Blue Ensign

The Blue Ensign is a Drapeau used by certain organizations or certain territories related to the the United Kingdom. Its evolution with follow-up that of the Union Jack.

This house dates from the years 1600 and consists of a blue bottom and cross of Saint-Georges in the left higher corner.

The Act of Union (1707) linking Scotland and England (to form Great Britain) replaced the cross of Saint-Georges by the Union Flag.

Following the Act of Union of 1800 linking Ireland in Great Britain (to form the United Kingdom), the cross of Patrick Saint was added with the Union Flag flag, and thus also in Blue Ensign starting from January 1st, 1801.

Before the reorganization of Royal Navy, in 1864, Blue Ensign was the house of one of the three squadrons of Royal Navy, the " Blue Squadron".

That changed in 1864, when a Decree of the Council allotted Red Ensign to the merchant navy, Blue Ensign with the ships of public service or ordered by an officer reservist of Royal Navy, and White Ensign in Navy.

Simple Blue Ensign

Therefore, after 1864, Blue Ensign can be carried, in the place of Red Ensign, by two categories of commercial vessels:
  • the English commercial vessels whose command and crew include/understand a certain number of reprocessed of Royal Navy or reservists. The number of team members and ranks required for that varied during the years as well as the criteria required.
  • yachts belonging to the members of certain old men yacht English clubs, for example Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club. The authorization to raise this house (and other special houses) were suspended for the yacht clubs during the two world wars.

Blue Ensign with escutcheon or emblem

Since 1864, Blue Ensign raises an escutcheon or an emblem to form the house of:
  • Of the public agency or State Departments (for example: Port off London Authority, Aberdeen Harbor Board, Sea Junior Body (United Kingdom), Combined Cadet Forces).
  • Of the ships belonging to unquestionable Yacht English Clubs (for example, the Royal Harwich Yacht Club).
  • Of the governmental ships of the overseas territories pertaining to the United Kingdom. The origin is a Decree of the Council of 1867-69 which allotted Blue Ensign to the vessels being with the service of the Britanniques colonies. Blue Ensign being decorated, in this case of the emblem of this colony. This use is at the origin of the use of Blue Ensign in multiple places, like the States of Australia.

Flags of the overseas territories of the United Kingdom using Blue Ensign

National flags using Blue Ensign

See too

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