Thursday, 23 April 2015

The Flag Institute

The Flag Institute is the United Kingdom's national Vexillology organisation, and is the largest Vexillology organisation in the world. It is funded public membership (both private and corporate) from all over the world. It meets twice a year at a location in the UK. Its role is the documentation and research into flags and flag related things as well as the education, promotion and advice on flags. It maintains the United Kingdom flag registry and advices HM Government and the United Nations on vexillology matters and represents the UK in the International Vexillology Organisation, FIAV. It was founded on St George's Day (23rd April) 1971, when the vexillology branch of the Heraldry Society, became a separate organisation.
I was reading in the FI Gazette (Issue 40) the Institute's newsletter that comes as a pull out with their magazine "Flagmaster" that the FI is seeking a new logo. The current logo features the FI flag. The FI flag features a St George's Cross representing the fact the institute was founded on St Georges Day, set in the split of a horizontal 'V' for Vexillology.
current flag of the Flag Institute used since 1971
At present FI membership is concentrated in Southern and Central England, and wants to increase its membership in the other regions of the UK. It is thought that the prominence of St George's Cross on the flag wrongly gives the impression of an English rather than British organisation. The FI feels it might be time to changes its logo and/or flag and is asking its members what they think, This is my idea;
My idea for a new Flag Institute flag is to combine the Union Flag and a Sheet Bend Knot which is the international symbol of Vexillology and used in the flag of FIAV. This is in the form of an ensign:
There can be no doubt from this flag that it is a UK wide organisation, I kept the light blue field, to avoid confusion with a government ensign, but also for uniqueness. I also extended the "ropes" of the knot across the entire flag rather than having it only in the fly, which is rather unusual for British ensigns. I mus admit my inspiration was the flag of Vexillology Ireland/Brateolaíocht Éireann which uses a banner of the state coat of arms (gold harp on blue field), with the Sheet Bend Knot in the hoist. An alternative version has a vertical knot, however I think this looks to much like the Irish flag:
As for a logo I thought it might be clever to use the "FI" of Flag Institute to make a flag shape:
Or alternatively a Union Flag variant rather than an FI ensign:
Or possibly as coat of arms to demonstrate the FI's origins in the Heraldry Society:

Let me know what you think in the comments especially if you have any suggestions.

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