Historical information

When Brighton was first incorporated as a borough in 1859, the first seal and coat of arms of the municipality depicted a market gardener. Spade in one hand and fruit in the other, the gardener is surrounded by a cornucopia of produce, a ploughman toiling the field behind him, and a mill in the distance. It is underscored by the motto ‘By their fruits ye shall know them’.

Physical description

Oil paint on metal on shaped wood shield, depicting a figure of a standing male pioneer holding a spade in one hand and fruit in the other. A fruit tree directly behind him, two pineapples to the right and a cornucopia bearing fruit to the left. Behind the pioneer are depictions of the sea with a ship, a farmer with a horse ploughing a field, a steam train, and a windmill. A black banner at the top of the shield has inscription BRIGHTON which sits above the Royal Coat of Arms. A red banner at the bottom has Brighton's motto 'FRUCTU NOSCITUR' which translates to ‘By their fruits ye shall know them’. Another black banner underneath: 1858.