The arms as used in the Council's logo

The arms as used prior to 1921

The Coat of arms of the City of Leeds dates from the seventeenth century. In 1662 the Borough of Leeds received a new charter which created the office of mayor, and the arms (the shield alone) seems to date from about this time as they incorporate part of the arms of the first mayor. These arms were recorded at the heraldic visitation of Yorkshire in 1666. By the time that the borough was reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, silver owls had been added as both crest above the shield, and as supporters on either side. These additions were not authorised, however, and in 1920 application was made by the County Borough of Leeds to the College of Arms to have these additions officially granted. In the following year the the grant of crest and supporters was made, with the colouring of the owls altered to "proper", or natural colourings. Gold ducal coronets were added to the supporters for further heraldic difference.^[1] Image File history File links Leedscitycouncil. ... Events February 1 - The Chinese pirate Koxinga seizes the island of Taiwan after a nine-month siege. ... Heraldic Visitations were tours of inspection undertaken by Kings of Arms in England, Wales and Ireland in order to regulate and register the coats of arms of nobility and gentry and boroughs, and to record pedigrees. ... Look up Yorkshire in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... 1666 is often called Annus Mirabilis. ... The Municipal Reform Act 1835 required members of town councils (municipal corporations) to be elected by ratepayers and councils to publish their financial accounts. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January January 3 - Babe Ruth is traded by the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees for $125,000, the largest sum ever paid for a player at that time. ... The Colleges own coat of arms was granted in 1484. ...

In 1974, the county borough was abolished by the Local Government Act 1972, becoming part of a much larger Metropolitan District of Leeds. The new Leeds City Council continues to use the arms of its predecessor, but to date no application has been made for the formal transfer of the armorial bearings. 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... The Local Government Act 1972 (1972 c. ... The City of Leeds is a metropolitan borough with city status in West Yorkshire in northern England, stretching from Otley and Wetherby in the north, on the border with North Yorkshire, to the border with the district of Wakefield in the south, and from Pudsey on the border with the...

Symbolism

• Three stars taken from the coat of arms of Sir Thomas Danby who was the first Mayor or Leeds.
• The fleece, a sign of the wool stapler, symbolises the wool industry in the city.
• Three owls taken from the coat of arms of Sir John Saville who was the first Alderman of Leeds.
• The motto, "Pro Rege et Lege", is latin "For King and the law". It is motto similar to the original used by the Australian capital of Canberra which was granted its arms in 1928.

now. ... An alderman is a member of a municipal legislative body in a town or city with many jurisdictions. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... For other uses, see Canberra (disambiguation). ... 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Blazon

The formal description, or blazon, of the arms is: This is an article about Heraldry. ...

For the arms: azure, a fleece or; on a chief sable three mullets argent; and for the crest: On a wreath of the colours, An owl proper; and for the supporters: On either side an owl proper ducally gorged or. Motto: 'PRO REGE ET LEGE'.

See also

The arms of Leeds' West Yorkshire neighbours:

• Coat of arms of Bradford
• Coat of arms of Calderdale
• Coat of arms of Kirklees
• Coat of arms of Wakefield

Sources

• G. Briggs, Civic and Corporate Heraldry, London 1971
• W. C. Scott-Giles, Civic Heraldry of England and Wales, 2nd edition, London, 1953
• W. H. Fox-Talbot, The Book of Public Arms, London 1915

References

1. ^ Letters patent dated November 7, 1921