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Slough, Buckinghamshire (England)

Introduction
Coat of arms
Flag

Introduction

Slough is one of the smallest unitary authorities in England. It has about 33 km², with about 170,000 inhabitants.

Slough Urban District Council was created in 1894 within Buckingham County Council. It became a Municipal Borough Council in 1938. With the new Local Government Act 1972, in 1974 Slough became a non-metropolitan district, but very soon it became Slough Borough Council within Berkshire County Council. In 1998 Slough Borough Council became a unitary authority, after Berkshire County Council was abolished.

Coat of arms

Slough has had two coat of arms.

image located by Valentin Poposki, 28 July 2020

In 1938 Slough Municipal Borough Council got first coat of arms.

Official blazon
Arms : Per chevron Argent and Gules in chief two Roses of the last barbed and seeded proper and in base a Swan holding in the beak a White Pink slipped and leaved also proper on a Chief Azure the Astronomical Symbol of Uranus irradiated between two Brick-Axes Or.
Supporters : On the dexter side a Figure of Mercury proper vested Argent mantled Azure and on the sinister side a Figure of Vulcan proper vested Argent holding in the dexter hand a Pair of Pincers also Argent.
Motto: 'FIDUCIA ET VI' - By confidence and strength

Origin/meaning
The arms were officially granted on September 3, 1938.
As in the new arms the swan stands for Buckinghamshire, the the flowers for the horticulture in the borough.
The brick-axes refer to the brick-making and the sign of Uranus is from the arms of the family of Herschel of Slough, and relates to the discovery of the planet Uranus by Sir William Herschel.
The supporters are the gods Mercury and Vulcan and symbolize trade and industry.
Valentin Poposki, 28 July 2020

Note that in this depiction of the arms, the symbol of Uranus is incorrectly depicted: the dot, which should be placed in center of the circle, is missing, which effectively turns the symbol into an erroneous depiction of the symbol of Mars (which should be rotated 45 degrees clockwise in order to be depicted correctly).
Tomislav Todorovic, 29 July 2020

image located by Valentin Poposki, 28 July 2020

After 1974 Slough Borough Council was granted with the new arms:

Official blazon
Arms : Per chevron Or and Gules on Waves barry wavy Argent and Azure a Swan proper holding in the beak a White Pink slipped and leaved proper the whole between four Chevronels interlaced Sable on a Chief Azure within an Anulet Or a Mullet Argent between fourteen like Mullets.
Crest : Rising from a Mural Coronet proper a Mount Vert thereon in front of an Oak Tree proper fructed Or a Stag at gaze between two Brick-Axes all Gold.
Motto: 'SERVE WITH HONOUR'

Origin/meaning
The arms were officially granted on ??
The swan is the symbol for Buckinghamshire, the county in which the district was situated and is taken from the old borough arms (see below). The swan holds in its beak a flower, a symbol for the horticultural activities in the district. The interlaces chevrons (black lines) symbolise the modern technology, especially the manufacture of alloys.
The chief shows a night sky and a large star surrounded by a golden ring. The latter symbolises the planet Uranus, which was discovered by Sir William Herschel, who originated from the district.
The crest is derived from the arms of Berkshire in which the district is presently situated. The stag is flanked by two brick axes, symbols for the former brick making industry in the borough.

https://heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Slough

Valentin Poposki, 28 July 2020

Here, Uranus is simply represented as a star, obviously in order to avoid the erroneous depictions, not only as in the previous arms, but also because beside this symbol for the planet (⛢, U+26E2), there is also an alternative one (੕, U+2645), which might lead to varying depictions of the same blazon without a proper specification included therein.
Tomislav Todorovic, 29 July 2020

Flag

image located by Valentin Poposki, 28 July 2020

I didn't find any mention of the borough flag, until the flag with the borough arms over the flag of the EU, made in 2018 and used in the protests thru 2020.

Slough for Europe is a cross-party group for citizens of Slough who believe that the people need a final say in a new referendum to avoid a Brexit that harms the economy, opportunities and lifestyles.
http://sloughforeurope.eu/news/about-slough-europe-logo

Some of the flags bears slogans "Slough for Europe" https://www.facebook.com/sloughforeurope/photos/a.1810653592321669/2172909452762746
Valentin Poposki, 28 July 2020