 | |
| Use | Civil flag |
|---|---|
| Proportion | 9:6 |
| Adopted | 12 December 1962 |
| Designed by | College of Arms |
The flag of Wellington represents the city of Wellington, New Zealand. It has a boat with a blue dolphin on its mast and three small English flags. This is on top of a blue circle which itself has a gold background and a black cross behind it. It has been around since the early 1960s. [1]
The flag is officially described by the council as: [2]
A black cross on a gold background, with the badge (a dolphin Naiant on a sail) in the centre. The colours are a yellow background, a black cross, and a blue badge and the proportions of the flag are 9 ft x 6 ft.
The idea of Wellington having its own flag was brought up by councillor John Gibbs Churchill in April 1957, which was later approved by the council on 15 May 1957. It was initially suggested that the flag should bear the coat of arms. A competition to find a flag design was held in the same year. The designs were considered to be too detailed, so the competition was scrapped. [2] Another was held in 1958, where there was 44 flag entries. A design made by Dennis Beytagh, with two silver ferns, a shield, and the letter 'W' for Wellington won the competition and the creator was given £25 in prize money. The flag was later rejected, likely because the council received many letters detailing dislike for it. In the end, no decision could be made and the competition was scrapped. [3]
The council then asked the College of Arms from London to design a flag for the city, which was approved on 12 December 1962. The flag was first ordered in 1963 for the royal visit. [1] In 1966 it was speculated that the flag may have been originally designed for the German Navy. [4]
The flag has been criticised by many, including the former deputy mayor, Jill Day and broadcaster Keith Quinn for symbolising colonialism by having a boat and three Saint George's Crosses. [5] It has also been criticised for not representing Wellington, or having any Māori and cultural significance. [1]
The flag has been supported by many, including former mayor Celia Wade-Brown who, despite not flying it on the town hall during her mayoralty, stated that flying it "sounds like a fun thing to do". [6]
The Union Jack, or Union Flag, is the de facto national flag of the United Kingdom. Although no law has been passed making the Union Flag the official national flag of the United Kingdom, it has effectively become such through precedent. It is the national flag of all British Overseas Territories, being localities within the British state. 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.
The flag of Finland, also called siniristilippu, dates from the beginning of the 20th century. On a white background, it features a blue Nordic cross, which represents Christianity.
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.
The flag of New Zealand, also known as the New Zealand Ensign, is based on the British maritime Blue Ensign – a blue field with the Union Jack in the canton or upper hoist corner – augmented or defaced with four red stars centred within four white stars, representing the Southern Cross constellation.
Saint Piran's Flag is the flag of Cornwall. The earliest known description of the flag, referred to as the Standard of Cornwall, was written in 1838. It is used by some Cornish people as a symbol of their identity.
The national flag of Anguilla, a British overseas territory, consists of a Blue Ensign with the British flag in the canton, charged with the coat of arms of Anguilla in the fly. The coat of arms consists of three dolphins in a circular formation, which were featured on the earlier Anguillan flag, and which stand for friendship, wisdom and strength. The white in the background stands for peace, and the light blue represents the sea, as well as faith, youth, and hope.
The coat of arms of Queensland is the oldest in Australia, and was first granted by Queen Victoria in 1893 through the simplest form of heraldic grants; with the shield of arms, motto, helmet, mantling and crest.
The coat of arms of Malta is the national coat of arms of the country of Malta.
The coat of arms of Ireland is blazoned as Azure a harp Or, stringed Argent. These arms have long been Ireland's heraldic emblem. References to them as being the arms of the king of Ireland can be found as early as the 13th century. These arms were adopted by Henry VIII of England when he ended the period of Lordship of Ireland and declared Ireland to be a kingdom again in 1541. When the crowns of England, Scotland and Ireland were united in 1603, they were integrated into the unified royal coat of arms of kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland. The harp was adopted as the emblem of the Irish Free State when it separated from the United Kingdom in 1922. They were registered as the arms of Ireland with the Chief Herald of Ireland on 9 November 1945.
The flag of the governor-general of New Zealand is an official flag of New Zealand and is flown continuously on buildings and other locations when a governor-general is present. The flag in its present form was adopted in 2008 and is a blue field with the shield of the New Zealand coat of arms royally crowned. The official heraldic description is "A flag of a blue field thereon the Arms of New Zealand ensigned by the Royal Crown all proper".
Saint Patrick's Saltire or Saint Patrick's Cross is a red saltire on a white field. In heraldic language, it may be blazoned "argent, a saltire gules". The Saint Patrick's Flag is a flag composed of Saint Patrick's Saltire. The origin of the saltire is disputed. Its association with Saint Patrick dates from the 1780s, when the Anglo-Irish Order of Saint Patrick adopted it as an emblem. This was a British chivalric order established in 1783 by George III. It has been suggested that it derives from the arms of the powerful Geraldine or FitzGerald dynasty. Most Irish nationalists and others reject its use to represent Ireland as a "British invention" "for a people who had never used it".
A silver fern flag is any flag design that incorporates a silver fern, and is usually a white silver fern on a black background. The silver fern motif is associated with New Zealand, and a silver fern flag may be used as an unofficial flag of New Zealand, to which it is endemic. The silver fern itself is a quasi-national emblem, being used for various official symbols, including the coat of arms of New Zealand and the New Zealand one dollar coin. A number of New Zealand sports teams, such as the cricket team, the Silver Ferns and the All Blacks, use similar silver fern flags as part of their official merchandise. The All Whites association football team use a white background and a black version of the fern.
The symbols of Queensland represent the Australian state of Queensland and the Queensland Government. The different symbols and emblems represent both the state and the government. The official state emblems of Queensland are prescribed in the Emblems of Queensland Act 2005.
Queen Elizabeth II had a variety of flags to represent her personally and as head of state of several independent nations around the world. They were usually used on any building, ship, car, or aircraft where she was present.
Evans Bay is a large bay at the southern end of Wellington Harbour, New Zealand. Located between the Miramar Peninsula and Hataitai, it was the site of New Zealand's first patent slip and served as Wellington's international flying-boat terminal from 1938 until 1956. It is named after George Samuel Evans, an early Wellington settler.
Two referendums were held by the New Zealand Government in November/December 2015 and March 2016 to determine the nation's flag. The voting resulted in the retention of the current flag of New Zealand.
The flag of Hong Kong from 1871 to 1997 was a Blue Ensign with the coat of arms of Hong Kong on a white disk. In Hong Kong, it is also nicknamed the Hong Kong flag (香港旗), British Hong Kong flag (英屬香港旗) or the Dragon and Lion flag (龍獅旗). In 1959, following a grant from the College of Arms and with the consent of Queen Elizabeth II, it was adopted as the flag of British Hong Kong. While the flag lost its official status following the 1 July 1997 transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong, it resurfaced in the 2010s as a symbol of support for Hong Kong autonomy and protest against Chinese interference in Hong Kong.