Flag of British - Description of the British Flag - The Union Jack
The flag of the
United Kingdom is often referred to as the British flag, or
given its full title the flag of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland
As the
above picture of the British Flag indicates the colors of the
British flag, or Union Jack, are red, white and blue - the
actual background, or field, is blue
According to
Ancient and Heraldic traditions much symbolism is associated
with colors. The colors on the British flag represent the
following:
White -
peace and honesty
Red -
hardiness, bravery, strength & valour
Blue -
vigilance, truth and loyalty, perseverance & justice
The
basic style shown in the picture of the British flag is
described as a Cross reflecting the
central design of the flag pattern
All Flag
pictures depict flags flying, from the viewer's point of view,
from left to right
The shape and flag ratio of the British flag is described as 1:2 ( length twice the height )
The
British flag
pictures a representation of the Patron Saints of England,
Scotland and Ireland on a blue field as follows:
The red
cross of Saint George, the patron saint of England, edged
in white
Superimposed
on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick the patron saint of
Ireland
Superimposed
on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew, the patron saint of
Scotland
To fly the
British flag the correct way up, the broad white band of St. Andrew
should be above the red band of St. Patrick in the upper-hoist
canton
The Meaning
& History of the the British Union Jack, or given its correct title the
Union Flag, is the national flag of the United Kingdom. The
British name
"Union Jack" derives from its early use as a 'jack' which
is the small flag flown at the bow of a ship
Flag
Terminology - Did you Know ?
The design and description
uses specific flag terminology based on Heraldic principles
Animal blazons should always appear
with the heads facing the flag - staff side
The Study of the Flags is called
Vexillology
Your interest in flags makes you a
Vexillologist!
Increase your knowledge - Play the
Flag Quiz
Flag History &
Evolution:
The idea of
flying a flag grew from the requirements of ancient warfare and
the battlefield
Shields were
painted with emblems to identify Friend or Foe
Warriors
needed to know where their leaders were - the custom of carrying
a pole was adopted
An emblem
such as a shield, animal or religious device was attached to the
pole for identification
The emblems
were also used for identity and to cover suits of armour - Coats
of Arms were born
These
emblems were the forerunners of modern flags
The Romans
were the first to use a cloth flag - they were square and
fastened to cross bars at the end of spears - the idea of
fastening a flag to the side of a pole soon followed
The strict
rules of Heraldry are still used when designing an emblem and
creating a modern flag
British
Flag Etiquette
British Flag etiquette is very strict and is is
essential that Flag protocols and rules are followed correctly
Basic
Flag
Etiquette applies to all nations, including British as follows:
Etiquette relating to the order of
precedence for the flag
National Flag
State Flag
Military Flag(in order of creation date)
Other Flag
The United Nations uses alphabetical order
when presenting a national flag including the British Flag. Their flag etiquette ensures
that no one country's flag has precedence over another country's
flag
The
National flag should never be flown
above another national flag on the same staff as this would
suggest superiority, or conversely, inferiority of one flag, or
Nation, over another
The British flag should never be allowed to drag
along the ground
A tattered or faded flag of
British should be removed
and replaced with a new flag
Due care and
consideration must be taken to ensure that the British flag is
always
flown the correct way up
A Flag of British, when in such
condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem of display,
should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning in
private with all due care and respect
Terminology & Etiquette in British Flag display
Hoist - the
act or function of raising the British flag, as on a rope
Half Staff
or Half Mast - the British flag is hoisted to half of the potential
height of the flag pole to denote grief and mourning
Performed
by first raising the flag to the top, then lowering the
Flag halfway
Distress -
denoted by flying the British flag upside-down
Manner of
hoisting - The British flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered
ceremoniously
No
disrespect should be shown to the British flag
The flag
should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a
manner as to permit the Flag to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in
any way
The British
flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it,
nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure,
design, picture, or drawing on the flag of any nature
The
British flag should be hoisted first and lowered last
International Flag relating to Flag usage forbids the
display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation
in time of peace
We hope that the presentation of facts
and information regarding British Flag Etiquette has
provided a useful resource.
Great Britain
Location:
Western Europe, islands including the
northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North
Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France
Land Size : 244,820 sq km
Climate / Weather : temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest
winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the
days are overcast
Population of
Great Britain : 60,776,238 (July 2007 est.)
Former Name(s) :
N/A
Capital City of
Great Britain : London
GDP of Great
Britain : $1.664 trillion (2003 est.)
Main Industries :
machine tools, electric power & automation equipment, railroad
equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts,
electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals,
coal, petroleum, food processing, textiles, clothing, and other
consumer goods
Currency of Great
Britain
: British pound (GBP)
British Agricultural
products : cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle,
sheep, poultry; fish
Main Colors of
British Flag : Red, white and blue
Concise History of Great Britain and the British flag
Queen
Elizabeth I ruled a divided nation. As the "Virgin Queen" she
named the son of Mary Queen of Scots (her cousin) as her
successor
James VI of
Scotland therefore also became James I of England and on April
12, 1606
The first
'Union Flag' was created by using ecclesiastical heraldry by
combining the red cross of St. George of England and the saltire
of St. Andrew of Scotland
This was not
a totally accurate representation of the flags as the blue
background of the Scottish national flag is a lighter "sky" blue
than the dark blue used on the Union Flag
The new
Union flag was only for use at sea by the civil and military
vessels of England and Scotland. It was intended to show common
allegiance in the two countries to the monarch and Nation
The term
"ensign", so often used in flag descriptions, is a flag that is
flown (as by a ship) as the symbol of nationality
In 1649,
after the execution of Charles I and dissolution of the
British monarchy, Oliver Cromwell decreed that the use of the Union Flag
was discontinued because it’s sole purpose was to show
allegiance to the British crown by vessels in which it was flown
In 1660 the
monarchy was restored and the Union flag was used specifically
in the king's ships
1707 - the
kingdoms of England and Scotland were officially united in the
Act of Union and
the flag became "the ensign armorial of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain"
January 1,
1801 marked the Act of Union with Ireland
The red
saltire cross attributed to St. Patrick was added to represent
Ireland however St Patrick was not a martyr and therefore no
cross was ever ascribed to him
The red
cross, attributed to St. Patrick, is in actual fact, part of the heraldic
device of the Fitzgerald family crest
The
Fitzgerald family were sent by the
English King Henry II of England (1154-1189) to suppress the
Irish in 1172
This flag
has never been used as an emblem of Ireland by the Irish
Wales had
been conquered by Edward I of England (1239 - 1307) and became
incorporated into England under the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284.
Wales was therefore considered part of the kingdom of England
and the Welsh flag never became part of the Union Jack Flag
The Union
Flag was originally a royal flag rather than a British national flag
The Union
Jack has never been made an official British civil flag by any legal
process
It has
become the British National Flag through usage, custom &
practice
In 1908
it was stated in Parliament that "the Union Jack should be
regarded as the National flag"
In 1933 the
Home Secretary, Sir J Gilmour, said “... the Union Flag is the
national flag and may properly be flown by any British subject
on land”
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The
British Flag and Nation
We hope that the presentation of facts
and information regarding the British Flag and Country has
provided a useful educational resource. To improve your knowledge
of Flags and Vexillology still further check out the Flag and Nations
Index and test your knowledge with our
interactive, multi-choice, picture-based Flag Trivia Quiz Game - it's fast and
it's fun! If you answer all questions correctly you will earn the
right to enter the Vexillologist Hall of Fame!
