Flags of the British Empire

The Flags of the British Empire past and present are many and various.

The lists below exclude the flags of the United Kingdom and its counties and islands and the current flags of the Crown dependencies and overseas territories, which are listed as "Flags of the British overseas territories". It is a gallery of the principal flags of the colonies, protectorates, protected states and associated states which made up that grand enterprise, the British Empire in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries:

Dominions to 1945

In 1931, six major colonies were given effective independence by the Statute of Westminster. Many others followed later, though after India and Pakistan attained dominion status in 1947 the clamour for independence by that name tended to the development of the Commonwealth not the suggestion of equality in the one Empire suggested by the title of "dominion", and so the later independent realms are not included here.

One dominion, Newfoundland, reverted effectively to colony status almost immediately following a financial collapse. Southern Rhodesia was treated as a dominion though not officially of that status.

Flag	Date	Use	Description
File:Flag of Australia 1903-1909.svg	1903 - 1909	Commonwealth of Australia	A blue ensign bearing the Commonwealth star of six points and the southern cross
File:Flag of Australia.svg	1909 -		A blue ensign bearing the Commonwealth star of seven points and the southern cross
File:Canadian Red Ensign 1868-1921.svg	1868 - 1921	Dominion of Canada	A red ensign defaced with the coat of arms of the Dominion of Canada
File:Canadian Red Ensign 1921-1957.svg	1921 - 1957		A red ensign defaced with the coat of arms of the Dominion of Canada
File:Canadian Red Ensign 1957-1965.svg	1957 - 1965		A red ensign defaced with the coat of arms of the Dominion of Canada
File:Flag of Ireland.svg	1922 -	Irish Free State	A tricolour of green, white and orange
File:Dominion of Newfoundland Red Ensign.svg	1907 - 1931	Newfoundland	A red ensign bearing the emblem of Newfoundland
File:Flag of New Zealand.svg	1910 -	New Zealand	A blue ensign bearing the four principal stars of the southern cross voided gules
File:Red Ensign of South Africa 1910-1912.svg	1910 - 1912	Union of South Africa	A red ensign defaced with the arms of South Africa
File:Red Ensign of South Africa 1912-1928.svg	1912 - 1928		A red ensign defaced with the arms of South Africa inside a white disc
File:Flag of South Africa 1928-1994.svg	1928 - 1961		Variation of the Dutch prinsenvlagge with the white stripe defaced with the Union Flag, the Orange Free State Vierkleur and the Transvaal Vierkleur. This Republic of South Africa used this flag until 1994.
File:Flag of Southern Rhodesia.svg	1923 - 1953	Southern Rhodesia	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Southern Rhodesia

Colonies, protectorates and other territories

Flag	Date	Use	Description
File:Flag of the Colony of Aden.svg	1838–1967	Aden	A blue ensign defaced with an Arab ship inside a disc
File:Missing Blue Ensign.svg	- 1967	Antigua and Barbuda	A blue ensign defaced with the colonial coat of arms of Antigua
File:Flag of Barbados 1885.png	1885–1958	Barbados	A Blue Ensign with an emblem of Barbados
File:Flag of Barbados (1870–1966).png	1958–1966	Barbados	A Blue Ensign with an emblem of Barbados
File:Flag of British Burma (1937).svg	1937–1948	Burma	A blue ensign defaced with a peafowl inside a disc
File:British Cameroons Flag.gif	1922–1961	The British Cameroons	A blue ensign defaced with the words British Cameroon surrounded by bananas all inside a white disc
File:British Ceylon flag.png	1815–1948	Ceylon	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Ceylon
File:Blue Ensign of Cyprus (1922).svg	1922–1960	Cyprus	A blue ensign defaced with two red lions
File:Missing Blue Ensign.svg	1955–1965	Dominica	A Blue Ensign with an emblem of Dominica
File:Missing Blue Ensign.svg	1965–1978	Dominica	A Blue Ensign with an emblem of Dominica
File:Flag of the Falkland Islands (1948-1999).svg	1948–1999	Falkland Islands	A Blue Ensign defaced with the Coat of Arms of the Falkland Islands on a white disc
File:Flag of Gibraltar (1875-1921).svg	1875–1921	Gibraltar (Government Ensign)	A Blue Ensign defaced with the badge of Gibraltar on a white disc
File:Flag of Gilbert and Ellice Islands.svg	1932–1976	Gillbert and Ellice Islands	A Blue Ensign defaced with the Arms of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands
File:Flag of the Gold Coast.svg	1821–1957	Colony of the Gold Coast	A blue ensign defaced with an elephant and the letters GC under the feet of the elephant all inside a disc
File:Flag of British guiana 1919-1954.gif	1919–1954	British Guiana	A blue ensign defaced with a sailing ship and the motto inside an oval
File:Flag of British Heligoland.svg	1807 – 1890	Heligoland	The Heligoland triband with The Union Flag
File:Flag of British Honduras.svg	1919–1981	British Honduras	A blue ensign defaced with a the arms of British Honduras
File:Flag of Hong Kong 1871.svg	1870–1873	Hong Kong	A blue ensign defaced with the letters HK and a royal crown in a white disc
File:Flag of Hong Kong (1876-1910).png	1876–1910	Hong Kong	A blue ensign defaced with the Colonial Badge of Hong Kong
File:Flag of Hong Kong 1910.png	1910–1941, 1945–1959	Hong Kong	A blue ensign defaced with the Colonial Badge of Hong Kong
File:Flag of Hong Kong 1959.svg	1959–1997	Hong Kong	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Hong Kong in a white disc
File:Flag of Hong Kong 1959 (unofficial Red Ensign).svg	Late 1980s-1997	Unofficial merchant ensign of Hong Kong	A red ensign defaced with the arms of Hong Kong in a white disc
File:British Raj Red Ensign.svg	1858–1947	British India	A red ensign defaced with the shield of the Order of the Star of India
File:Flag of Imperial India.svg	1858–1947	British Indian Blue Ensign	A Blue ensign with the Star of India, used as the naval flag
File:Flag of the United States of the Ionian Islands.svg	1815–1864	Ionian Islands	A blue ensign defaced with the shield of the symbol of Mark the Evangelist
File:Flag of Jamaica (1875-1906).svg	1875–1906	Jamaica	A British Blue Ensign defaced with the arms of Jamaica within a white circle
File:Flag of Jamaica (1906-1957).svg	1906–1957	Jamaica	A British Blue Ensign defaced with the arms of Jamaica within a white circle
File:Flag of Jamaica (1957-1962).svg	1957–1962	Jamaica	A British Blue Ensign defaced with the arms of Jamaica within a white circle
File:Flag of Jamaica (1962).svg	1962	Jamaica	A British Blue Ensign defaced with the arms of Jamaica within a white circle
File:Flag of British East Africa.svg	1920–1963	Kenya Colony	A blue ensign defaced with a red rampant lion
File:Flag of the Federated Malay States (1895 - 1946).svg	1946–1948	The Federated Malay States	The flag was striped horizontally with an overall 1:2 to ratio with white stripe at the top, red, yellow and black at the bottom. In the centre was a white oblong, with a horizontal major axis, and a Malayan tiger leaping, face to the left
File:Flag of Malta (1875-1898).svg	1802–1964	Malta	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Malta in a white disc
File:Flag of British Colonial Nigeria.svg	1800–1960	Nigeria	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Nigeria
File:Flag of North Borneo.svg	1882–1963	North Borneo	A blue ensign defaced with the badge of North Borneo
File:Flag of Northern Rhodesia (1939-1953).svg	1939–1953, 1963–1964	Northern Rhodesia	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Northern Rhodesia
File:Flag of Nyasaland.svg	1907–1953, 1963–1964	Nyasaland	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Nyasaland
File:Palestine-Mandate-Ensign-1927-1948.svg	1927–1948	British Mandate Palestine	A red ensign defaced with the word Palestine inside a white disc, for use by ships registered in the territory. The Union Jack was used as the general land flag of the mandate.
File:Flag of the Territory of Papua.svg	1906–1949	Papua	A blue ensign defaced with a crown and the word Papua underneath inside a white disc
File:Flag of Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla.svg	1958–1983	St Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla	A blue ensign defaced with the emblem of St Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla
File:Missing Blue Ensign.svg	1875–1939	Saint Lucia	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Saint Lucia
File:Missing Blue Ensign.svg	1939–1967	Saint Lucia	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Saint Lucia]]
File:Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1907-1979).svg	-1979	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
File:Flag of British Somaliland (1950-60).png	1950–1960	British Somaliland	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of British Somaliland
File:Cape Colony flag.png	1795–1910	Cape Colony	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Cape Colony
File:Flag of Orange River Colony.svg	1900–1910	Orange River Colony	A blue ensign defaced with a springbok antelope in a disc
File:Flag of Transvaal.svg	1900–1910	Transvaal - "Vierkleur".	The flag features three horizontal stripes of red, white, and blue (recalling the Dutch prinsenvlagge), with a vertical green stripe at the hoist, and was known as the Vierkleur (lit. four colours).
File:Flag of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.svg	1953–1963	The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
File:Flag of Rhodesia (1964).svg	1963–1980	Rhodesia	A light blue ensign defaced with the arms of Southern Rhodesia
File:Flag of the British Straits Settlements (1874-1942).svg	1874–1942	The British Straits Settlements	A blue ensign defaced with a white disc containing three gold crown; separated with a red inverted pall.
File:Flag of Tanganyika (1919-1961).svg	1919–1961	Tanganyika	A red ensign defaced with the head of a giraffe in a white disc
File:Trinidad colonial 1889-1958.gif	1889–1962	Trinidad and Tobago	A blue ensign defaced with a circular badge depicting a ship arriving in front of a mountain
File:Flag of Tuvalu (1976-1978).svg	1976–1978	Tuvalu	A blue ensign defaced with a circular badge with a hut and the motto of Tuvalu
File:Flag of the Uganda Protectorate.svg	1914–1962	Uganda	A blue ensign defaced with a grey crowned crane inside a disc
File:Flag of the West Indies Federation.svg	1958–1962	The West Indies Federation	Four equally-spaced narrow white stripes with a large orange-gold disc over the middle two lines in the centre of the flag, undulating horizontally across a blue field

Governors' flags

Flag	Date	Use	Description
File:Flag of the Governor of the Falkland Islands.svg	1999 -	Governor of the Falkland Islands	A Union Jack defaced with the arms of the Falkland Islands
File:Flag of the Governor of Hong Kong.svg	1959–1997	Flag flown on Government House and the Governor's official car	A Union Flag defaced with the then arms of Hong Kong
File:Flag of the Governor-General of India (1885–1947).svg	1855–1947	Governor-General of India, Lieutenant Governors, Chief Commissioners and other British officers in India	A Union Jack defaced with the Star of India surmounted by a Crown.
File:Governor Ceylon.gif	1875–1948	Governor of Ceylon	A Union Jack defaced with the Coat of arms of Ceylon.
File:Flag of the Governor of Jamaica (1875-1906).svg	1875–1906	Governor of Jamaica	A Union Flag defaced with the Badge of Jamaica
File:Flag of the Governor of Jamaica (1906-1957).svg	1906–1957	Governor of Jamaica	A Union Flag defaced with the Badge of Jamaica
File:Flag of the Governor of Jamaica (1957-1962).svg	1957–1962	Governor of Jamaica	A Union Flag defaced with the Badge of Jamaica
File:Flag of the Governor of Jamaica (1962).svg	1962	Governor of Jamaica	A Union Flag defaced with the Badge of Jamaica

Colonial company flags

The East India Company

Flag	Date	Use	Description
File:British East India Company flag.svg	1600–1706	The English East India Company	White and red stripes with the St George's Cross in the canton, the number of stripes was not determined.
File:Flag of the British East India Company (1707).svg	1707–1800	The British East India Company	White and red stripes with the Union Flag of Great Britain in the canton.
File:Flag of the British East India Company (1801).svg	1801–1858	The British East India Company	White and red stripes with the Union Flag of the United Kingdom in the canton.

Others

Flag	Date	Use	Description
File:Flag of BSAC edit.svg	1889 - 1961	The British South Africa Company	The Union Flag defaced with the badge of the company
File:Hudsons Bay Company Flag.svg		Hudson's Bay Company	A red Ensign with a monogram of the company's initials

See also

• British flags
• Flags of the British overseas territories

Outside links

• The Flag Institute
• World Flag Database
• Royal.gov.uk- The Union Flag