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Civic Heraldry of Trinidad & Tobago

National Coat of arms of TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Origin/meaning:
The arms were officially adopted on 09-08-1962. The three ships are the fleet of Columbus. Above the ships are two hummingbirds. The red ibis is the national bird of Trinidad, standing on a three-topped hill, from which the island got its name (mountain of trinity). The Cocrico bird on the left side is the national bird of Tobago.

The Crown Colony of Trinidad and Tobago was formed in 1889, under a constitution that left Tobago with its own legal and fiscal systems. Full administrative amalgamation came in 1899.
The colony used a landscape badge both on its seal and on the flags used by the colony - the Union Jack used by the Governor, the Blue Ensign used by Government vessels and the Red Ensign used by merchant vessels.
The drawing shows an island peak with the sea in the foreground, and square-rigged sailing ships entering a harbour at right (heraldic sinister). The masoned stone groyne has a flagpole bearing the Union Jack as a prominent part of the design.
The badge was probably shown in colour, but this illustration (in orange) is taken from a postage stamp of 1960.

The colony attained independence in 1962, but the stamp continued in use until 1967, when a stamp in the same shade of orange, illustrating the state's coat of arms (which does not include orange among its colours), was issued to replace it.

Literature : : Pedersen, C.F. : Alverdens flag I farver. Politikens Forlag, Copenhagen, 1979.


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