Flag Institute

Last updated

Flag Institute
Formation23 April 1971;52 years ago (1971-04-23)
Founder William Crampton
Type Charitable incorporated organisation
Registration no.1152496
Purpose Vexillology
Location
President
Malcolm Farrow
Key people
John Hall (Chairman)
Website www.flaginstitute.org OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

The Flag Institute is a UK membership organisation headquartered in Kingston upon Hull, England, concerned with researching and promoting the use and design of flags. It documents flags in the UK and internationally, maintains a UK Flag Registry, and offers advice and guidance about flags and their usage. It is often consulted on matters relating to flag design and usage, but holds no official status or authority. It is a registered charity. [1]

Contents

History and role

Original flag of the Flag Institute, used from 1971 to 2016 Flag of the Flag Institute (1971-2016).svg
Original flag of the Flag Institute, used from 1971 to 2016

The institute was formed out of the Flag Section of The Heraldry Society on St George's Day, 23 April 1971, by William Crampton, later president of FIAV, with E.M.C. Barraclough as its chairman. [2] [3] It is a membership-based vexillological organisation with over 500 members from all parts of the world, and provides advice and assistance to individuals and organisations including UK Government departments, the BBC, ITN, and many publishers, museums and libraries. [4]

Graham Bartram. Chief Vexillologist and Trustee of the Flag Institute Graham Bartram Photo.jpg
Graham Bartram. Chief Vexillologist and Trustee of the Flag Institute

The institute maintains the William Crampton Library, based in Kingston upon Hull, England and named in honour of its co-founder. It publishes a bi-annual journal, Flagmaster, and a virtual magazine called eFlags. Since 2006 it has sponsored an annual public lecture on a flag-related topic, known as the 'Perrin Lecture'. It holds twice yearly meetings for its members in various locations around the United Kingdom. The Institute itself is governed by a Board of five elected Trustees who are advised by an appointed Council of members.

County flags in Parliament Square in 2019 County flags around Parliament Square, 2019.jpg
County flags in Parliament Square in 2019

Until early 2010 the national flag of the United Kingdom was only flown from the Houses of Parliament when Parliament was sitting, and when the Houses rose it was taken down and the flagpole left bare. [5] The Flag Institute with the Flags and Heraldry Committee campaigned to see the flag flown permanently. In early 2010 Black Rod agreed that this should be so and since then the flag has flown all the time. The Flag Institute was congratulated by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, on its first 40 years of service to the United Kingdom.

Following a postal ballot of members, the Institute became a charity at its annual general meeting in Worcester on Saturday 17 November 2012.

UK Flag Registry

The Institute keeps a registry of flags for the countries, regions and counties of the UK. Flag designs with which its officers have been involved include those for the badge and ensign of the UK Border Agency [6] and the flag of the UK Supreme Court. [7]

All Scottish flags must, by law, be authorised by Lord Lyon and recorded in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland. The Earl Marshal and the College of Arms are legally responsible for flags in the rest of the UK. [8] Both the College of Arms and the Court of Lord Lyon maintain their respective country's official register of flags. Flags and symbols relating to the UK Armed Forces are regulated by the Crown through the Ministry of Defence, which also governs flags flown at sea by British-registered vessels. [9]

Publications

In 2010 the Flag Institute, with the Parliamentary Flags and Heraldry Committee, [10] published a guide to Britain's flag protocol, Flying Flags in the United Kingdom ( ISBN   978-0-9513286-1-3). [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union Jack</span> National flag of the United Kingdom

The Union Jack, or Union flag, is the de facto national flag of the United Kingdom. The Union Flag was also used as the official flag of several British colonies and dominions before they adopted their own national flags. The flag continues to have official status in Canada, by parliamentary resolution, where it is known as the Royal Union flag.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Scotland</span> National flag

The flag of Scotland is the national flag of Scotland, which consists of a white saltire defacing a blue field. The Saltire, rather than the Royal Standard of Scotland, is the correct flag for all private individuals and corporate bodies to fly. It is also, where possible, flown from Scottish Government buildings every day from 8:00 am until sunset, with certain exceptions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of the United Kingdom</span> National coat of arms

The coat of arms of the United Kingdom are the arms of dominion of the British monarch. They are both the personal arms of the monarch, currently King Charles III, and the arms of the state. In addition to the monarch, the arms are used by state institutions including the Government of the United Kingdom, the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and the British judiciary. Differenced versions of the arms are used by members of the British royal family. The monarch's official flag, the Royal Standard, is the coat of arms in flag form.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Northern Ireland</span> National flag

The only official flag for Northern Ireland is the Union Flag or Union Jack, the flag of the United Kingdom; there is no official local flag that represents only Northern Ireland. The flying of various flags in Northern Ireland is a significant sectarian issue, with different communities identifying with different flags.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Standard of the United Kingdom</span> Flags used by the British Monarchy

The Royal Standards of the United Kingdom presently refer to either of two similar flags used by King Charles III in his capacity as Sovereign of the United Kingdom, the Crown dependencies, and the British Overseas Territories. Two versions of the flag exist, one for use within Scotland and the other for use elsewhere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of the United Kingdom</span> National flag

The national flag of the United Kingdom is the Union Jack, also known as the Union Flag.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lord Lyon King of Arms</span> Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry

The Right Honourable the Lord Lyon King of Arms, the head of Lyon Court, is the most junior of the Great Officers of State in Scotland and is the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in that country, issuing new grants of arms, and serving as the judge of the Court of the Lord Lyon, the oldest heraldic court in the world that is still in daily operation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">College of Arms</span> Corporation responsible for heraldry in England and Wales

The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the British Sovereign and are delegated authority to act on behalf of the Crown in all matters of heraldry, the granting of new coats of arms, genealogical research and the recording of pedigrees. The College is also the official body responsible for matters relating to the flying of flags on land, and it maintains the official registers of flags and other national symbols. Though a part of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom, the College is self-financed, unsupported by any public funds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barons in Scotland</span> Scottish feudal barons, and a list of baronies

In Scotland, a baron or baroness is the head of a feudal barony, also known as a prescriptive barony. This used to be attached to a particular piece of land on which was situated the caput or essence of the barony, normally a building, such as a castle or manor house. Accordingly, the owner of the piece of land containing the caput was called a baron or baroness. According to Grant, there were around 350 identifiable local baronies in Scotland by the early fifteenth century and these could mostly be mapped against local parish boundaries. The term baron was in general use from the thirteenth century to describe what would have been known in England as a knight of the shire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Banner of Scotland</span> Royal Banner of Scotland

The Royal Banner of the Royal Arms of Scotland, also known as the Royal Banner of Scotland, or more commonly the Lion Rampant of Scotland, and historically as the Royal Standard of Scotland, or Banner of the King of Scots, is the royal banner of Scotland, and historically, the royal standard of the Kingdom of Scotland. Used historically by the Scottish monarchs, the banner differs from Scotland's national flag, the Saltire, in that its official use is restricted by an Act of the Parliament of Scotland to only a few Great Officers of State who officially represent the Monarchy in Scotland. It is also used in an official capacity at royal residences in Scotland when the Head of State is not present.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Alban's Cross</span> Yellow saltire on a blue field

The Saint Alban's Cross is a yellow saltire on a blue field. It is found in several flags, notably that of the Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban, previously a Benedictine monastery, and the city of St Albans, Hertfordshire.

Flags and symbols of Yorkshire have been used to identify Yorkshire and its related councils through flags and symbols. This article also includes flags and symbols used by the present and former local authorities covering Yorkshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Sussex</span> Flag of English county

The Flag of Sussex is the flag of the traditional and historic county of Sussex. The flag was registered by the Flag Institute on Friday 20 May 2011 as a 'traditional' county flag as a result of a campaign started in August 2010, by Sussex resident Brady Ells, with support from his father, David. The Flag was certified by Chief Vexillologist, Graham Bartram. It was first flown officially on Saturday 28 May 2011 at Lewes Castle. and was flown from the Department of Communities and Local Government at Eland House, London on Sussex Day, 16 June 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian heraldry</span> Canadian coats of arms and other heraldic achievements

Canadian heraldry is the cultural tradition and style of coats of arms and other heraldic achievements in both modern and historic Canada. It includes national, provincial, and civic arms, noble and personal arms, ecclesiastical heraldry, heraldic displays as corporate logos, and Canadian blazonry.

A heraldic authority is defined as an office or institution which has been established by a reigning monarch or a government to deal with heraldry in the country concerned. It does not include private societies or enterprises which design and/or register coats of arms. Over the centuries, many countries have established heraldic authorities, and several still flourish today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Huntingdonshire</span> Flag of English county

The flag of Huntingdonshire is the county flag for the historic county of Huntingdonshire in England. It was enrolled on the UK Flags Register by the Flag Institute on 25 June 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Court of the Lord Lyon</span> Court which regulates heraldry in Scotland

The Court of the Lord Lyon, or Lyon Court, is a standing court of law, based in New Register House in Edinburgh, which regulates heraldry in Scotland. The Lyon Court maintains the register of grants of arms, known as the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland, as well as records of genealogies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Northumberland</span> Flag of English county

The Northumberland flag is the flag of the historic county of Northumberland and the banner of arms for Northumberland County Council. The shield of arms is in turn based on the arms medieval heralds had attributed to the Kingdom of Bernicia. The Bernician arms were fictional but inspired by Bede's brief description of a flag used on the tomb of St Oswald in the 7th century.

References

  1. "The Flag Institute, registered charity no. 1152496". Charity Commission for England and Wales.
  2. Flag Institute, eFlags, no.8, 2008, p.10
  3. Flag Institute at Flags of the World
  4. Flag Institute home page
  5. "9 Year Campaign to have Union Jack Fly Permanently from Houses of Parliament Succeeds". 25 March 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  6. "Freedom of Information Request: UK Border Agency Flag". 9 June 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  7. "Freedom of Information Request: Supreme Court Flag". 1 June 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  8. "College of Arms - College of Arms". www.college-of-arms.gov.uk. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  9. "Ministry of Defence - Regulations covering the Flying of Flags in the United Kingdom" (PDF). What Do They Know.
  10. "Written Answers: Supreme Court Flags". Hansard. 1 March 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2011.
  11. Flying Flags in the United Kingdom (PDF). p. 3. ISBN   978-0-9513286-1-3 . Retrieved 27 March 2011. First published in the United Kingdom in 2010 by the Flag Institute in association with the Flags and Heraldry Committee of the UK Parliament and with support from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.