- The Governor General of Canada
The contents of this Register are intended for research purposes only. The heraldic emblems found in the Register may not be reproduced in any form or in any media without the written consent of the Canadian Heraldic Authority and/or the recipient.
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario
Registration of the Arms of Hamilton College
March 15, 2007
Vol. V, p. 124
Click on each image to enlarge. The blazon and symbolism for each element will accompany the enlarged image.
Blazon
Arms
Per pale, dexter the Arms of McMaster University as granted by the Lord Lyon King of Arms on 20 October 1930 (Argent an eagle displayed Gules beaked, membered and charged on the breast with a Latin cross flory Or, on a chief Azure an open book proper bound Gules clasped Or between two maple leaves Or), sinister Gules on a fess Or between in chief two cinquefoils ermine and in base a gurges inflamed Or whorled Azure, three bees volant Azure;
Symbolism
Arms
The left side of the shield shows the arms of the College’s parent institution, McMaster University. On the right side, the flowers of five petals feature in the arms of the Duke of Hamilton, and thus allude to the College’s name and also suggest one of its former areas of academic focus, botanical studies. The bees featured in a former version of the arms of the City of Hamilton and represent both academic industriousness and the discipline of zoological studies. The flaming spiral is a stylized representation of a chemical furnace and symbolizes the disciplines of science and engineering.
Background
Canada Gazette Information
The announcement of the Letters Patent was made on October 6, 2007, in Volume 141, page 2825 of the Canada Gazette.
Artist Information
Creator(s)
Original concept of the heralds at the Court of the Lord Lyon, Edinburgh.
Painter
* Not available / Non disponible
Calligrapher
* Not applicable / Sans objet
Recipient Information
Civil Institution
University
The recipient’s emblems were originally recorded in the name of Hamilton College in the records of the Court of the Lord Lyon, Edinburgh, Scotland, 9 December 1954.