THE COLLEGE BADGE
(Lisburn Technical)
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| The College Badge | Later coat of arms of the Crommelin family. | Ancient coat of arms of the Crommelin family. |
THE College Badge, which was adopted in 1952, was designed by Mr. S. Semple, and a former Art Teacher, Mr. R. C. Willis.
The design symbolises the three predominant nationalities concerned in the establishment and history of Lisburn, namely the Irish, Welsh and French.
Surmounting the shield is a castle in gold supported by a wreath of the College Colours, green, gold and black, thus commemorating the establishment of the fortress of Lisnagarvagh by Sir Fulke Conway of Wales, founder of the Hertford family, the last of which line was Sir Richard Wallace, Bart., in whose mansion the College is housed. The shield is divided into three sections by a red chevron. The upper left-hand panel consists of a golden fleur-de-lis on an azure blue field, while the corresponding right-hand panel portrays three black martlets on a silver field. These devices, together with the chevron, have been taken from the ancient and later coats of arms of Louis Crommelin, the famous French Huguenot figure in the history of the development of the linen industry in Ireland. The Crommelin family was granted the privilege of incorporating in its arms the Royal Lily of France, because Princess Marie Catherine of France was godmother to Pierre, the great grandfather of Louis Crommelin.
Of Louis has it been said, "He departed from his country rather than desert his faith, and used his substance to succour those who suffered with him; leaving to us the benefits of faithful service and the better industry of flaxgrowing and linen-weaving in which his family had been occupied before the memory of man."
The lower panel of the shield displays a spinning wheel in gold on an emerald green field exemplifying the fact that, underneath the diverse waves of immigrants to the Lagan Valley, the native Irish genius and fire remained unquenched and its threads form an integral part of the intricate fabric of races, represented by the people of Lisburn and district to-day.
The legend picked out in gold on .a black scroll- "Par vigueur et Diligence" -is a French rendering of the College Motto - "By Energy and Industry" - and a worthy motto it is; one that should serve to inspire all those who labour in the various spheres of activity of our College and to emphasise that industry and service to our fellow-men is the true aim of nobility.
