- 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.
Sir George Williams University
Montréal, Quebec
Registration of Arms
October 20, 2023
Vol. VIII, p. 214
Click on each image to enlarge. The blazon and symbolism for each element will accompany the enlarged image.
Blazon
Arms
Murrey a dove wings addorsed Or gorged of a wreath of olive proper and charged on the wing with a maple leaf Murrey, on a chief Or between two roses Murrey barbed and seeded proper an inverted triangle Murrey surmounted by an open book proper edged Or bound Azure;
Crest
A dove wings addorsed Or gorged of a wreath of olive proper and charged on the wing with a maple leaf Murrey;
Symbolism
Arms
The Canadian Heraldic Authority does not have confirmed symbolism for this emblem. The following comments are hypotheses only. The design is based on the personal arms of the university’s namesake, Sir George Williams, which featured a white dove with an olive branch on a red background, and a gold chief bearing three red roses. The inverted triangle is the emblem of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), which Sir George founded in 1844, and alludes to the YMCA philosophy of balancing mind, body and soul. Sir George Williams University developed from the education program of the Montréal YMCA. The roses indicate that Sir George was a seventh son. The book alludes to education. The maple leaf identifies the university as a Canadian body.
Crest
A dove with a red rose on its wing was the crest of Sir George Williams, the rose having been changed here to a maple leaf as a Canadian reference.
Background
Canada Gazette Information
The announcement of the Letters Patent was made on January 1, 1900, in Volume 0, page 0 of the Canada Gazette.
Artist Information
Creator(s)
Original concept of the College of Arms, London.
Painter
Artist of the College of Arms, London / Artiste du Collège d’armes, Londres
Calligrapher
* Not applicable / Sans objet
Recipient Information
Civil Institution
Educational
The recipient’s emblems were originally recorded at the College of Arms, London, England, 3 December 1964.