Union Jack
\nThe
Union Flag or
Union Jack is the
national flag of the
United Kingdom.
\nIn
Canada the flag is officially called the
Royal Union Flag.
\n
Note that the jack flown by ships of the United States Navy is also referred to as the Union Jack.
Terminology: 'Union Flag' or 'Union Jack'?
\nThe issue of whether it is acceptable to use the term 'Union Jack' is one that causes considerable controversy. Although it is often asserted that 'Union Jack' should only be used for the flag when it is flown as a jack (a small flag flown at the bow of a ship), it is not universally accepted that the 'Jack' of 'Union Jack' is a reference to such a jack flag; other explanations have been put forward. See [1]. Even if the term 'Union Jack' does derive from the jack flag (as perhaps seems most likely), it has been in use since the early 1700s and, after three centuries, is now sanctioned by usage, has appeared in official usage and remains the popular term.
The term 'Union Flag', on the other hand, is indisputably correct and because of this is the term preferred in official documents and by vexillologists.
History
\nOriginal Union Flag
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The creation of the original Union Flag started in 1603 when James VI of Scotland also became James I of England and on April 12, 1606 the first 'Union Flag' was created. It was a superposition of the red cross of St George of England and the saltire of St Andrew of Scotland. Note however that the ground of the Union Flag is a deep "navy" blue. The blue ground of the Scottish national flag, the saltire, from which the blue ground of the Union Flag is derived, is a lighter "sky" blue. The Welsh flag never became part of the Union Flag, as Wales had been annexed by Edward I of England much earlier on and so was considered part of the kingdom of England.
Current Flag
\nThe current Union Flag dates from January 1, 1801 with the Act of Union with Ireland. The new design added the red saltire cross attributed to St Patrick for Ireland. The saltire is counterchanged to combine it with the saltire of St Andrew. The red cross actually comes from the heraldic device of the Fitzgerald family who were sent by Henry II of England to aid Anglo-Norman rule in Ireland and has rarely been used as an emblem of Ireland by the Irish: a harp, a Celtic cross, a shamrock, or (since 1922) an Irish tricolour have been more common.
Status
\nThe Union Flag is a royal flag, rather than a national flag. In fact, no law has ever been passed making it a national flag, but it has become one through usage. Its first recognition as a national flag came in 1908, when it was stated in Parliament that "the Union Jack should be regarded as the National flag". A more categorical statement was made by the Home Secretary in 1933, when he stated that "the Union Flag is the National Flag". Civilians should use the Union flag with a two-inch (5 cm) white border, but this flag is rarely seen, and successive Home Secretaries have confirmed no action is likely to be taken against loyal citizens using the unbordered Union Flag
At the close of the Great Flag Debate of 1964, which resulted in the adoption of the Maple-Leaf Flag as the Canadian national flag, the Parliament of Canada voted to adopt the Royal Union Flag as the symbol of Canada's membership of the Commonwealth and her allegiance to the Crown. It is commonly flown alongside the Maple-Leaf Flag on Commonwealth Day and other royal occasions and anniversaries.
Use in other flags
\nThe Union Flag was found in the canton (top left-hand corner) of the flags of many colonies of the UK, while the ground (background) of their flags was the colour of the naval ensign flown by the particular Royal Navy squadron that patrolled the region of the World.
All administrative regions and territories of the United Kingdom fly the Union Flag in some form. Usually it is part of a special ensign in which the Jack is placed in the upper left hand corner of a red or blue field, with a signifying crest in the bottom right.
Several former colonies, notably Australia, New Zealand and Fiji continue to retain the Union Flag in their own national flags. In both countries, the Union Flag was used semi-interchangeably with their national flags for significant parts of their early history. This was also the case in Canada until the introduction of the Maple-Leaf flag in 1965, but it is still used in the flags of a number of Canadian provinces. It is also shown in the canton of the state flag of Hawaii.
Specifications for flag use
\nTo fly the flag the correct way up, the broad portion of the white cross of St Andrew should be above the red band of St Patrick (and the thin white portion below) in the upper hoist canton (the corner at the top nearest to the flag-pole). This is expressed by the mnemonic: "wide white top". Traditionally, flying a flag upside down is understood as a distress signal; this distinction would be impossible in the case of the union flag without the slight pinwheeling of St. Patrick's cross. (Note that, as noted in the article on British ensigns, the main flags actually flown by British naval, commercial, and pleasure craft are more obviously asymmetrical than the union flag, making the distress signal far more visible at a distance.)
The colour specifications for the flag are:\nUnion Flag Blue - Pantone 280 - Web Safe #003399 - RGB % 0-13.5-39 - CMYK 100.72.0.18\nUnion Flag Red - Pantone 186 - Web Safe #cc0000 - RGB % 85.9-11.7-13.8 - CYMK 0.91.76.6
External links
\n*Drawing the Union Jack\n*United Kingdom flags at FOTW\n*The Flag Institute - The Union Flag
Related flags
\nFlags of Countries within the United Kingdom
England -
Northern Ireland -
Scotland -
Wales
Flags of the Channel Islands and Isle of Man
Alderney - Guernsey - Herm -
Jersey - Sark.
Isle of Man.
Naval/Airforce/Army Flags
British ensigns
Other flags with the Union Jack
Anguilla,
Australia,
Bermuda,
British Indian Ocean Territory,
British Virgin Islands,
Cayman Islands,
Cook Islands,
Falkland Islands,
Fiji,
Hawaii,
New Zealand,
Pitcairn Islands,
Saint Helena,
Turks and Caicos Islands,
Tuvalu
See also
UK topics
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