Leigh

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  • Overseas possessions
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LEIGH (Urban district council)

Incorporated into : 1974 : Wigan

Arms (crest) of Leigh

Official blazon

Arms : Quarterly Gules and Argent a Cross quarterly counter-changed between a Spear Head of the last in the first quarter a Mullet Sable in the second a Shuttle fessewise the thread pendant of the last in the third and a Sparrowhawk close proper in the fourth.
Crest : On a Wreath of the Colours the Battlements of a Tower proper issuant therefrom a Bear's Paw Gules holding a Javelin erect Or.
Motto: 'AEQUO PEDE PROPERA' - Hasten steadily

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on December 23, 1899.

The new borough enclosed what until then had been four distinct townships namely, Westleigh, Pennington, Bedford, and (part of) Atherton, all of which are represented in the new armorial bearings.

The emblems are from the heraldry of local families. The spear head represents the Urmestones of Westleigh, the star the Bradshaws (for Pennington), the shuttle the Shuttleworths (for Bedford and Westleigh) and the sparrowhawk the Athertons (for Atherton).

The bear's paw is from the crest of Lord Lilford.

The motto Aequo pede propera ("to hasten with equal foot"; or more popular "making progress steadily) was chosen as a wish to the destiny of the Leigh.


Coat of arms (crest) of Leigh

The arms on a Wills's cigarette card, 1906b3

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Literature: Image from here; Pink, 1900