Sidney
SIDNEY
Province : British Columbia
Official blazon
Arms : Or on a base barry wavy of six Azure and Argent a representation of the 19th century British survey vessel HMS Plumper, hull Argent, masts and rigging Sable flying at the stern a White Ensign proper on a chief Azure, dexter to sinister a pheon, two hands clasped fessways couped at the wrist and a Salish stone arrowhead all O.
Crest: A beacon Sable enflamed Or rising from a grassy mound Vert above a row of rocks proper the whole between barry wavy of five Azure and Argent.
Supporters: Two bufflehead ducks proper on waves of the sea Azure crested Argent set on either side of a rocky outcrop bearing sprigs of arbutus leaved and fructed proper.
Motto: PHARUS EXCLARET NOS
Origin/meaning
The arms were officially granted on November 12, 1996.
The arms show the sloop H. M. S. Plumper. On the upper left and right of the shield were two arrowheads with clasped hands between them. Above the shield was a flaming beacon and below it on a curved scroll the motto "PHARUS EXCLARARET NOS".
H. M. S. Plumper, commanded by Captain George Henry Richards, was a Royal Navy survey vessel. In 1859 Captain Richards surveyed Sidney Island and Sidney Channel. He named both after his friend Lt. Frederick William Sidney also of the Royal Navy. In 1891 the Sidney townsite was surveyed on land given by the Brethour family. The settlement was given the same name.
The arrowhead on the upper right was Salish while on the left the blue barbed arrowhead was from the Sidney family's coat-of-arms. The clasped hands between them symbolised the friendship between the First Nations and the settlers. The beacon represented the one that formerly marked the rocks off Sidney and after which Beacon Avenue was named. A beacon can also signify knowledge and enlightenment. The motto translates "Let a beacon enlighten us".
In 1995 the Environment Advisory Committee proposed to Council that Bufflehead Ducks and Arbutus leaves be added to the arms as "supporters" to represent the natural environment of Sidney. The Buffle head ducks symbolise Sidney's position by the sea. Shoal Harbour Sanctuary, particularly Roberts Bay, is their primary winter habitat. The Bufflehead or "spirit duck" was also selected for vivacity and boundless energy. The Arbutus grows only in a small area along the southern B. C. coast and was a natural choice to represent the flora of Sidney.
Literature: Image from http://www.gg.ca
Contact and Support
Partners:
Your logo here ?
Contact us
© 1995-2025, Heraldry of the World, Ralf Hartemink 
Index of the site; background from Sidney council