![[Lord High Admiral flag - 1929]](../images/g/gb_a20c.gif)
image by Martin Grieve, 1 September 2006
Last modified: 2006-09-30 by rob raeside
Keywords: royal navy | lord high admiral | admiralty | anchor (yellow) |
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image by Martin Grieve, 1 September 2006
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The English Admiralty's first badge, a crescent and star, was taken from the
Arms of the Royal Borough of Portsmouth, the site of the principal dockyard on
the south coast. King Richard the First had adopted the emblem from the standard
of the Byzantine Governor of Cyprus after taking the island during the Third
Crusade, and had granted it to Portsmouth as Arms in 1194. The Ottoman Turks
captured Constantinople in 1453 and adopted the Byzantine crescent and star as
an emblem of the Turkish Empire. Thus the crescent and star lost its Christian
associations, and although it is still the Arms of Portsmouth, it was abandoned
by the Admiralty in the course of the 16th century. A Harleian manuscript of
1534 notes that "The Badge of the Admyralte ys a cresante with burning fyre",
but later in the 16th century Admiralty Courts were using an anchor as their
mark on detained goods. An anchor was the emblem of St Nicholas, patron of
sailors, and in Christian symbolism a sign of security and hope.
An example of the crescent and star badge can be seen on the special ensign of
the Portsmouth Yacht Club, 1936 to 1939.
David Prothero, 22 August 2006
![[First Anchor Flag]](../images/g/gb~ark.gif)
image by Martin Grieve, 23 August 2006
Flag on Ark Royal, 1588.
None of the numerous flags on the Anthony Roll of 1546
include an anchor. The first flag which featured an anchor appeared in a woodcut
thought to have been made in about 1600. It depicts the 'Ark Royal', Lord
Admiral Howard's flagship in 1588, at the time of the Spanish Armada. The fly of
the flag is a swallow tail, and the whole of the hoist is occupied by a
horizontal clear anchor with a very thin cable running through the ring. In
constructing the image it has been assumed that the colours were the same as in
later anchor flags.
This flag is attached to the lower fore-top. Other swallow-tailed flags are,
at the upper fore-top, a lion, and at the lower main-top, striped. Masthead
flags are a Royal Standard at the main, St George at the fore and outer mizzen,
and a rose at the inner mizzen. A St George forked pendant hangs from the
bowsprit, and a banner of arms is on the main deck.
David Prothero, 23 August 2006
The Admiral of England or Lord Admiral, later Lord High Admiral (LHA) was not
a rank but an office created in 1408 by combining the responsibilities of
Admirals that had previously assembled the Northern, Southern and Western
Fleets. He acted as the King's deputy at sea, and since the later part of Henry
VIII's reign had flown the Royal Standard (Henry VIII)
when at sea. Lord Admiral Lisle's Instructions of 10 August 1545; "Item the lord
admirall shall beare one banner of the Kinges Majts armes in his mayne topp and
one flag of Saint George crosse in his fore topp". Instructions drawn up by Sir
John Hawkins towards the end of Elizabeth's reign contain the same provision.
"Item the Ld. Admirall shall beare a flagg of the Armes of England upon the Top
of his Maynemast and a flagg of St.George on the foretopmast."
After 1635 the Admiral of a Grand Fleet, who was not the LHA, nor of royal
lineage, flew a Union Jack at the main instead of the Royal Standard. A Red Flag
at the main, which, theoretically, was the flag that the Admiral of a Grand
Fleet who was not LHA should have flown, was hoisted only when he was not on
board.
The first distinctive flag for the LHA was introduced after George Villiers had
been appointed to the office as Marquis, later Duke, of Buckingham. He was
provided with 'an Ensigne with ye Ld Admiralls Badge & Motto' when he
accompanied Prince Charles on his return from Spain in 1623. The badge and motto
referred to was probably the same as that in Buckingham's Seal, a vertical
anchor, cable coiled around the shank, surrounded by the garter and surmounted
by a coronet:
![[First Anchor Flag of the Admiralty]](../images/g/gb)dbs.jpg)
image provided by David Prothero, 24 August 2006
After Buckingham's assassination in 1628, Charles, who was now King, placed the
office of LHA in commission. This involved appointing a number of commissioners
who were jointly responsible for
undertaking the duties of the LHA. Flags surveyed at Deptford in 1633 included a
silk "red ensigne, with ye Lo. Admiralls badge". This is unlikely to have been
Buckingham's seal, but may have been a
development of it in which the coronet and garter were replaced by the legend "Sig.Com.Reg.Ma.Pro.Adm.Angl."
(The Seal of the Royal Commissioners for the High Admiralty of England):
![[First Anchor Flag of the Admiralty]](../images/g/gb)adms.jpg)
image provided by David Prothero, 24 August 2006
![[Flag of Lord High Admiral (LHA)]](../images/g/gb_lha1.gif)
image by Martin Grieve, 24 August 2006
In 1638 the Commission was dissolved and the Duke of York, (future James II) was
named Lord Admiral for life. During York's infancy the office was granted to
Algernon Percy, Earl of Northumberland, as
acting substitute. He adopted a seal in which a cable attached to the ring of an
anchor ran in curves and loops around outside the anchor ending just short of
the ring on the opposite side. A flag based on
the Seal may have been introduced at this time by Northumberland as an
alternative to the Royal Standard.
However this is not certain and it may not have come into use until after the
Restoration of the Monarchy.
David Prothero, 24 August 2006
![[Civil War and Interregnum, 1642-1660]](../images/g/gb~ccf.gif)
image by Martin Grieve, 24 August 2006
During the Civil War both the Earl of Warwick, appointed LHA by Parliament,
and the Princes Charles and Rupert, who at different times commanded those ships
that were loyal to the King, flew the Royal Standard, which since 1603 had
been the previous standard quartered 1 and 4,
with Scotland 2, and Ireland 3.
After the Civil War, and the execution of King Charles in 1649, an Act of
Parliament repealed the powers given to the LHA and the office was conferred on
three Commissioners, any two of which could exercise the executive power afloat
of the LHA. Northumberland's anchor and cable seal, without the garter and
coronet, was still used by the Committee of the Admiralty and Navy, but an Order
of 5 March 1649 stated that "the flagg that is to be borne by the Admirall vice
Admirall Rere Admll be that now presented, viz: the Armes of England and Ireland
in two severall Escotchons, in a red flagg wth in a Compartiment (or)". (The
word "or" [gold] has been added to the original text but is thought to have been
a contemporary addition.) A variation of this flag which had no compartment but
did have a
garland around the two escutcheons, was probably used in lieu of the Royal
Standard of the LHA by the General of the Fleet.
A flag of this description was found in a chest at the house of the Admiral
Superintendant at Chatham, and is now in the National Maritime Museum. A
photograph of the flag is on page 73 of Timothy Wilson's "Flags at Sea".
In 1654 England and Scotland were united and the Lord Protector's Standard
consisted of Cromwell's personal Arms, a white lion rampant on a black shield,
as an escutcheon upon the quartered arms of England (1 and 4), Scotland (2), and
Ireland (4). See "Flag of the Protectorate 1653-59".
In May 1658 this flag became the Standard of the General of the Fleet. "That the
Standard for the Generall of his Highness ffleete be altered, and doe beare the
Armes of England, Scotland, and Ireland, with his Highness Escutcheon of
pretence, according to the impression of the Great Seale of England."
David Prothero, 25 August 2006
image by Martin Grieve, 24 August 2006
After the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660 the Anchor Flag had the general appearance of Northumberland's Seal, in which the cable was attached to the anchor ring and taken completely around clear of the anchor in a number of loops and curves.
In 1661 a contractor was paid 50 shillings "ffor shading the Standard and Ensigne and Jack with a ancor," 110 shillings "ffor sowing silke and cloth for the sockett and markeing the Ensigne with the ancor and cable," and 90 shillings "ffor sowing silke and cloth for socketing & markeing the flag with a ancor and cable."
![[Flag of Lord High Admiral (LHA)]](../images/g/gb~admscot.gif)
![[Flag of Lord High Admiral (LHA)]](../images/g/gb_doy.gif)
images by Martin Grieve, 26 August 2006
Two variations of this flag were used by James, Duke of York, after the Test
Act of 1673. The Act prevented Roman Catholics from holding office under the
Crown and forced James to relinquish the office of LHA. However he remained
Admiral of Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Tangier and flew the flag of the Admiral
of Scotland, a white flag with a blue horizontal anchor surrounded by a looping
cable (Insignia Navalia by John Graydon),
and possibly also a red flag with a blue anchor and yellow cable (flag marked
'Duke of York' in William Downman's notebook of 1685, reproduced on page 68 in
'Flags at Sea').
David Prothero, 26 August 2006
![[Flag of James II as Lord High Admiral]](../images/g/gb~j2f.gif)
image by Martin Grieve, 27 August 2006
![[Flag of James II as Lord High Admiral]](../images/g/gb~j2e.gif)
image by Martin Grieve, 27 August 2006
Just before his death in 1685, Charles II revoked the commission, and the
office of LHA was assumed by the Crown. When the Duke of York succeeded to the
throne as James II he retained the office of LHA and in the words of Samuel
Pepys, Secretary to the Admiralty, placed "a crown over the anchor as being
himself his own Admiral." This flag was flown from the mainmast of the royal
yacht, and the same emblem also appeared in the fly of the yacht's ensign; a Red
Ensign with a St George's cross canton. The images here are based upon an
illustration of the ensign in 'Flags at Sea' page 23. The cable now runs through
the ring and then, with just a single loop, down each side of the anchor passing
underneath the stock and arms. This, with the cable alternately passing over and
under the stock and arms, has been the general arrangement of the cable and
anchor ever since.
David Prothero, 27 August 2006
![[Lord High Admiral]](../images/g/gb_admy.gif)
image by Martin Grieve, 28 August 2006
Since the Restoration the anchor and cable flag had been called variously,
"ensign (or flag) with anchor and cable", "flag red with a yellow anchor and
cable in the fly", "red standard with the anchor in it", or "the anchor flag",
and it was not until 1686, in a table of flag usage drawn up by Samuel Pepys,
Secretary to the Admiralty, that the Anchor Flag was described as being
specifically that of the LHA. However this was the case only when the King was
in the Fleet aboard another ship, and in all other circumstances the flag of the
LHA was the Royal Standard. When the office was in commission and there was no
LHA, the Anchor Flag was the flag of the Commissioners of the Admiralty.
"Admiralty Office, 22 March 1691. Gentlemen, We do hereby require and direct you
to cause a fitting red silk flagg, with the anchor and cable therein, to be
provided against Tuesday morning next for the barge belonging to this Board.
Your affectionate friends, C.C (Lord Cornwallis), J.L. (John Leake), etc.."
The Earl of Pembroke was appointed LHA in 1701 and issued two warrants to the
Navy Board directing it to "provide a Standard for my Lord High Admiral, the
Earl of Pembroke, such as is usually worn by the Royal Family", and "a silk flag
for the head of his boat such as properly belongs to the Lord High Admiral of
England". However before the warrants could be executed William III died and the
new monarch, Queen Anne, deprived the LHA of the right to fly the Royal
Standard. Pembroke now ordered "so many of these flags which particularly have
been worn by the Lord High Admiral of England &c., by vertue of his Office, as
may be necessary for my Ship and Boat". Thus the Anchor Flag now became the only
flag of the office of LHA which effectively ceased to be a single person after
1702, when a Declaratory Act (2 W&M, sess.2, c.2) stated that all authorities,
jurisdictions and powers which by Act of Parliament or otherwise had been
lawfully vested in the LHA of England, should appertain to the Commissioners for
executing the office for the time being, to all intents and purposes as if the
said Commissioners were LHA of England.
The office has been in commission ever since 1709, apart from three years when
the Duke of Clarence was appointed LHA until he became King William IV in 1830.
David Prothero, 28 August 2006
The requirement to fly the Anchor Flag, Royal Standard and Union Jack, from
the mastheads of a ship in which the sovereign embarked, was inserted into
King's Regulations by an Admiralty Circular of 4 July 1833.
"The Royal Standard is to be worn on board any of HM's ships or vessels in which
His or Her Majesty shall embark, and at the same time the flag of the Lord High
Admiral shall be hoisted at the fore-top-gallant masthead and the Union Jack at
the mizzen-top-gallant masthead, or in a small vessel the said flags shall be
displayed at the most conspicuous part of the ship or vessel." Previously the
regulations had referred to the Royal Standard and LHA Flag separately.
1824 Regulations for HM Service at Sea. Ceremonies and Distinctions. III. Flags.
"1. The Royal Standard is to be worn on board any of His Majesty's Ships and
Vessels in which His Majesty, or any Member of the Royal Family, shall embark.
2. The Lord High Admiral's Flag is to be worn on board any of His Majesty's
Ships or Vessels in which the Lord High Admiral, or the Commissioner's for
executing the Office of Lord High Admiral, shall embark."
The three flags had sometimes been flown together in the 17th century after the
Restoration of the Monarchy, but probably only when justified by the presence in
one ship of, not only the King, but also the Lord High Admiral, and another
person of note, at the same time. There is no undisputed occasion, from this
period, when it was done to mark the presence of the King alone on board ship,
although this may have happened on the royal yachts, and the three flags
together may have become part of the normal suite of colours for a royal yacht.
During the 18th century the three flags were sometimes flown together to
celebrate royal anniversaries. A particular example was noted in the log of the
ship 'Centurion', "30 October 1750, hoisted the Anchor & hope, standard and
union, it being the Birth Day of His present Majesty", and by the early part of
the 19th century it had become common practice for flagships to fly the three
flags on all royal anniversaries.
The inclusion of the rule in 1833 is said to have been done in order to
frustrate the Duchess of Kent. She was a keen sailor, a member of the Royal
Family and, because she flew the Royal Standard, entitled to a twenty-one gun
salute, which she insisted up whenever possible. The Admiralty became tired of
her perpetual demands and drafted an Order in Council that led to the amendment
of the regulations. The King or Queen flying the three flags were then
entitled to a twenty-one gun salute, but other Members of the Royal Family
flying only the Royal Standard, were entitled to only nineteen guns. Not a
particularly credible explanation, but it was the one given to Lord Louis
Mountbatten in 1961 by the Head of the Historical Section at the Admiralty.
David Prothero, 29 August 2006
King Louis XVIII returned to France from England in the royal yacht 'Royal Sovereign' on 24 April 1814. A painting of the event by Nicholas Pocock shows the Anchor Flag at the foremast, a white flag, which is presumably the French Royal Standard, at the mainmast, and the Union Jack at the mizzenmast.
When the Sovereign embarked in a two masted merchant ship just two of the
three flags were flown, the Anchor Flag from the forward mast and the Royal
Standard from the after mast. The Royal Yacht
'Britannia', launched in 1953, was fitted with three masts so that all three
flags could be flown. In 1953 the Admiralty Archivist wrote that the Union Jack,
when flown with the Anchor and Standard represented the King/Queen of Great
Britain, and that in an Australian or Canadian ship, the
Australian or Canadian National Flag would be flown at
the aftermost mast instead of the Union Jack. However "relevant authorities" (?)
stated that the Union Jack would still be flown at the after mast, but that the
Australian or Canadian National Flag would be flown at the jackstaff instead of
the Union Jack. When the Queen visited Australia the three masthead flags flown
on "Britannia" were the Anchor Flag, the Queen's Personal
Flag for Australia, and the Australian National Flag,
with the Union Jack and White
Ensign on their respective staffs. Similarly in Jamaica the masthead flags
of "Britannia" were the Anchor Flag, the Queen's Personal
Flag for Jamaica, and the Jamaica National Flag. In
South Africa the three masthead flags were the Anchor Flag, the
Queen's Personal " E " Flag with a ratio of 1:2,
and the Union Jack.
David Prothero, 30 August 2006
![[Lord High Admiral flag in the 19th century]](../images/g/gb_a19c.gif)
image by Martin Grieve, 28 August 2006
The Anchor Flag of the LHA was also the flag of the Commissioners for
Executing the Office of the Lord High Admiral, known generally as the Board of
Admiralty, and was flown at the main masthead of the Admiralty yacht when members of the Board were embarked. In 1850 it was also
flown over the Old Admiralty Building in London until 1930 when it was
transferred to the tower of the New Admiralty
Building over-looking Horse Guards Parade. Initially it was flown only on
Flag-Flying Days, and at half-mast on the death of Queen Victoria, of foreign
royalty related by marriage to the Royal Family, and
during the State Funeral of former Prime Ministers. In 1908 the flag was flown
at half-mast on the death of the mother of the First Lord of the Admiralty. This
came to the notice of King Edward VII who
instructed Admiral Fisher, the First Sea Lord, that the flag was to be flown
continuously, day and night, except when the Board as a whole were absent. In
1913 the Board decided that, despite this
instruction, the flag should be flown at half-mast on the death of the
Sovereign, a practice that was confirmed by Board Minute 2128 of 26 November
1925.
The flag has not been flown on land since 1964 when the Board of Admiralty was
replaced by the Admiralty Board in the Ministry of Defence.*
David Prothero, 31 August 2006
*Actually it flew over Horse Guards Parade only a few weeks ago. The Royal
Marines (RM) were performing the "Beating the Retreat" ceremony in honour of
Prince Philip's birthday (he is their Captain General), and HM The Queen had
come along as well. This posed a protocol problem as the parade was in honour of
Prince Philip but as the Queen was present the Royal Standard would normally
have been flown. The solution was to use the LHA flag to represent the Queen (as
it was a naval event) so this was broken as the Royal couple arrived, then a few
minutes later when Prince Philip came down to take the salute (the Queen watched
from the GOC London's office) his personal flag was broken next to the LHA's.
This meant that there was only one Royal Standard flying but both the Queen and
Prince Philip were represented. A clever bit of flag protocol by an RM officer.
Graham Bartram FFI, 1 September 2006
image by Martin Grieve, 1 September 2006
The size of the anchor relative to the size of the flag had been small in the
1845 Flag Book, much larger in Hounsell's Book of 1873, but smaller again in the
Admiralty Book of 1889. In 1929 it was decided that the appearance of the flag could be
improved by increasing the size of the anchor and cable. The shank was widened,
and the length of the anchor increased from
1/2 to 3/4 of the length of the flag. The shape of the stock was changed, and
its size increased from 1/2 to 3/4 of the flag's breadth. The cable, which had
been behind both stock and arms, was altered to
pass in front of the upper stock and lower arm.
The correct colour of the field of the flag was disputed. The head of Naval Law
thought that it should be the same shade of red as that in the Royal Standard,
and not the shade of red commonly used for
Admiralty Flags. W.G. Perrin, the Admiralty Librarian, maintained that it should
be the same red as the Red Ensign, that being the LHA's squadron. It was, he
wrote, red in the Admiralty Flag Book of 1845,
but changed in the first volume printed by Hounsel c1870. He thought that
logically the same red should be used in the Union Jack, Red Ensign, Royal
Standard and the Admiralty Flag, but it was finally
decided that the Admiralty Flag should be Pattern 65 Crimson, the same red as in
the Royal Standard.
David Prothero, 1 September 2006
Variant of the flag
![[Lord High Admiral flag - 1929]](../images/g/gb_a20cv.gif)
image by Martin Grieve, 1 September 2006
In 1936 an officer of the Signal School wrote that some ship-yards flew only
the White Ensign and Union Jack on a naval ship when it was launched, but that a
few others flew the Admiralty Flag as well. In the 18th century it had became
customary to fly the flag of the LHA on men-of-war during the launching
ceremony, but the tradition died out as more ships were built by contractors in
commercial shipyards. The Admiralty owned a ship when it was launched in a naval
dockyard, but did not own a ship when it was launched in a contractor's yard. It
was decided that the custom should be revived as the flag had been flown as
decoration, and not to signify the presence of authorities.
An Admiralty Fleet Order of 1938 announced the revival of a two hundred year old
tradition. "At all launches of HM ships, whether dockyard or contract built,
White Ensign is to be flown at ensign staff, Union Flag at jack staff, and
Admiralty Flag at main masthead or equivalent position."
The practice came to an end in 1964 when the Admiralty Flag became solely the
flag of Her Majesty the Queen as Lord High Admiral.
David Prothero, 2 September 2006
![[Civilian Members of the Board of Admiralty]](../images/g/gb^cmboa.gif)
by Miles Li
Car flag only 7' x 10 1/2'.
Source: H.M. Stationery Office (1958)
Miles Li, 19 June 2004
![[National Maritime Museum, Greenwich 1958]](../images/g/gb_nmm58.gif)
image by Martin Grieve, 3 September 2006
In 1832 the Navy Board, whose badge had been 'gules a greater anchor between
two smaller anchors or', was amalgamated with the Board of Admiralty. The
National Maritime Museum which opened in Greenwich on 27 April 1937, was given
permission by the Admiralty to use the design of the Navy Board badge for
marking prints, drawings, books etc. In January 1957 the Trustees of the Museum
asked if the badge could be used as the flag of the Museum. The Admiralty
replied that permission for use of the badge could be taken to imply the use of
the device complete, including its proper colours. The Trustees also consulted
the Home Office who replied that there was no objection to the Museum using the
badge as a flag, that the Sovereign's permission was not necessary, and that
Garter King of Arms (Sir George Bellew) did not foresee any difficulty.
The original significance of three anchors is not known, but the Museum decided
that they should be taken to represent the Royal Navy, the Merchant Navy and the
Fishing Fleet.
The flag was first flown by the Museum on 8 January 1958, and then daily until
1973.
David Prothero, 3 September 2006
![[Admiralty Board car flag, 1966]](../images/g/gb_abc.gif)
image by Martin Grieve, 4 September 2006
When the Admiralty, War Office and Air Ministry were reorganised in 1964
explicit instructions were issued that the three Service Boards were not to fly
flags. The Army and Air Force obeyed this instruction for a while, but then
began to use the old Army and Air Force flags. The Navy could not do the same
because the Admiralty Flag had been laid up with public ceremony, and express
formal instructions, that only HM personally, when acting as Lord High Admiral,
would ever fly it. The Admiralty Board decided to use the flag of the former
Navy Board, which had merged with the Board of Admiralty in 1832. Its adoption
was not formally promulgated, and it did not appear in Appendix 31 to Queen's
Regulations (RN). It was flown on Admiralty House just once on 13 September
1966, and used only occasionally, as a car flag, when Defence Ministers visited
HM ships and establishments.
The image here is based on a thick, stiff felt flag in the National Archives.
The white sleeve has been included in the gif because of its unusually large
size relative to the flag.
David Prothero, 4 September 2006
![[Admiralty Board car flag, 1966]](../images/g/gb_nmm74.gif)
image by Martin Grieve, 5 September 2006
In February 1972 Garter, now Sir Anthony Wagner, wrote to the Ministry of
Defence (Navy) that a Grant of Arms was being prepared for the National Maritime
Museum, and that it was intended that the principal element in the Arms should
be the old Navy Board Flag, which the Museum used with the permission of the
Admiralty. He had been surprised to find that the device had been taken into use
by the Navy Department without any communication with him, and he wondered
whether this precluded the proposed Arms being granted to the Museum. MoD (Navy)
replied that the Admiralty Board made only limited use of the flag, thought it
unlikely that it would be confused with the Museum Flag, and were content for
the Museum to continue using it.
However Garter decided that in order to avoid any risk
of confusion he would design a differenced version in which the three anchors
were more widely spaced and surmounted by two sailing ships. The image above is
the flag as shown in 'Flags of the World' 1978 by Barraclough and Crampton.
However a Museum note about their symbols says that "The Arms were granted on 20
September 1973 and the Museum flag flown in more recent times appears to be
based on the design on the red shield from the Museum's Full Achievement."
![[Admiralty Board car flag, 1966]](../images/g/gb_nmma.jpg)
image by Martin Grieve, 5 September 2006
On the Arms the supporters include a flag of the shield which differs
slightly from the 'Flags of the World' illustration.
David Prothero, 5 September 2006
![[First formally adopted flag of the Admiralty Board 1975 - 2003]](../images/g/gb_abo.gif)
image by Martin Grieve, 6 September 2006
This image is based upon an original painting of the Navy Board Flag as approved for the Admiralty Board in 1976.
![[First formally adopted flag of the Admiralty Board 1975 - 2003]](../images/g/gb_nbf.gif)
image by Martin Grieve, 6 September 2006
This image is based upon an illustration of the current Navy Board Flag.
Following a suggestion that the three anchor flag might be flown on HMS Intrepid
during a proposed visit by the Under-Secretary of State, the First Sea Lord
decided that the old Navy Board Flag should
be properly adopted as the Admiralty Board Flag. It was informally approved by
HM the Queen on 3 March 1975.
When Garter learned of this he wrote that he would like it recorded in a proper
form. This was agreed and Garter wrote in April 1975 that the fee of One Hundred
Pounds would cover a painting for
submission to Her Majesty, which he would later retain in his papers, a
facsimile copy for the Admiralty Board, and for copying the flag into the
records of the College of Arms. He asked if there would be
any objection to a brighter shade of red, and moving the anchors apart slightly
to make the flag less crowded. Rouge Croix Pursuivant noted that BR20
distinguished between crimson and red, and asked
which was preferred. It was decided that crimson (brownish red) was better than
red (pillar-box red).
In May 1976 Captain E.M.C. Barraclough, who wanted information for the next
edition of "Flags of the World", wrote to Naval Law asking if the Admiralty
Board had officially adopted the three anchor flag.
He added that a friend at the National Maritime Museum had told him that their
Board did not like their new flag; "three anchors with three (sic) little ships
stuck on top". He was told that the flag was still
not formally approved.
The College of Arms design for the flag did not arrive at the Ministry of
Defence until September 1976. It was submitted to HM the Queen and returned,
approved, on 10 November 1976.
The flag was formally introduced by DCI(RN)292/77. "Since the abolition of the
Board of Admiralty in 1964 the right to fly the Admiralty Flag has been
exercised only by HM the Queen as Lord High
Admiral and there has been no officially recognized flag of the Board of
Admiralty.
2. HM the Queen graciously pleased now to approve that the flag of the old Navy
Office of the 18th century, three anchors in gold on a crimson field, shall be
formally adopted as the flag of the Admiralty
Board.
3. The flag is to be flown in HM ships and naval establishments when two or more
members of the Admiralty Board acting as a Board are present, and on official
cars in which two or more members of the
Admiralty Board acting as a Board are travelling. The flag will also be flown on
the official cars of Ministerial and civilian members of the Admiralty Board on
appropriate occasions."
It was first flown at sea on 28 June 1977 when members of the Admiralty Board
embarked in HMS Birmingham at HM Jubilee Review.
David Prothero, 6 September 2006
![[Second flag of the Admiralty Board 2003]](../images/g/gb_abf.gif)
image by Martin Grieve, 7 September 2006
When the Admiralty Board convened without the political members it was known
as the Navy Board. Since the three anchor flag had originally been the flag of
the Navy Board this led some to believe that the flag was still the flag of the
Navy Board, and that the Admiralty Board did not have a flag. The matter was
resolved in 2003 when the College of Arms designed a new flag for the Admiralty
Board, a vertical gold foul anchor on a red flag, and the 1977 Admiralty Board
Flag became the flag of the Navy Board.
The three anchor flag has been:
- the flag of the original Navy Board (1694 - 1832),
- the flag of the National Maritime Museum (1958 - 1973),
- the flag of the Admiralty Board (1975 - 2003) and
- the flag of the present Navy Board since 2003.
David Prothero, 7 September 2006
The British expression "First Lord of ......" is used when one of the medieval great offices of state (Lord Treasurer, Lord High Admiral,
etc.) is put "into commission." That means it is taken out of the hands of the hereditary nobility and put into the collective hands of
a committee that is responsible to Parliament as members of the government. These people are known as the Lords Commissioners of the
whatever, and the head of the commission is the First Lord.
The post of Lord High Admiral was put into commission in 1628 and stayed so for most of the time up until 1964. The Lords
Commissioners, also known as the Board of Admiralty, along with their staff were the equivalent of a ministry of the navy.
At the British Ministry of Defence
website, it explains that in 1946, the UK created a unified Ministry of Defence, but left the three service ministries
(the Board of Admiralty, the War Board, and the Air Ministry) in place alongside it. In 1964, it was decided for reasons of
management efficiency to consolidate the three service ministries, including the Board of Admiralty, into a single Ministry
of Defence. The Board of Admiralty thus ceased to exist, meaning that the position of First Lord of the Admiralty also ceased to
exist.
As a result, the position of Lord High Admiral was taken out of commission, and now inheres in the Queen, who therefore flew the
Admiralty flag on her yacht HMS Britannia when it was still in commission.
Just to confuse things a little, the First Sea Lord is quite different from the First Lord of the Admiralty. The Sea Lords were
the top ranking professional naval officers assigned to the Board of Admiralty. The First Sea Lord, or 1SL, is a collateral title of the
Chief of Naval Staff, the uniformed head of the Royal Navy. The Sea Lord titles were not affected by the 1964 amalgamation.
Joe McMillan, 7 December 2001
The full title of the Lords Commissioners of Admiralty makes it entirely clear: "The Commissioners for Exercising the Office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, etc."
Andrew Yong, 8 December 2001
Sources of all Admiralty postings include: