JUST “LONDON.”

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 16427, 26 February 1925, Page 5

JUST “LONDON.”

L.C.C. MOTTO CHOSEN. AFTER TEN YEARS’ SEARCH. THOUSANDS OP SUGGESTIONS. The motto for London is to be- — “London.” The London County Council has decided this, in spite of the declaration of Garter King of Arms that the coat of arms is the arms of the Council and not of London, and that a motto is not recognised in heraldry. For ten years the Council has been occupied o': intervals in trying to frame a motto, and has never got farther than deciding that it would not have a Latin one. The public came to its aid with several thousand suggestions, but all of these were rejected, and tlien the General Purposes Committee recommended that for the present the question of a motto should not be proceeded with. Colonel Levila proposed “London” as the motto. "Tim word ‘London’ is all that Londoners require, just as when Venice sought a motto it decided that nothing could express the charms of the city so well as the name ‘Venezia.’ ” An Imperial Place. “In the heraldic alphabet that shield spells ‘London,’ and nothing else,” asseted Mr Ernest Gray, pointing to the coat of arms above the chairman. The wavy lines indicated a flowing river, the Cross of St. George showed that it was an English place on a river, the leopard denoted that it was also an Imperial place. London, and no other place, was designated. Captain Swinton recalled that ten years ago, when they were invited to suggest mottos —he thought by the Daily Mail—he had proposed "Aim high for- London.” By 39 votes to 31, the Council decided on the motto, “London.”