Birmingham

Heraldry of the World Civic heraldry of the United Kingdom

BIRMINGHAM

City Council

Additions: 1974 Sutton Coldfield (Borough)

Official blazon

Arms : Quarterly first and fourth Azure a Bend of five Lozenges conjoined Or second and third per pale indented Or and Gules over all a Cross Ermine thereon a Mitre proper.
Crest : On a Wreath Or and Azure issuant from a Mural Crown Or charged with a Rose Gules charged with another Argent barbed and seeded proper a dexter Arm embowed the hand holding a Hammer all proper; Mantled Azure doubled Or.
Supporters : On the dexter side a Female Figure (representing) Art) proper vested Argent wreathed round the temples with Laurel Vert tied by a Riband Gules holding in the sinister hand resting on the Shield a Book bound also Gules and in the dexter a Painter's Palette Or with two Brushes proper and on the sinister side a Man habited as a Smith (representing Industry) holding in the dexter hand resting on the Shield a Cupel and in the sinister a Hammer resting on an Anvil all proper.
Motto : 'FORWARD'

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on May 10, 1977.

The arms were granted after the merger with Sutton Coldfield and are based on the old arms, see below.

To the old arms a bishops mitre (commemorating the 16^th century Bishop Vesey) was added in the center of the shield and the Tudor Rose (marking Henry VIII's granting of a charter to Sutton Coldfield in 1528) on the mural crown.

The arms on Victoria square (source)

City Borough Council

Official blazon

Arms : 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.
Crest : On a Wreath of the colours, A mural crown, issuant therefrom a dexter arm embowed, the hand holding a hammer, all proper.
Supporters : On the dexter side a man habited as a smith (representing Industry) holding in the dexter hand a hammer resting on an anvil 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 proper also gules and in the sinister a painter's palette Or with two brushes proper.
Motto : 'FORWARD'

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on April 3, 1889, the supporters one day later on April 4. The arms were again granted on August 31, 1936.

The arms in the quarters of the shield are two distinct coats used by the de Bermingham family, who held the manor in the 13th century (and perhaps from the time of the Conquest) until 1527, when Edward de Birmingham was deprived of his property by John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, by means of a false charge of riot. The bendwise lozenges appear on the shield of an effigy in the church of St. Martins-in-the-Bull Ring, believed to be William de Bermingham. Later members of the family seemed to have quartered the two coats in one shield, but with the quarters reversed. This order of the coats was used by the City for difference.

The mural crown, arm and hammer refer to civic government and industry.

The figures represent art and industry. The cupel refers to the jewellery quarter and the anvil refers to the tradition of heavy industry.

The arms as used on a JaJa postcard +/- 1905	The arms on a Wills's cigarette card, 1906
The arms on a Dexters cigarette card, 1905	The arms in the Coffee Hag albums +/- 1925
The arms on a Mitchell's cigarette card, 1911	The arms as used on a Faulkner postcard +/- 1905
The arms from an old fire truck (source)	The arms as seen in the local Birmingham Museum (image send to me by mail)

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