University of Sussex Coat of Arms
“When a dolphin is not a dolphin”.
British imperial and colonial monuments and symbols:
Promoting collective wellbeing through an exploration
of the psyche of Britain’s institutions and Community.
Figure 1: University of Sussex Coat of Arms
“The University of Sussex’s coat of arms is rich with heraldic symbols like dolphins, pelicans, and crowns, representing historical narratives and institutional authority rooted in British traditions. This design, with its intricate symbols, reflects power dynamics and epistemic authority, resonating with Michel Foucault’s ideas about power and history. It challenges traditional Western views on history, emphasizing how such symbols can both embody and question the legitimacy of historical narratives, encouraging a critical re-evaluation of how these narratives are constructed”
Summary
This PhD thesis investigates the complex legacy of British imperial maritime and colonial symbols, in UK and Africa focusing on the recurring motif of the dolphin across various public monuments and artifacts in Brighton-Hove and Britain. It is centred on the intricate relationship between historical symbols and their contemporary implications, this study explores how these symbols serve as carriers of deep-seated imperial ideologies, by examining their role in perpetuating systems of re-traumatisation, domination, silence, and cognitive dissonance within British society.
Heritage file Hidden in Plain sight
Healing the wounds on the collective psyche
engendered by the ever present signs,
symbols and artefacts of subjucation and
damnation to find peace in their midst.
(Odi Oquosa)
Victoria Fountain, Old Steine
&
Norfolk Square Gardens
Preston Park
&
Brighton, Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College: BHASVIC
The triplicate dolphin of the Victorian empire extends its reach to the present day by way of statues, such as the one depicted above of Queen Victoria at the (sea) end of The Drive in Hove which sits above a plinth which highlights the three ideologies of the empire of the time:
Education, Commerce and Science & Art.
1. Peace Statue Municipal
2. Technical College
3. Clock Tower.
4. Former Bus Co HQ
5. Lift from street level to promenade
6. Freemasons Pub, Hove
Liverpool / Manchester
&
London Torquay
1. The various nigerian currencies from ancient manila to bank notes.
2. Artifacts found in ghana
A ‘dolphin fountain’ in Barbados
- with commemorative plaque
&
This Egyptian commemorative statue honours officers
of the Royal Sussex Regiment.
1. 2 November 1636 – 11 October 1721
English merchant, slave trader, philanthropist, and Tory Member of Parliament
2. The original University of Sussex coat of arms features the city’s heraldic ‘dolphins
ORDER OF ST MICHAEL & ST GEORGE