The Union Jack

The Union Jack

The Design

The Union Jack/Union Flag is the nickname of the national flag of the United Kingdom and symbolizes the union of the Kingdom of England (including Wales), Scotland and Ireland under one Sovereign. Today's deseign combines the three heraldic crosses (leaving out the Welsh dargon since the Principality of Wales had already been part of England before 1606):

England, Cross of St. George:<http://www.flaginstitute.org/pdfs/Flying_Flags_in_the_United_Kingdom.pdf>

The cross of St. Greorge(patron saint of England) is a red cross on white ground ;

The cross of St. Andrews(patron saint of Scotland)is a diagonal white cross on blue ground;

Scotland, Cross of Andfrew: <http://www.flaginstitute.org/pdfs/Flying_Flags_in_the_United_Kingdom.pdf>

The cross of St. Patricks (patron of Ireland) is a diagonal red cross on white ground (Fig.4).

Ireland, Corss of St. Patrick: <http://www.flaginstitute.org/pdfs/Flying_Flags_in_the_United_Kingdom.pdf>

However the design of the first Union Flag looked quite different as the reconstrucions show [1].

Reconstructions of the First Union Flag, 1606: <http://www.flaginstitute.org/pdfs/Flying_Flags_in_the_United_Kingdom.pdf>

An Adopted National Symbol

The Union Jack is probably one of the best known national symbols worldwide and refers to the British as the royal family, the five-o'clock tea and the royal palace guards [2]. The flag is now over four-hundret years old what causes the British to speak of "the world'S oldest national flag"[3]. Although the idea of a national flag is fairly new since the concept of nation did not came up before the 18th/19th century. Beforehand there was no British or English nation but a kingdom. In contrast to other countries there does also not exist any written down act, law or passage as in the German constitution about the design. Far more, the Union Jack derived from long established customs and practise of a flag that was primarily used by the navy [3] Originally it was a royal flag only hoisted upon ships, castles or fords [1].

Where does the 'Jack' Come from?

As the flag was introduced in 1606, it was only called "The British Flag" or "The Flag of Britain" and mainly to find upon ships as a symbol of the United Kingdom. The term 'union' was mentioned in 1625 for the first time and refers to the Acts of Union after 1606. Less obvious is the the origins of the word 'Jack'. Most likely is that it derived from a general naval slang term for a small flag flown from the mast mounted on the bowsprit and did not refer to the "The British Flag" at all. Later on, the sailors began to speak of "The Jack", "Jack flag", "King's Jack" and from 1674 on of "His Majestie's Jack" when they meant the Union Flag hoisted on their ship. In the 18th century, it was commonly addressed as "The Union Jack". 1902 the Admiralty decided to use the name officially and 1908 the Parliament finally approved that "the Union Jack should be regarded as the national flag"[3]. Thus the flag has it's name out of maritime daily usage.

Another explanantion its, that it goes back to James I of England, VI of Scotland and France. According to this theory 'Jack' is the anglicised 'Jacques', the French signature of James I [4].

In the 1800s the British Empire started to rise and become the world power (the age of endeavour, colonization, Industiral Revolution and Nationalism) some national flag was needed to say to show the rest of the world that where ever the flag is put in is British territory. During the First World War the British soldiers made it even more popular and afterwards it served at national celebrations as Queen Victoria's diamond junilee and parties for the troops [2]

Historical Background: The Union Jack and the Act of Union

Politically, "The Union Jack" is rooted in the death of Elizabeth I of England in 1603. She died without an heir leaving the succession open. In the end, her ministers decided (ignoring a law of Henry VIII)to pass the crown to James VI of Scotland and France, whereupon the two seperate kingdoms occuyping the British Isle were united under one monarch. The new kingdom of Great Britain was proclaimed. However the countries remained independent and kept their animosities and rivalries strenghtened by the fact that James I preferred his distanced Scotish resedence to the hub of society, culture and economy London. Furthermore, some Scots disliked to see the St. George's cross on Scotish possession. Thus the king decided to create a new royal banner out of the crosses of St. Georges and St. Andrew [5,6]:

• • [By the King, James I:]A Proclamation decaling what Flags South and North Britains shall bear at Sea

• • Whereas, some differences hath arisen between Our subjects of South and North Britaine travelling by Seas, about the bearing of their Flagges: For the avoiding of all contentions hereafter. We have, with the advice of our Council, ordered: That from henceforth all our Subjects of this Isle and Kingdome of Great Britaine, and all our members thereof, shall beare in their main-toppe the Red Crosse, commonly called St. George’s Crosse, and the White Crosse, commonly called St. Andrew’s Crosse, joyned together according to the forme made by our heralds, and sent by Us to our Admerall to be published to our Subjects: and in their fore-toppe our Subjects of South Britaine shall weare the Red Crosse onely as they were wont, and our Subjects of North Britaine in their fore-toppe the White Crosse onely as they were accustomed. […]

• • Given at our Palace of Westminster the 12th oy of April in the 4th year of our Reign of Great Britain France and Irland Annoq. Domini 1606. [4]

With the help of the Articlesof Union, 1707, Queen Ann tried bring the countries under one goverment via standardization of measures and right to great one poltitical and economical entity [5]. The first article already reiterates the unified kingdom Great-Britain with one flag:

• • Articles of Union
  • The Articles of the UNION as they passed with Amendments in the Parliament of Scotland, and ratified by the Touch of the Royal Scepter at Edinburgh, January 16, 1707, by James Duke of Queensbury, her Majesty’s High Commissioner for that Kingdom.
  • I. ‘That the two Kingdoms of (fn. 1) Scotland and England, shall, upon the first Day of May next ensuing the Date hereof, and for ever after, be united into one Kingdom by the Name of Great-Britain, and that the Ensigns Armorial of the said united Kingdom, be such as her Majesty shall appoint; and the Crosses of St. Andrew and St. George be conjoined in such a manner as her Majesty shall think fit, and used in all Flags, Banners, Standards, and Ensigns, both at Sea and Land. [...] [7]

The latest to join the United Kingdom was Ireland in 1801 along the Act of Union of 1800. The College of Arms redesigned the "Union Jack" to it's current status (only minor changes to its dimensions and propotions followed) including the Cross of St. Patrick, the red satire on white (which truly speaking was not St. Patrick's cross, since St. Patrick was not martyrerd, instead they used the emblem of the powerful Fitzgerald family) [3].