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Fredericton, New Brunswick (Canada)

1:2 image by Eugene Ipavec
Source: Canadian City Flags, Raven 18

Fredericton
Current Flag
- Design
- Symbolism
- Selection
- Designer
175th anniversary flag
City of Fredericton Police Force

See also:

Fredericton

Fredericton is the capital of the province of New Brunswick. The city is situated in the west-central portion of the province along the Saint John River, which flows west to east as it bisects the city; it is the dominant natural feature of the area. One of the main urban centres in New Brunswick, it is the third-largest city in the province after Moncton and Saint John.

Current Flag

Text and image(s) from Canadian City Flags, Raven 18 (2011), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association, which retains copyright. Image(s) by permission of Eugene Ipavec.

Design

The flag of the City of Fredericton has a blue field with the city shield in the centre, outlined in black, and the city motto on a ribbon below it. These elements are nearly the full height of the flag. The simple white shield has a horizontal top and simply-curved sides forming a pointed “U” shape. It contains four elements: three smaller shields of the same shape arranged two over one, and a smaller Latin cross in brown centred at the top, with many small brown lines emanating from it in all directions. The upper-left shield contains a Union Jack, the upper-right shield contains the royal arms of the United Kingdom (in four quarters)—both have a royal crown above. The lower shield, slightly larger than the others, is blue with an evergreen tree in green with a brown trunk atop a green mound. Wrapping around both sides from below the shield is a wavy ribbon of white with a red back inscribed FREDERICOPOLIS SILVĆ FILIA NOBILIS in red serifed letters.
Luc Baronian, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

Symbolism

The city’s documentation interprets the arms:

Fredericton’s coat of arms consists of three shields: the Union Jack in the upper left shield surmounted by the crown; the Royal Arms crowned the personal flag of the reigning sovereign of Britain in the upper right shield, and the irradiated cross above signifies Fredericton’s status as a cathedral city; and below a fir tree symbolizes the forests of New Brunswick. The [Latin] motto is: Fredericopolis silvć filia nobilis (“Fredericton, noble daughter of the forest”).

Luc Baronian, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

Selection

According to the city:

The arms were drawn without regard to the laws of heraldry and were not recorded nor approved by the College of Arms in Britain at the time. In 1955, when the late Brigadier Michael Wardell of Fredericton entered into discussions with the College of Arms on behalf of the city, with a view of obtaining official authority for the arms, it was stated that in no circumstances could such use of the Royal Emblems be sanctioned. The difficulties seemed insurmountable, but the discussions continued over the years, and three successive mayors of Fredericton urged the city’s case for the official recognition of its arms based on unbroken usage for more than a century. In 1970, as a result of procedures suggested by Sir Anthony Wagner, the Garter King of Arms, a petition was made to the Queen by the Governor General of Canada on a proposal of the Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick. The Queen, in view of the special circumstances, approved in principle the use of the old arms, thus empowering the College of Arms to grant to the City of Fredericton the lawful authority and unique distinction of being entitled to bear and use the Royal Arms forever, as set forth in Letters Patent presented to the City on 10 June 1971.

Luc Baronian, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

Designer

Unknown. According to the city, the arms were created at the city’s incorporation on 30 March 1848 by Dr. James Robb, a professor at Kings College (now University of New Brunswick), who was also a member of Fredericton’s first city council.
Luc Baronian, Canadian City Flags, Raven 18, 2011

175th anniversary flag

image by Masao Okazaki, 3 April 2023

On March 30, 2023, Fredericton raised a flag to celebrate its 175th anniversary.
https://www.facebook.com/photo

Logo: https://www.facebook.com/photo

Masao Okazaki, 3 April 2023

City of Fredericton Police Force

image located by Valentin Poposki, 17 April 2010
Source: http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1529074869076559132Jjthcl

The flag of the City of Fredericton Police Force is blue with the FPF badge centered on it.
Official website: http://www.fredericton.ca/en/publicsafety/policeforce.asp
Valentin Poposki, 17 April 2010