The Warwick Academy School Badge consists of a Crest with a Motto. the Crest contains two parts of each of which is interesting historically. The Bear and Ragged Staff device has been, from earliest times, incorporated in the heraldic crest of the House of Warwick.
When the Bermuda Trading Company controlled the Islands of Bermuda in the Seventeenth Century the Earl of Warwick was one of the shareholders. The School is established on land, which once formed part of that original share. The device of the Bear with the Ragged Staff which by kind permission of the present Earl, is now used as part of the school badge, has a prominent place in history, for the same device marked the advent of Warwick the Kingmaker, and of Richard of Beauchamp who fought with Henry V. At Crecy in 1346 the same Bear and Ragged Staff adorned the armour of Thomas who led the vanguard into battle.
The shield depicting the wreck of the Sea Venture is taken from the Arms of Bermuda and shows the flagship of Admiral George Somers, who sailed her from England for Virginia in June 1609, with a party of settlers. Storms drove the vessel south of her intended route and on 28th July in the same year she was wrecked close to the shores of Bermuda.
It seems fitting that Warwick Academy, the oldest school in Bermuda, should incorporate in its school badge devices which link an ancient noble house with Bermuda through the Sea Venture.
Added to the crest is the school motto, "Quo Non Ascendam", meaning "To what heights may I not ascend?", which epitomises the ageless spirit of adventure and achievement.
Lamacraft: The development of the Warwick Academy Crest It is interesting to consider the connections between three sets of crests and mottoes in relation to the present Warwick Academy Badge, which is made of a Crest and a motto.
Firstly the Arms of Warwick School (England)
Warwick school dates possibly from 914 when Ethelfelda, daughter of King Alfred, built the Burgh of Warwick. It was reconstituted in 1545 by Henry VIII as 'the King's New School of Warwick', and received a grant of arms in 1931: Bules, a cross flory, in the first quarter a fleur-de-lys or, a chief of the second three martlets azure. Crest: On a wreath of the colours, upon a portcullis chained or, a bear erect argent, muzzled mules, supporting a ragged staff also argent. Motto: Altoria Peto. "Flory" means "each limb ending in a fleur-de-lys; 'of the second' is 'of the second colour mentioned', in this case, gold; 'martlets' are heraldic swallows, shown without feet. The significance of the shield and crest is as follows. The cross flory and martlets are taken from the shield ascribed to Edward the Confessor. The fleur-de-lys is from the Royal Arms of Henry VIII, which combined the fleur-de-lys of France with the lions of England. The portcullis, a Tudor badge, was granted as part of the crest, and Lady Warwick graciously gave her consent to the use of the crest of the Warwick Family, the Bear and Ragged Staff, for the other part. It is interesting to note the use of the crest of the Warwick Family, the Bear and Ragged Staff which appears in the present Warwick Academy Badge, and also to not the link between the motto "Altoira Peto" (I seek higher things) of Warwick School, and the motto "Quo Non Ascendam" (To what heights may I not ascend) of Warwick Academy.
Secondly the Arms of Robert Riche -second Earl of Warwick (1587 - 1658) Warwick was noted, as a young man, as a decorative courtier; later he devoted his considerable talents to overseas expansion. he became a member of the Bermuda Company in 1620. He got official permission to send privateers to the East Indies; the uninitiated called them pirates. In 1628 he himself sailed with another group of privateers to interrupt Spanish trade with the west; he distinguished himself with great personal courage. After the accession of Charles I he became noticeably puritan and joined the Parliamentary opposition. His condemnation of illegal taxation led to his imprisonment. In the ensuing Civil War he became a Captain-General of the Parliament's Armies and was largely responsible for the Navy declaring against the King. A personal friend of Oliver Cromwell, he died in 1658 much lamented by the Lord Protector.
If the date of establishment of Warwick Academy is accepted as being circa 1662, and the place of establishment as being on one of the Earl's shares of land in Bermuda, then logically the school crest should follow that of this Lord Riche (Robert the Admiral). However, it is recorded that the Riche Family ceased to exist in 1759 with the death of Edward Riche and the Earldom was re-created, in the same year for the Grilles, descendants of the original Earls of Warwick (the Beauchamps), and the present Warwick Academy badge includes the crest of the Beauchamps (Bear and Ragged Staff) with permission from the present Earl of Warwick.
