East India Company (United Kingdom)

Last modified: 2005-07-16 by rob raeside
Keywords: east india company | united kingdom | india | cross: st george |
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by António Martins

• Flags of the East India Company
• Possible Commodore's flag
• Jack of the East India Company
• Arms of the East India Company

See also:

• United Kingdom
• England
• Royal Africa Company
• Former colonies and overseas territories
• Article by Charles Fawcett on "The STRIPED FLAG of the EAST INDIA COMPANY, and its CONNEXION with the AMERICAN "STARS and STRIPES"
• Flags at Sea by Timothy Wilson
• Grand Union Flag (USA)
• Eastern Telegraph Company

Flags of the East India Company

Until about 1630 when the red, blue and white ensigns were introduced, nearly all English ships are thought to have flown striped ensigns with a St George's cross canton. It is unlikely that the East India Company used striped ensigns before 1660, and possibly not until 1673. The ensigns usually had nine, eleven or thirteen red and white stripes, with a small canton of St George's cross until c.1707, a 1606 Union canton from c.1707 until 1801, and an 1801 Union from then until 1830, when they were replaced by Red Ensigns. After 1801 some ensigns had a central vertical red stripe.

by Phil Nels