Union Jack (Union Flag)

Union Jack

Union Flag (Union Jack)

The national flag of Great Britain is known as the Union Jack or Union Flag. It has been the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland since 1801. The Republic of Ireland is no longer part of the United Kingdom, only Northern Ireland.

The word jack refers to a small flag flown from the bowsprit of sailing ships.

The flag is a British icon and symbolized the "Cool Britannia" period of the 1990s. It has also been hijacked by the far right and racists who chanted "There ain't no black in the Union Jack" from football terraces in the 1980s. Thankfully, the flag is back as a symbol of cool and togetherness. The 2012 Olympic Games in London and the feel-good factor it engendered certainly helped.

The pre-1801 Union Flag. — The pre-1801 Union Flag

History

The precursor of the present Union Flag was the similar flag of Great Britain that was flown on British ships from 1606 to 1801. It was made up of the red cross of Saint George (the patron saint of England) superimposed on the Saltire of Saint Andrew (the patron saint of Scotland).

The flag was established after James VI of Scotland became James I of England thus uniting both kingdoms.

In 1801 with the creation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the flag of Saint Patrick (the patron saint of Ireland) was added to create the current flag. Wales is not represented on the Union Flag but does have its own national flag the Welsh Dragon.

Specifications

There are no set specifications for the flag which can be represented in a ratio of 1:2 or 3:5. The latter is more common.

The colors are nominally red, white and blue.

The flag should be flown the correct way up as determined by tradition. The white of St Andrew therefore is above the red of St Patrick in the part at the top nearest to the flag-pole. It is easy to make a mistake when flying the flag.

The Union Flag appears in the national flags of other nations - here Australia. — The Union Flag appears in the national flags of other nations - here Australia

Use in Other Countries' Flags

The Union Flag also appears in the flags of other nations and entities. In particular the Union Flag forms part of the national flags of former British possessions or dominions.

These include the flags of Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, the Cayman Islands, Bermuda and the British Virgin Islands.

Use in Advertising & Logos

The Union Jack appears in the logos, advertising, packaging and product designs of several brands. It was once part of the logo of Reebok, the sports shoe company and can be seen on models of the Mini Cooper and pairs of Doc Marten shoes. You may see the Union Flag on London buses and taxis, British Airways airplanes, album covers, bras, darts, face masks, hats, high heels, hot air balloons, key rings, piggy banks, scooters, socks, umbrellas, underpants and just about everything else.

A distressed Union Jack Flag image famously appeared on the Sex Pistols' Anarchy in the UK artwork. At the 1997 Brit Awards, Geri Halliwell of the Spice Girls appeared in a Union Flag mini-dress. The iconic dress was once the most expensive piece of popstar apparel sold at auction. John Entwistle and Pete Townshend of The Who both wore Union flag jackets back in their day.

A representation of the Union Jack flag and the other flags of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Isle of Man can be registered as part of a trade mark.

Flags of the United Kingdom

The four nations that make up the United Kingdom - Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England - also have their own flags as do the Isle of Man, the Isles of Scilly, Cornwall and the various islands that make up the Channel Islands. Read more on the flags of the United Kingdom.