(Above: colour plate displaying flags of the British Empire – taken from Our Flags and Their Significance; by K. C. Byrde; Bristol British-Israel Association, 1920).
From The London Express of February, 1902:
A BRITISH EMPIRE FLAG
_________
A Design Is Preparing for a New Ensign
to Give the Colonies
Representation.
An empire flag!
At last an ensign which shall adequately represent Great Britain both at home and beyond seas seems assured.
The Express is able to announce that the King has received with favour the suggestion that a new flag was needed to keep pace with the growing empire, and that a finished design for the same will be submitted to his Majesty next week.
Mr. C. D. Bennett, the cousin of a distinguished Colonial Governor, and himself well known in several of the colonies, has been intrusted with the responsibility of preparing this design.
Mr. Bennett has had many difficulties to contend with in evolving a harmonious and artistic design, which should fittingly express British sovereignty.
He has succeeded, however, in giving our colonial possessions full representation, without sacrificing the chief feature of the old flag – the Cross of St. George – which is in itself a familiar emblem of England's power in every quarter of the globe.
The following is a description of the new empire flag, as given officially to The Express:
On an absolutely white ground is embroidered a golden sun – typical of a race on whose dominions the sun never sets – shining on a large red Cross of St. George, representing, of course, the empire at home. In the left-hand corner is an imperial crown, the sign of one great empire, embracing all creeds, tolerating all beliefs, but under one great imperial idea.
Underneath the crown, on a blue scroll is inscribed the Latin rendering of the motto, “The empire on which the sun never sets,” which is the proudest boast of every Englishman:
“Imperium cui nullus Solis occasus.”
In the right-hand top corner of the flag will be placed the particular device representative of the empire beyond the sea. For instance, the flag to be used in India will contain the Star of India in the right-hand top corner. The flag as used in Australia will contain instead the device of the new Commonwealth, while the Canadian and other Colonial Governments will add to the design their own badge, for use on all “empire flags” in that particular part of the world. This design has been warmly commended by several persons high in authority to whom it has been exhibited. It now remains for his Majesty to place the final seal of approval. Mr. Bennett has notified the King that the design awaits his Majesty's pleasure, and it will probably be exhibited to him next week. Should it be approved by his Majesty, the new design will become “official” without delay. To the King himself is due this idea. His Majesty has realized that the present national emblem does not fully express the dignity and importance of the empire. When the Prince and Princess of Wales started on their tour, nearly a year ago, they were especially instructed to carefully note every shade of colonial opinion on the subject – whether a new flag was desired and what each colony expected. Everywhere the answer was the same: “Give us a new flag.” When the popular verdict was reported to the King, his Majesty at once signified a desire to have a proper design prepared. After weeks of toil the design is ready, which many people believe will eventually be flying at the mastheads of our warships and over British possessions at home and abroad.
I have my own site devoted to British Imperial flags (www.imperialflags.blogspot.com) but have never come across that shown on the cover of 'Our Flag'- the red ensign with crowned sun within a blue shield. Any ideas? I had my own British Empire flag sewn for me which you can see on the opening page of my site.
ReplyDeleteHi Keir,
ReplyDeleteSorry for the late response I've been very busy during December and I've only just looked at the Comment section and seen yours for this older post.
As to the origin of the crowned sun within the blue shield on the Red Ensign:
By the side of the flag in the picture it reads: “E. Africa”. So I presume that it's an ensign used in the former protectorate/colony of British East Africa (later given the name of “Kenya”). Your blog shows a similar design incorporating a sun (without a face superimposed!) and a crown for the former “British East Africa Co.”
I recall from reading Brian Lapping's 'End of Empire' (based on his TV series of the same name from the 1980s) that an area in British East Africa (Kenya) was originally offered to the Zionist Congress as a possible “homeland” for the Jews - but wasn't accepted by them.
“British East Africa” was relatively unknown at that time (it was primarily the land through which the railway run into the better-known and more prosperous protectorate/colony of “Uganda”. The offer to the Zionists of a Jewish “homeland” in British East Africa was known at the time as the “Uganda Offer” - though the area actually proposed was in - what is now - Kenya!
PS: Forgot to say that I'm also interested in old flags (and in particular those of the British Empire) so its nice to see a blog dedicated to the “Flags of Empire”.
ReplyDeleteCheers!