In 1784, this province was founded for much the same reasons as was Upper Canada: the arrival by 1783 of some 10,000 American Loyalists who settled on the north shore of the Bay of Fundy which until the erection of the new Province was part of Nova Scotia.

Ensigns Armorial

The royal warrant of Her Majesty Queen Victoria granting individual arms to each of the four original provinces forming Confederation was dated 26 May 1868. The content of these new arms seems to have been proposed by the Canadian delegates who had gone to England in November 1866 and had stayed there until the spring of 1867 to negotiate the final terms of union between the Canada East, Canada West, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. An undated memorandum contains the original proposals. For the arms of New Brunswick, the proposal was a ship as found in the arms today with the addition of a horse to designate “the House of Brunswick (although properly representative of the House of Hanover only).” “The ship refers to the shipping which is the principal employment and occupation of the Province.’ In the arms granted to New Bruswick however, the horse was replaced by a lion.

The blazon of the arms assigned to New Brunswick in 1868 is: Or, on waves a lymphad or ancient galley with oars in action Proper, on a chief Gules a lion passant guardant Or. (R.W. 26. May 1868).

The conventionalized heraldic ship is probably an allusion to the shipbuilding industry which formerly was one of the principal industries of this area. The charge and tinctures of gold lion passant guardant on a red chief are to be found in the arms of the Duchy of Brunswick as well as in the arms of England.

Augmentations

The coat of arms granted by Queen Victoria was augmented with a crest, supporters and a motto by Royal Warrant of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II dated 25th of September 1984.

The crest is a salmon hauriant crowned with the Royal Crown on a helmet in trian aspect to the dexter Or lambrequined Gules doubled Or and crowned with a crown of three maple-leaves Or.

The supporters are two deer collared the dexter with a shield of the Union Jack pending and the sinister with a shield of the ancient arms of France.

Motto: SPEM REDUXIT (Hope was Restored).

The Achievement of New Brunswick

Augmentation of the Arms of New Brunswick: 25 Sept 1984

Elizabeth the Second by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom Canada and of Our other Realms and Territories Queen  Head of the Commonwealth Defender of the Faith To Our Right Trusty and Right entirely Beloved Cousin Miles Francis Stapleton Duke of Norfolk Knight Companion of Our Most Noble Order of the Garter Companion of Our Most Honourable Order of the Bath Commander of Our Most Excellent Order of the British Empire upon whom has been conferred the Decoration of the Military Cross Earl Marshal Greeting

WHEREAS Our Right Trusty Councillor Her Excellency the Right Honourable Jeanne Sauve Chancellor and Principal Companion of Our Order of Canada Chancellor and Commander of Our Order of Military Merit Our Governor General and Commander-in Chief of Canada has represented unto Us that Our Royal Predecessor Queen Victoria did by Warrant dated the twenty-sixth day of May 1868 under Her Royal Sign Manual assign for Her and Our Province of New Brunswick certain Armorial Bearings videlicet a Shield of Arms the record whereof has been preserved in Our College of Arms

AND WHEREAS Her Excellency upon the advice of the Secretary of State of Canada has recommended and submitted the request made by New Brunswick in respect of its said Armorial Bearings for Our Royal Consideration are graciously pleased to accede thereunto and of Our Princely Grace and Special Favour for the greater honour and distincton of Our said Province of New Brunswick have granted and assigned and by these Presents do grant and assign in augmentation of the Arms of New Brunswick the following Crest: Upon a Wreath Or and Gules within a Coronet comprising four Maple Leaves (three manifest) set upon a rim Or water barry wavy Azure and Argent leaping therefrom an Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) upholding on its back Our Royal Crown both proper mantled Gules doubled Or and for Supporters on either side a White tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) each gorged with a collar of Maliseet wampum proper and pendent therefrom an escutcheon that to the dexter bearing Our Union Badge and that to the sinister the  Arms Azure three Fleurs-de-lys Or otherwise France Modern a compartment comprising a Grassy mount with the Floral Emblem of the said Province of New Brunswick the Purple Violet (Viola cuculata) and  young Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) commonly called Fiddlehead growing therefrom all proper with the Motto SPEM REDUXIT as the same are in the painting hereunto annexed more plainly depicted to be borne and used together with the said Arms of Our Province of New Brunswick upon Seals Shields Banners Flags or otherwise as shall be appropriate and all according to the Laws of Arms

OUR WILL AND PLEASURE is that you the said Miles Francis Stapleton Duke of Norfolk in accordance with the custom and usage obtaining in these respects do cause this Our Concession and Declaration to be entered and recorded at Our College of arms and in such manner as may be convenient to ensure that in particuar such certified facsimile copies of this Our Warrant as may be required by Her Excellency The Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada and by His Honour the Lieutenent-Governor of New Brunswick for their respective archives are provided and in general to the end that all public functionaries and others in Canada and elsewhere whom it may concern may take full notice and have knowledge thereof in their several Departments Offices and Appointments

And for so doing this shall be your Warrant

Given at Our Court in Fredericton this Twenty-fifth day of September 1984 in the Thirty-third year of Our Reign.

By Her Majesty’s Command

Secretary of State of Canada

The achievement was registered in Volume I, page 16 of the Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada, April 5th, 1989.[1]