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In one of an ongoing series taking a closer look at some of Derbyshire's many official insignia, local historian Peter Seddon considers the Coat of Arms of Erewash Borough Council, both elaborate and controversial in turn.

Erewash Borough Council was formed in 1974 by the amalgamation of three smaller authorities - South East Derbyshire, Long Eaton, and Ilkeston - each with its own strong sense of local identity and fierce civic pride.

So it was always on the cards that there would be a certain amount of 'friction' caused by their enforced coming together. And so it proved.

It all kicked off over the apparently small matter of the official Erewash Borough Council crest, for when it was unveiled, representatives of Ilkeston felt that their own civic identity had been sorely compromised. The Coat of Arms which sparked all the trouble is shown below.

First the official heraldic rundown:

ARMS: Argent three Bands wavy Azure overall between three Astronomical signs of Mars Or, a Chevron Gules thereon a Fleur de Lys also Or on a Chief dovetailed Gules a Garb of Wheat between two hanks of Cotton Gold.

CREST: On a Wreath Or Gules and Azure out of a Mural Crown Or masoned Gules charged with four Amulets Sable and between two Torches issuing Azure enflamed proper a Stag rampant Gules and gorged with Lace proper attired and unguled Gold.

BADGE: A Stag's Head caboshed Gules attired Or, in the mouth an Astronomical sign of Mars Or and between the attires a Rose Gules barbed proper thereon another Argent barbed and seeded also proper.

MOTTO: 'PER SAPIENTIAM CONSTANTIAMQUE VICTORIA' - 'Triumph Through Wisdom and Endeavour' - Granted 1983.

Now for the interpretation in plain English:

The three blue wavy bands symbolise the three rivers associated with the authority's domain - the Trent, Derwent and Erewash. The red chevron was common to both the former arms of Long Eaton Urban District Council and South East Derbyshire Rural District Council - but significantly NOT Ilkeston Borough Council!

Instead it was hoped to keep Ilkeston happy by way of the signs of Mars - these represented the 'God of War' who fought his mighty battles with weapons of iron, thereby reflecting the area's long history in the iron and steel industry, in particular the ironworks at Stanton.

The hanks of yarn symbolised the textile industry for which the broader region was recognised. The black amulets on the castellated crown were taken from the South East Derbyshire arms, representing steel-making and engineering. And the lace collar on the stag - although common to both the Ilkeston and Long Eaton arms - was a particular nod to Long Eaton and its age-old links to the lace trade.

Meanwhile the stag - common to both the arms of Derby and Nottingham - indicates the general geographical position of Erewash, in particular its 'borderland' proximity to parts of Nottinghamshire!

This was a classic case of the design consultants trying to keep everyone happy in a 'delicate' situation, for which they charged the then not inconsiderable sum of £2,350.

And was everybody happy? Of course not.

While Long Eaton nodded approvingly at the lace collar, and South East Derbyshire basked in the shared glory of the red chevron, former members of Ilkeston Borough Council were beside themselves with undisguised rage.

To put it bluntly, they were up in arms over the arms, claiming that Ilkeston had been badly short-changed. It was more than just the stag which was rampant, for every civic dignitary in Ilkeston bellowed the very same question in unison - 'Where's the ****** leopard!?'

Although leopards have long been a rare sight in darkest Ilkeston, that noble creature had formed the focal point of the town's own arms since time immemorial, latterly carrying a safety lamp in its jaws to symbolise the mining industry. The exotic beast had originally been taken from the heraldic arms of the Cantelupe family, the leading clan in Ilkeston in the 12th century.

Nor did the Ilkestonian claim of 'blatant discrimination' cease there. Once the town's representatives had warmed up there were further pertinent questions to be asked. 'Why only two flames and not three? Is Ilkeston to be tossed aside like a spent match?' And 'What about the gloves? Hadn't Ilkeston's own arms sported a natty pair in honour of the town's once-thriving glove industry? Where are they now?'

As in most such matters, things quickly degenerated into a state of farce, and the mounting catalogue of claimed injustices was completed by one of those 'and another thing' jibes that smacked of sheer desperation: 'The stag's far too thin - we like to carry a bit of flesh in Ilkeston - it signifies prosperity - make it fatter!'

Needless to say, the area's newspapers had great sport with this 'silly season' story before the unseemly squabble just as inevitably subsided. In football terms it finished Long Eaton and South Derbyshire 2 Ilkeston 0.

All of which goes to show that it's nigh on impossible to please all of the people all of the time. In the ruthless arena of heraldry nothing can be taken for granted. And in the harsh world of civic insignia - as Ilkeston discovered to its chagrin - two might just about be 'company', but three is most definitely 'a crowd'.

• Derbyshire - Coats of Arms, Badges and Crests

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