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Schuylkill Navy (Pennsylvania USA) – Clubs

Last modified: 2005-03-12 by rick wyatt
Keywords: schuylkill navy | pennsylvania |
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The Schuylkill Navy is a group of 10 rowing clubs in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It takes its name from the Schuylkill River, along which the clubs' elegant Victorian boathouses are located. Founded in 1858, the Schuylkill Navy is the oldest governing body for amateur sporting clubs in the United States. More information can be found at http://www.boathouserow.org. Philadelphia is one of the main centers of sport rowing in the United States, and several of the clubs are among the premier rowing clubs in the world. Several of them are also important institutions in the traditional social life of the old Philadelphia gentry.

The flags are from two old printed charts I found on-line, "Flags of the Schuylkill Navy" (1870) and "Signal Flags of the Schuylkill Navy" (after 1872).

See also:

Bachelors Barge Club

[Bachelors Barge Club] by Joe McMillan

Founded 1853. The 1870 chart shows essentially a narrow-armed St. Andrew's saltire (white on blue). The other chart shows no flag for this club. I have not been able to confirm the modern use of this flag; the club badge is red, yellow, and blue, with what appears to be a thistle.
Joe McMillan, 31 December 2002

University Barge Club

[University Barge Club] by Joe McMillan

Founded 1854. A blue-white-blue vertical triband. This flag appears on both charts and flying over the clubhouse in a drawing at http://www.hosr.org/ubc/.
Joe McMillan, 31 December 2002

Undine Barge Club

[Undine Barge Club] by Joe McMillan

[Undine Barge Club] by Joe McMillan

Founded 1856. The earlier chart shows a blue flag with a red border and the word UNDINE in gold letters. The other shows a blue flag with a gold chevron, point at the hoist. I believe the second is the current flag; it matches the design on the oar blades used by the club. A stained glass window in the club house shows the chevron flag crossed in saltire with a variant on the word flag, but without the border