Blue Ensign
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Categories: Flags of the United Kingdom | Blue Ensigns | British Empire
The Blue Ensign is a flag, one of several British ensigns, used by certain organisations or territories associated with the United Kingdom. It is used either plain, or defaced with a badge or other emblem.
The evolution of the Blue Ensign followed that of the Union Jack. The ensign originated in the 1600's with the St. George's cross (see Flag of England) in the canton, and with a blue field background (top right).
The Act of Union of 1707 united Scotland, England and Wales in the Kingdom of Great Britain and produced a new blue ensign which placed the Union Flag in the canton. With the Act of Union of 1801, Ireland joined the United Kingdom and the St Patrick's Cross was added to the Union Flag of the United Kingdom and, accordingly, to the cantons of the British ensigns in that year.
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Plain blue ensign
Prior to the reorganisation of the Royal Navy in 1864, the plain blue ensign had been the ensign of one of three squadrons of the Royal Navy, the "Blue Squadron." This changed in 1864, when an order in council provided that the Red Ensign was allocated to merchantmen, the Blue Ensign was to be flag of ships in public service or commanded by an officer in the Royal Naval Reserve, and the White Ensign was allocated to the Navy.
Thus, after 1864, the plain blue ensign is permitted to be worn, instead of the Red Ensign, by two categories of civilian vessel: First, British merchant vessels whose officers and crew include a certain number of retired Royal Navy personnel, or Royal Navy reservists. The number and rank of such crew members required has varied over the years, as have the additional conditions required, since the system was first introduced in 1864. Second, yachts belonging to members of certain long-established British yacht clubs. Permission for yachts to wear the blue ensign (and other special yachting ensigns) was suspended during both World War I and World War II.
Defaced blue ensign
Since 1864, the Blue Ensign is defaced with a badge or emblem, to form the ensign of:
- United Kingdom government departments or public bodies (for example, Port of London Authority, Aberdeen Harbour Board, Sea Cadet Corps, Combined Cadet Force); and
- Vessels belonging to members of certain British Yacht Clubs (for example, the Royal Thames Yacht Club; Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club)
- Government vessels of U.K. overseas territories. This usage stems from the fact that in 1867-69, orders in council provided that the ensign for vessels in the service of any of the British colonies was to be the Blue Ensign, charged in the fly with the seal of the colony. Any British colony with ships in its service thus had reason to use the Blue Ensign. This worldwide, imperial use is the origin of the use of the Blue Ensign by many areas today, such as the Australian states.
The defaced blue ensign was formerly used as:
- The jack of the Royal Canadian Navy from its inception until the adoption of the Maple Leaf flag in 1965. (see Flags of the Royal Canadian Navy 1910-1965) The blue ensign was approved by the British Admiralty in 1868 for use by ships owned by the Canadian government.
- The official Flag of Quebec until 1948.
Flags of UK Overseas Territories using the Blue Ensign
These include: Flag of Anguilla Government Ensign of Bermuda (the flag commonly used on land, however, is Bermuda's Red Ensign)
Government Ensign of Gibraltar (there is another flag, not based on an ensign, that is commonly used on land)
National flags based on the Blue Ensign
These include:
- Flag of Australia
- Flag of Fiji (light blue)
- Flag of New Zealand
- Flag of Tuvalu (light blue)