Manchester City Crest

Lore & Background

The Shield: red (Gules) with three gold (Or) bands (heraldic bends) drawn diagonally from top-left (dexter chief) to bottom-right (sinister base). The Chief (the white (Argent) top segment): shows a ship at sea in full sail. This is a reference to the city's trading base. The Crest: On a multicoloured wreath stands a terrestrial globe, signifying Manchester's world trade, with a swarm of flying bees around it.

The bee was adopted in the 19th century as a symbol of industrial Manchester. The Supporters: On the left, a heraldic antelope with a chain attached to a gold (Or) collar, representing engineering industries, and hanging at the shoulder, the red rose of Lancashire, reflecting Manchester's historic position in Lancashire. On the right, a golden lion stands guardant (facing us), crowned with a gold (Or) mural crown (a standard heraldic symbol for a city).

The lion also wears the Red Rose of Lancashire. Motto: Concilio et Labore, loosely translated 'By wisdom and effort' (or 'By counsel and hard work'). Note: This is the city's motto; the club's official motto is 'Superbia in Proelio' (Pride in Battle).

Reader's Guide

In 1954, Manchester Corporation successfully took the Manchester Palace of Varieties to court for improperly using the corporation's arms in its internal decoration and its company seal. The case, Manchester Corporation v Manchester Palace of Varieties Ltd, occasioned the first sitting of the High Court of Chivalry for two hundred years; it has not sat since. In April 2013, Manchester City Council threatened to take legal action against The Manchester Gazette for its use of the city's coat of arms on its website. The news outlet claimed it had previously gained permission, and continued to use the arms for a further 8 months, despite receiving warnings of potential legal action. It ceased to use the arms later that year.