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Bermuda - Governor Flag

image by Clay Moss, 25 November 2005

See also:

The Union Flag

Previous (pre-1999) flag
image by Clay Moss, 25 November 2005

In the 1961 edition of H. Gresham Carr's Flags of the World [car61] is the following entry on pages 102 and 103:

BERMUDA uses her Arms. On the Union Flag the shield is placed upon the white circular background, which is surrounded by the garland. On the Blue Ensign there is no wreath or background. The shield is with a green-grassy "mound in base, upon which is seated a red lion "affront?." The lion supports a scrolled shield upon which is a representation of the wreck of the Sea Venture, [...] In passing, it is interesting to note that Bermuda has retained the 1606 pattern Union Flag, i.e. without the St. Patrick's Cross, as a reminder of its great age as a colony.

Which is maddingly non-specific! Does this mean the Union Flag in all contexts? Or only when used as a Union Flag (presumably including in the Governor's Flag) It could, of course, be a piece of spurious information Carr accepted as a fact. It's also interesting to note that Carr does not mention the Bermudian Red Ensign, which is of course now the colony's flag, even though that was instituted in 1915 (according to Crampton's Observer's Book of Flags, 1991, p. 45)

Also whilst on the subject of colonial Red Ensigns, Carr states (p. 52) that according to the 1894 Merchant Shipping Act the Red Ensign must be worn undefaced by all British merchant vessels, including colonial vessels, unless an Admiralty Warrant has been granted authorising a local Red Ensign.
Roy Stilling, 6 March 1996

Bermuda uses her coat of arms as per all British colonies for the Governor's standard ie: the badge placed on a white disc surrounded by a garland in the centre of the Union Flag.
The flag used locally by civilians for both boats and on land is the defaced red ensign. However, larger vessels registered on the Bermuda registry of shipping fly the undefaced red ensign as required by the Admiralty. This flag is also used by the government on land in conjunction with the Union Flag.
The defaced Blue ensign is used solely by the government marine services (tugs, ferries, harbour patrol vessels etc.)
During the 1960/70s the official Bermuda flag used the coat of arms on a white disc on the red ensign, but I have never seen it like this on the blue ensign.
One or two of these still exist and I am still trying to find one before they are destroyed through use. I too have heard of the usage of the 1606 Union Flag, however I have never come across any evidence of this, although I am still looking and will let you know if I find out. There are several good books in our local library, but they have been out of reach due to recent renovations. Unfortunately, due to our "overextensive" use of the Union Flag, most old photographs of Bermuda show this flag only.
Aidan Stones , 4 April 2000

I have recently come across some old Bermuda photographs from the 1930s and 40s which show the Bermuda flag. I still do not see any evidence of the pre-1801 union flag being used.
Aidan Stones , 19 May 2000

As I understand it, the gold ring was originally requested by the Governor of Gibraltar as being part of the arms of that territory, and it was included into all the others by a sort of accident.
Christopher Southworth, 29 May 2005

The correct proportions of the Union Flag for use in the field by the British Army are 3:5, but the correct ratio for all defaced Red or Blue Ensigns is 1:2 whether for use on land or sea, and as far as I can discover the occasional use of 3:5.is either a misunderstanding of the recommendations for other flags or a commercial/economic decision by flag manufacturers.
Christopher Southworth, 24 November 2005