further discussions with both Garter and York eventually reached the compromise which generated the final design, which Garter approved in July 1996. On the shield there were to be two helmets on wavy lines in the first and fourth quadrants with the remaining quadrants blank. In addition, the compartment was removed. The design process had been testing and not all that the Company desired had been accomplished. At the very beginning of the consultations Messrs Beech and Clarkson had sounded a note of caution, namely: “The College of Arms have given considerable thought to the Company’s Arms and will seek to accommodate the views we have expressed in their design. They are, however, restricted by the need to ensure that the design is unique and that the principal elements vary in at least two respects from similar elements in other coats of arms. The College also has the overall responsibility for the grant of arms such that whilst we can request additions to, changes to or omissions from their design, we cannot insist. Ultimately, the grant of arms comes from Her Majesty the Queen in a form researched and prepared by the College” 5 However, despite these strictures, it is fair to conclude that the final design granted was dignified and elegant, and, through its symbolism gave visual embodiment to the history of firefighting and the raison d’etre of the Company. In tandem with the discussions on design, considerable thought was given to the choice of a motto6. In January 1996 David Rhodes submitted several Latin tags for consideration by the Court, as, for example: Per ignes pro salute [through fire for safety] Arte superare flammas [to overcome flames with skill] Forbiter in flammas [bravely into the flames] Initially, however, IGNEM OPPUGNANTES FIDIMUS DEO [Fighting Fire our trust in God] was chosen although this was speedily amended, with FLAMMAS taking the place of IGNEM as the Court considered the alternative Latin synonym for “fire” more readily comprehensible. It might be thought that with agreement finally achieved there was nothing more to do but pay the various fees that had been incurred. However, it was further decided that the actual Grant of Arms should be significantly embellished with a decorative border of roses intertwined with leather and canvas hoses and the depiction of a heraldic standard appropriate to the Company. Moreover, a rebus7 for each Master would be included in the artwork. The Letters Patent8 would also grant the heraldic badge of a Salamander within a wreath of laurels. A more detailed description of the Grant of Arms is given below (see page 9). We can now turn to a full explanation of the final Coat of Arms. The principal element of the shield – a red cross on a white background – is, of course, based upon the arms of the City of London, though here the sword is moved from the upper dexter9 canton to a central position on the Cross itself. In two quadrants the blue wavy lines represent the River Thames to demonstrate the historic links binding firefighters to Watermen and Lightermen10, who, at one time, were regularly used by the Insurance Companies, who maintained their own firefighting forces in the 17th and 18th centuries.11 Later these river workers 6 Although depicted in the illustration on the Grant of Arms the motto does not (usually) form part of the official blazon 7 A rebus is a design by which a person [in this case] can be represented in a coded or symbolic manner 8 From the Latin meaning open letter – by which the Kings of Arms announce “To All and Sundry” their Grant of Armorial Bearings.