Last modified: 2004-04-17 by bruce berry
Keywords: natal | gnus: 2 |
Links: FOTW homepage |
search |
disclaimer and copyright |
write us |
mirrors
The legislative Council of the Colony of Natal adopted in August 1870 a
Red and Blue Ensign bearing the Colonial Seal on a white roundel as a charge on
the fly. The Seal was of a standard type in use in British Colonies since 1839,
and may be described as follows:
'Within a Chippendale-type frame, on a plain, two Wildebeest (gnus) in full
course at random (to sinister) with the words COLONY OF NATAL beneath the frame.
The frame itself is ensigned with the Royal Arms, and around the circumference
appears the legend VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIA REG. F.D.'
The complicated design of the Seal did not lend itself to successful application
to flags. To make the legends readable from both sides, manufacturers were
obliged to sew two devices back to back. A simplified version of the device on
the fly of the Blue Ensign was adopted by a dictum of the Colonial Office dated
23 August 1975. This device actually predates the granting of arms to the Colony
by Royal Warrant on 16 May 1907. The latter device may be described as follows:
'Within a gold Chippendale-type frame, in front of mountains and on a plain
two Wildebeest contourne' in full course, side by side, proper, therebeneath the
name NATAL in black letters, the frame ensigned of a Royal Crown, also proper.'
This remained the flag of the Colony until it became the Province of Natal in
the Union of South Africa in 1910.' Source: 'Sovereign flags of Southern
Africa', by A. P. Burgers, Cape Town, 1997, pp. 26-27:
The images in the book are unfortunately scans of images, whereby the badges are very dim indeed. These are:
Attached image of old Natal colony flag. After 1907 the flag was used
with simplified Coat of Arms. When I drew it I didn't have a good model, and
because of this the details in the center are not accurate. This could be the
blue ensign.
Jaume Ollé, 27 Jul 1999
There was also a Blue Ensign containing the Badge detail, sent up by myself
recently, which I omitted last time
BTW , disk is not smooth enough IMHO so if any of you better giffers can improve
here please help to give a better rendering.
Martin Grieve, 17 Apr 2003
Governor followed the usual pattern used in The British Colonies, and
placed the badge within laurel Garland on the Union Flag.
Martin Grieve, 17 Apr 2003
Two flags were in existence between 1905 -1910 in the Natal Colony :
A
blue ensign and, of course, a flag for the Governor
of the Colony.
The theme of two Wildebeest running in the foreground was
continued, but in a slightly different form. Incidentally Wildebeest derives
its name from the Afrikaans/Dutch word meaning "wild beast". It is more
commonly known as a "Gnu" outside of South Africa.
Martin Grieve, 18 Apr 2003