- The Governor General of Canada
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The York Club
Toronto, Ontario
Grant of Arms, Supporters and Flag
July 15, 2005
Vol. IV, p. 513
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Blazon
Arms
Vert within a tressure erablé a rose Argent;
Crest
A demi lion Or holding a goblet Vert;
Supporters
Two lions Or each charged on the shoulder with a mill rind, standing on a mound Vert set with roses Argent and daffodils Or;
Motto
LET’S HARBOUR HERE IN YORK;
Symbolism
Arms
The use of green and white continues a longstanding Club tradition. Green is taken from the arms of Ontario, thus emphasizing the Club’s location in the province’s capital. The white rose was the badge of the House of York in medieval England. It has long been the central symbol for the Club as it refers to its name. York was also the original name for Toronto before the latter was incorporated in 1834. The tressure symbolizes the walls of the Club and honours the role the Gooderham’s historic home plays as the Club’s location. The maple leaves symbolize the Club’s service to Canada through the contributions of many of its members.
Crest
The blue added to the mantling and wreath refers to the sky and aspiring to new heights. The lion echoes a theme associated with the supporters. The goblet suggests the Club’s hospitality and the welcoming setting offered as a place where members gather.
Supporters
The lions symbolize the attributes of strength and power. These lions are distinctive to the Club through the use of the mill rind, a symbol which formed part of the coat of arms granted in 1912 to a senior member of the Gooderham family of Toronto, an important benefactor of the Club whose home is the Club’s premises. The grass refers to the lawns around the Club and the roses are a further reference to the Club’s name and emblem. The daffodils represent new life and new growth and, by extension, the next generation of members.
Motto
LET’S HARBOUR HERE IN YORK is the Club’s traditional motto based on a remark attributed to John Graves Simcoe, first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, 1791-1799.