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The City of Manchester has various heraldic emblems, particularly the worker bee which symbolises industry. Manchester City Council incorporates the worker bee into its coat of arms, as well as the Red Rose of Lancaster, and three stripes and ship (representing the rivers Irwell, Medlock and Irk, and the Manchester Ship Canal); its motto is "Concilio et Labore" which is loosely translated to "By wisdom and effort."
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Worker bee
The worker bee was adopted as a motif for Manchester during the Industrial Revolution, at a time when Manchester was taking a leading role in new forms of mass production. Seven bees are included in the crest of the city's arms which were granted to the Borough of Manchester in 1842. The bee denotes Mancunians' hard work during this era and Manchester being a hive of activity in the 19th century.
Bees are known as hard workers with a vital role to play in the ecosystem by pollinating crops.
HMS Manchester is nicknamed Busy Bee after the Manchester's bee symbol and the bee is depicted on the ship's crest which is also present on the ship's funnel. In the early 1970s the famous Boddingtons logo was introduced, depicting a barrel and two bees. The University of Manchester's coat of arms features three bees. The bees are depicted on many structures in Manchester such as lampposts and bollards.
Lancashire rose
As an historical area of Lancashire, the city and wider Greater Manchester county retains the red rose in many emblems.
Cottongrass
The Eriophorum angustifolium, commonly known as Cottongrass, is the county flower of Manchester. The Cottongrass was voted for due to the association of cotton with Manchester, chiefly during the nineteenth century when the city was given the nickname of Cottonopolis
Three rivers
The three diagonal stripes depicted in the coat of arms of Manchester City Council. symbolise the three rivers which run through the Manchester city centre: the Irwell, the Irk and the Medlock.