Last modified: 2014-07-19 by rob raeside
Keywords: royal cinque ports yacht club | cinque ports | blue ensign |
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The RCPYC is authorized to fly the undefaced British blue ensign, provided
club applicants meet necessary requirements.
Clay Moss, 29 June 2014
The Cinque Ports Yacht Club was formed in 1872. An Admiralty Warrant for
“Blue Ensign, with distinctive mark of club in burgee, only” was issued to the
club on 6 May 1872. In the warrant the club was mistakenly referred to as the
Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club. The club apparently presumed that the title came
with the warrant and assumed it, although they had not applied for it, and it
had not been granted. In 1909 the Home Office found that a number of yacht clubs
(Dart, Yorkshire, Harwich, Southern, Cornwall, Western of England and Welsh) had
incorrectly assumed the title ‘Royal’ and invited the clubs concerned to apply
for the title. The Cinque Ports Club applied on 3 July 1909, and included the
information that its patrons were HM the King and the Prince of Wales, its
President, the Duke of Connaught and its Commodore, the King of the Belgians.
There were 207 members, who owned 110 yachts, totalling 10,000 tons Thames
Measurement. The title ‘Royal’ was approved in December 1909.
[National
Archives HO 144/1060/188873]
David Prothero, 29 June 2014
image by Clay Moss, 29 June 2014
The Dumpy Book of Ships and the Sea (1957)
shows the burgee blue, with the shield from the Cinque
Ports arms (demi-lions/demi-boats) surmounted by a crown.
James Dignan,
12 February 2008