Last modified: 2008-11-15 by rob raeside
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![[Trinity House Ensign]](../images/g/gb~thens.gif)
by André Coutanche, 31 August 2001
See also:
On 1 December 1953 the proportions were changed to 2 : 1,
with a one quarter Union. The jack design in the centre of the fly is one third
of the length, and seven sixteenths of the height of the ensign. In 1974 it was
made in four sizes from 10 feet to 3 feet 6 inches long. (3m to 1.1m)
David Prothero, 22 March 2008
![[Trinity House Jack]](../images/g/gb~thjak.gif)
by André Coutanche, 31 August 2001
As with the Union Jack, opinions differ as to whether this should be called the
Trinity House Jack or the Trinity
House Flag. It is an almost square banner of the Trinity House Arms, and
is flown at the mainmast of a ship carrying a member of the Board of Trinity
House, who are known as Elder Bretheren. It is then considered to have the
status of a command flag and is not hauled down at night. It is also flown as
a jack, and occasionally at Trinity House, Tower Hill, London. Its
proportions are 5 : 4 and the width of the arms of the cross is one twelfth
the length of the flag. In 1974 it was made in five sizes from 6 feet 3
inches down to 2 feet 6 inches long, and as a car flag five and five
eighths inches long. (1.9m to 0.66m and 14cm)
David Prothero, 20
March 2008
Trinity House is one of those strange parts of the British state which are to all intents part of the state machinery, but not part of the government. It is responsible for Lighthouses and lights in
England and Wales. Theoretically it was given overall control of lights in the UK in the 19th century, but that position has always been bitterly opposed by the Commissioners of the Northern Lights
(Scotland) and the Commissioners of the Irish Lights (Ireland). They do have a full set of flags, including the mentioned red ensign, a jack, a master's flag and a deputy master's flag. Their ships also use the white ensign when escorting the monarch at sea, by special warrant.
Graham Bartram, 15 November 2000
It was noted that Trinity House jack was flying from the Royal Yacht Britannia,
when the Prince of Wales was aboard (or nearby) during the handover of Hong Kong
in 1997. The question was raised why such a flag should be flying from the
Royal Yacht on this occasion or at any other time? In any case, both the Master
(in the person of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh) and the deputy master both have
their own flags.
Christopher Southworth, 8 April 2003
According to the Deputy Master of Trinity House, the Prince of Wales was
entitled to fly the Trinity House Jack when on duty. It had been flown when the
ship conveying him on his tour of Canada and Australia, entered and left harbour.
Admiral Sir Lionel Halsey, who was Comptroller to the Prince
of Wales, wrote to the Admiralty on 11 October 1921 asking if this procedure was
correct. The reply dated 24 October stated that, "It is the view of Their Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty that the Trinity House jack or burgee should be
flown only in the waters of the United Kingdom where Trinity House has
jurisdiction. It is not a flag authorised to be flown on His Majesty's Ships."
[National Archives (PRO) ADM 1/8614/191]
Presumably an exception was made in the case of HMY
Britannia.
David Prothero, 9 April 2003
I came across the reason why HRH The Prince of Wales felt justified (as an Elder
Brother of Trinity House) to fly their jack from the masthead of Britannia:
From "The Trinity House from Within" (1929) by Captain Thomas Goulding:
"Board Order [the Board of Trinity House, not of the Admiralty] 26 June 1928 -
An Elder Brother of Trinity House is entitled when afloat to fly the Trinity
House Jack at the Masthead of the Vessel he is aboard, when he is on official
duty in the service of the State or of the Corporation of Trinity House".
Christopher Southworth, 21 April 2003
![[Master of Trinity House]](../images/g/gb~thmas.gif)
by Miles Li
This is an honorary rank, currently held by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh.
Source: Barraclough and Crampton (1978); the
emblems were taken from the official
Trinity House website, with minimal touch-ups.
Miles Li, 30 June 2004
Both the master and deputy-master of Trinity House do have their own flags
separate from the jack. The master's flag in proportions of 1:2 consists of a
Cross of St George on a white field with an 'antique' ship in each canton and a
full achievement of arms in the centre. The deputy master's flag is in
proportions of 2:3 and instead of the full achievement or arms has a roundel
with lion. The jack is in proportions of 4:5 without either arms or roundel.
There is also a Red Ensign defaced what is in essence the jack, and a burgee (or
cornet).
Christopher Southworth, 28 March 2003
The Master's Flag is the Trinity House Jack lengthened to proportions of 2 : 1,
with the Trinity House Arms in the centre. It is flown at the mainmast of a ship
when the Master is aboard, and at Trinity House when he is there. The width of
the arms of the cross is one twelfth the length of the flag, and the overall
size of the Arms is two fifths the length of the flag in height, and one third
in width. In 1974 it was either 15 or 12 feet long, and as a car flag was 9
inches long. (4.6m, 3.7m, 23cm) .
David Prothero, 21 March 2008
![[Deputy Master of Trinity House]](../images/g/gb~thdep.gif)
by Miles Li
This is the Chief Executive Officer of Trinity House. This flag was created on
June 10, 1952.
Source: Barraclough and Crampton (1978); the
emblems were taken from the official
Trinity House website, with minimal touch-ups.
Miles Li, 30 June 2004
This flag was not introduced until 1952 and thus has been made only in the
modern style. It is a slightly elongated Trinity House Jack with the crest of
the Arms on a yellow-edged red disc in the centre. It is flown at the mainmast
when the Deputy Master is aboard, but goes to the foremast when the Master, or a
member of the Royal Family is aboard and flying their personal standard at the
mainmast. It is also flown at district depots when he is present, and at Trinity
House on Trinity Monday, if the Master is not there.
The proportions are
3 : 2, the width of the arms of the cross are one fourteenth the length of the
flag, and the diameter of the central disc is one third the length of the flag.
In 1974 it was made in four sizes from 7 feet 6 inches to 3 feet long. The car
flag was 7 inches long. (2.3m to 0.9m, and 18cm).
David Prothero, 21
March 2008
![[Trinity House Burgee]](../images/g/gb~thbur.gif)
by
Martin Grieve, 23 March 2008
Burgee or Cornet.
The burgee is a triangular red flag
bearing the Trinity House jack design. It is flown at the masthead on tenders in
port, and at sea if a Trinity House Captain or Marine Superintendent is on
board.
The proportions are 3 : 2, and the rectangular badge is 5 : 4, its height being
two fifths of the hoist. In 1974 it was made in four lengths from 7 feet 6
inches to 2 feet 7.5 inches. (2.3m to 0.6m)
David Prothero, 23 March
2008
The Corporation of Trinity House, which was granted its first charter by
Henry VIII in 1514, is the lighthouse authority for England, Wales, the Channel
Islands and Gibraltar. It was originally responsible for pilotage throughout the
United Kingdom, but in 1988 district pilotage was transferred to port and
harbour authorities.
The five flags of Trinity House all include, or are
variations of, a banner of the Arms granted to Trinity House in 1573; the cross
of St George with an Elizabethan ship in each quarter.
The general design has been copied twice; once by the Commissioners of Irish
Lights, who had a lighthouse in each quarter of a St. George's flag, and also
by the Trustees of the Port of Bombay who had nautical scenes in each quarter of
a flag with a blue St George's cross.
David Prothero, 20 March 2008
![[Old Style Trinity House Jack]](../images/g/gb~thoj.gif)
by
Martin Grieve, 20 March 2008
Originally the ships had brown
hulls and sailed upon a green sea under a cloudy sky, but in about 1937 the
flags were simplified to conform to contemporary heraldic practice and now have
stylized black and white ships on a blue sea against a white background.
The illustrations of the original design of Trinity House flags in the early
Admiralty Flag Books all show the ships sailing towards the fly, instead of
towards the hoist. This was corrected in the 1916 edition by putting the flag
staff on the right of each illustration. In the earlier books the proportions of
some flags were inaccurate, the worst example being the 5 : 4 jack which is
shown in the 1889 edition as 2 : 1.
David Prothero, 20 March 2008
![[Old Style Trinity House Master's flag]](../images/g/gb~thom.gif)
by
Martin Grieve, 21 March 2008
![[Old Style Trinity House Ensign]](../images/g/gb~thoe.gif)
by
Martin Grieve, 22 March 2008
A Red Ensign with the Trinity House jack in its fly was introduced at some
time in the 18th century; perhaps 1771, but possibly early in the 18th century.
The colour of the ensign was not altered in 1864 when other defaced Red Ensigns
became defaced Blue Ensigns. It also retained its proportions of 3 : 2, with a
two fifths Union canton. The jack design in the fly had the same proportions as
the ensign.
David Prothero, 22 March 2008
![[Old Style Trinity House Burgee]](../images/g/gb~thob.gif)
by
Martin Grieve, 23 March 2008
When the Trinity House ship 'Patricia' is under way on ceremonial occasions
the jack is flown in the bows, a White Ensign at the foremast, the appropriate
personal flag at the main mast, and the Trinity House Ensign at the stern. This
arrangement is sometimes varied. At the naval review in 1911, when the Duke of
Connaught was Master, his personal standard was at the main and the Master's
Flag at the fore, while on one occasion in 1954, when both Master and Deputy
Master were aboard a one masted ship, the Master's flag was flown at the
masthead and the Deputy's at the yard arm. The long standing tradition of flying
a White Ensign was formalised by an Admiralty Warrant of 21 June 1894.
Material compiled from :
'Sea Flags' by H.P.Mead.
'Flags for the Ship
Modeller' by A.C.Purves in December 1974 issue of Model Shipwright
Notes
based on Operational Instruction No.5 - Flag Etiquette, Trinity House Ships'
Manual.
David Prothero, 23 March 2008