Arms of Bruce Kenneth Patterson
Arms of Bruce Kenneth Patterson
Blazon
Gyronny Gules and Argent, a cross gyronny counterchanged;
Symbolism
Red and white are the national colours of Canada. The cross indicates the centrality of the Christian faith in Mr. Patterson’s life; it can also represent the Anglican church and his high school, St. George’s College, Toronto. The saltire division lines allude to the saltire crosses of the arms of St. Patrick, the patron of Ireland, St. Andrew, the patron of Scotland, and St. Alban, the patron of the church in Toronto where Mr. Patterson received the sacrament of confirmation.
Crest of Bruce Kenneth Patterson
Blazon
A demi-panther guardant Gules incensed proper semé of cinquefoils, grasping in the dexter paw a fire-steel Or;
Symbolism
The panther is a particularly heraldic creature, and thus refers to Mr. Patterson’s interest in the subject and to his work as a herald. The pimpernel flowers indicate Mr. Patterson’s ancestry in Northern Ireland, as they have been used on recent British coinage as a symbol of that province. The fire-steel represents Mr. Patterson’s original career as a teacher; as flames symbolize learning, the fire-steel can therefore indicate the act of “sparking” knowledge. The panther’s flames, traditionally meant to indicate its sweet voice, can here refer to Mr. Patterson’s love of vocal music. The panther is a benevolent creature and the enemy of the dragon, and is thus an appropriate Christian symbol.
Motto of Bruce Kenneth Patterson
Blazon
LET MY COUNSEL BE A KINDLY LIGHT;
Symbolism
This sentence is based on the phrase “His counsel was a kindly light to men perplexed” from the memorial tablet to Mr. Patterson’s great-grandfather, the Reverend John Brown Lusk, in the Presbyterian church in Glasgar, County Down, Ireland. This was written by the noted mediaeval scholar Helen Waddell, a friend of Mr. Lusk’s. Here it can also refer to the flames in the crest and Mr. Patterson’s desire to teach and guide with wisdom.
