Coat of Arms

National Flag

National Flower

Pride of Barbados

The National Flag*:
                                  Is composed of three vertical panels -the outer panels of ultramarine and the centre panel of gold. A broken trident in black is the centre of the flag. The British standar colour code numbers for the colours of the flag are as follows -Ultramarine- BCC 148, Gold -BSO/002. The flag is designed in the portion 3:2. The description of the flag -Blue for the sea and sky of Barbados; Gold for the sand of its beaches.

The symbol in the centre panel is the Trident of a Mythical sea god Neptune. This Symbol appears in the Seal of the colony which was replaced by the Barbados Coat of Arms. The shaft of the Trident is broken indicating Barbados break with its historical and constitutional ties as a former colony.

The National Flag was designed by Mr. Grantley W. Prescod. His design was chosen from 1,029 entries in an open competition organized by the Government of Barbados. Mr. Prescod was awarded a Gold Medal, an inscribed scroll from the Government and $500 which was donated by the Advocate Company Limited.

Mr. Prescod attended St. Barnabas Boys School. He taught before undertaking a one year course at the West of England College of Art for Specialist Teachers of Art in 1962-63. He also attained a certificate in Education from Bristol University. Between 1070-72 he studied for the Master of Education degree majoring in Art Education at Temple University, Philadelphia, U.S.A.

Mr. Prescod has taught at the Parkinson Secondary School. He served as an Education Officer from September 1977 until he retired in February 1987. He is now an acting tutor at the Erdiston Teachers Training College.

Coat of Arms*:
                           The grant of arms conveyed by royal warrant was presented by Her Majesty the Queen to the President of the Senate of the island on February 14, 1966 on the occasion of the Royal Visit to Barbados.

Prior this grant of Arms the only other heraldic device was the seal of the colony. It represented the British Sovereign in a shell chariot being drawn by two sea horses through foaming waves. The seal was changed when there was a new monarch. The King sits in the chariot while the Queen stand.

The Golden Shield of the Arms carries two Pride of Barbados flowers (the National Flower) and the Bearded Fig Tree (Ficus Citrifolia) which was common on the island at the time of its settlement. On either side of the shield are the supporters- on the right (dexter) is a dolphin symbolic of the fishing industry and on the left (sinister) is a pelican. The association is made with a small island named Pelican Island which existed off Barbados and which was incorporated into the Deep Water Harbour development.

Above the shield is a helmet and mantling and on a wreath is the arm and hand of a Barbadian holding two crossed pieces of sugar cane symbolic of the sugar industry. This is a saltire cross, the cross upon which Saint Andrew was crucified. Independence day in Barbados is celebrated on November 30, Saint Andrews day.

The Coat of Arms carries the motto "Pride and Industry".

The Barbados Coat of Arms was designed by Mr. Neville C. Connell. Mr. Connell was a director of the Barbados Museum for almost 24 years. He was a prolific writer and contributed a great number of articles for the Museum Journals, local newspaper as well as publications overseas.

He was educated at Harrison College, Barbados and Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. He was called to the Bar at Grey's Inn. He served in the Royal Artillery at the outbreak of war. After his discharge he worked in an Antique Dealer's business and was also Assistant Secretary of the Institute Practitioners in Advertising.

The Design of Barbados Coat of Arms was the result of extensive research conducted by Mr. Connell who was a student of Heraldy. He was assisted in this work by Mrs. Hilda Ince (now deceased), an excellent artist. The developmental sketches of the Coat of Arms remain in the possession of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society.

Mr. Connell died on January 19th, 1973 at the age of 66.

The National Flower*:
                         The National Flower of Barbados is the Pride of Barbados (Dwarf Poinciana or Flower Fence).

References to this flower were recorded as early as 1657. It is a shrub and is often pruned into a low hedge. If untrimmed it grows to a height of 10 to 15 feet. It is a member of the Legume family and can be found in other tropical countries.

The Pride of Barbados blooms most of the year, the more common varieties are a fiery red and yellow although other colour variations can be found. The flower has five petals with a yellow margin in a pyramidal inflorescence. Each flower is about 1 1/2 inches across with five sepals. The ten stamens are long and the pistils project from the centre of the flower. The fifth petal is far smaller than the other four. The stamens have coloured filaments with anthers at the tips however, the eleventh filament bears a stigma and is the style.

The branches are prickly and the leaves are large and doubly compound about one foot long and six inches wide with many small leaflets.

The National Flower is accepted as the red variety with the Yellow Margin on the petals. It Appears on the Coat of Arms.

* Source: "The National Emblems of Barbados", published by The Barbados Government Information Service. Information provided by Government of Barbados.