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Ancestral Heritage Flags (Australia)

Last modified: 2022-05-21 by ian macdonald
Keywords: irish-australian | harp | stars: southern cross | southern cross | maid of erin | wattle | golden wattle | scottish-australian | cross: st andrew | lion | cornish-australian | cross: st piran | welsh-australian | dragon: red | s |
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Cornish-Australian flag

[Cornish-Australian flag] image by Miles Li, 7 Feb 2005

This Cornish-Australian ancestral community flag [a white cross on black with a white southern cross in the first quarter] was flown during a Flag Society of Australia event last year.
Miles Li, 7 February 2005

The flag was designed in 1988 by John Vaughan of Australiana Flags.
Source:
Australiana Flags website - Cornish-Australian flag:
https://australianaflags.com.au/flags/the-cornish-australian-flag-1988
Tomislav Todorovic, 12 April 2022


Irish-Australian flag

[Irish-Australian flag] image by John Vaughan, standardised by Jonathan Dixon, 22 Jan 2004

Seen on the roof of a hotel in Lidcome, Sydney, on a green field a yellow woman-shaped harp, a yellow southern cross in the upper hoist.
Marc Pasquin, 18 September 2001

The designer of the Irish-Australian flag, John Vaughan of Australiana Flags, sent me the following information from his catalogue.

The Irish-Australian flag was raised for the first time at Vinegar Hill Woolshed on 10th March 1988. On that occasion the flag was broken out by Australian media personality Mike Bailey on behalf of the Irish Week Committee.

The flag features the constellation of the Southern Cross taken from Australia's National Flag, combined with a golden harp, a symbol of Ireland since the 15th century.

The winged lady, a representation of the "Maid of Erin" appears inspired by the Southern Cross, alluding to the contribution that Irish settlers and their descendants have made to the development of Australia. The maid wears a garland of golden wattle in her hair.

The green and gold colours of the flag reflect the links between Australia and Ireland. Green and gold were adopted as Australia's National and Bicentennial Colours in April, 1984. According to the Vexillological Society of Ireland, green and gold are the traditional colours of Eire and are believed to have been first used in the 17th century as a symbol of the Irish people.

The flying of the Irish Australian Flag commemorates over 200 years of Irish influence on the Australian landscape and lifestyle and denotes the importance of the Irish contribution to the Australian way of life.

Jonathan Dixon, 22 January 2004

Australian South Sea Islanders

The "South Sea Islanders" are the descendants of Pacific Islanders taken (forcibly or otherwise) to Australia from 1863 to 1904 to work on the cane fields as indentured labourers.
Jonathan Dixon, 4 July 2008

At this link: www.premiers.qld.gov.au/apps/assi/workshop/spirit/obstacles.htm is a flag identified as the flag of the Australian South Sea Islander United Council, with the attribution:

"Source: 'Keep the dream alive' ASSIUC flag designed by Adrian Warcon & Tracy Leo-Warcon
© 1996 8th National South Sea Islander United Council Conference held at Cool Waters, Yeppoon on 3-4 May 1997."
Valentin Poposki, Ned Smith and Santiago Dotor, 5 August 2005

The flag is quartered per saltire yellow the top, red at the fly, green at the bottom, black at the hoist. In the centre is a blue disk (possibly bordered in black) containing green plant stalks (presumably sugar cane) growing from yellow earth, flanked by two cutting implements with yellow blades and black handles.
Jonathan Dixon, 4 July 2008


Scottish-Australian flag

[Scottish-Australian flag] image by John Vaughan, standardised by Jonathan Dixon, 22 Jan 2004

The designer of the Scottish-Australian flag, John Vaughan of Australiana Flags, sent me the following information from his catalogue.

The Scottish Australian Flag was raised for the first time on 21st July, 1988, at the Duesburys Building, Sydney, overlooking the site of the first Government House.

The distinctive red, gold and blue flag was broken out by the Chairman of the Scottish Australian Heritage Council, William MacLennan, Chieftain in Clan MacLennan.

Featuring the Cross of St Andrew on a blue field, the red lion rampant of Scotland on a golden shield and the stars of the Southern Cross, the flag links the traditional symbols of Scotland with Australia.

During the flag raising ceremony the following blessing was given by the Rev David Inglis, Minister, The Scots Kirk, Sydney:
Almighty God, Creator and Father of all people,
Leader and guide of all nations, who created all mankind of one blood to live together, we give praise and thanks as we break out this flag, realising our separate histories, our common traditions, and the close bonds that unite us. For the cross of St Andrew and the Church, for the Lion Rampant and the Crown and Commonwealth, for the Southern Cross, the symbol of this land, our land, Australia.
Grant that you will bless the people of Scotland, the people of Australia and especially Scottish Australians working and living within its states. As this flag flies above the people, may they look up to see a symbol of loyalty to this country, a symbol of unity between two great nations and a bond between them and between Church and State.
Through Christ the King and Head of the Church we pray this prayer.
Amen.

Jonathan Dixon, 22 January 2004

Welsh-Australian flag

[Welsh-Australian flag] image by Christer Berggren and Miles Li, 7 Feb 2005

There's a Welsh ancestral community flag that is the Wales national flag with a green Southern cross in canton.
Jaume Ollé, 7 Feb 2004

It is interesting to see a different flag (or flagoid) at http://www.bethnesaf.com, the online magazine of the Welsh community of NSW, published by the Welsh Society of Sydney. It is the Australian flag, with a red dragon replacing the commonwealth star. I do not know if this flag has ever been seen in real life.
Jonathan Dixon, 8 February 2005

Sydney Welsh Society

At http://www.bethnesaf.com/celtic festival.htm, you can see a photo of the banner of the Sydney Welsh Society, a white over green bicolour, with two Welsh flags and the words

[Welsh Flag] Y [Welsh Flag]
GYMDEITHAS GYMREIG
in red on the the white half and SYDNEY in red on the green half.
Jonathan Dixon, 8 Feb 2005

Literally 'The Society Welsh', but 'Gymreig' is an unusual spelling. It is normally spelt 'Cymraeg'. The initial 'C' has been changed to 'G' to agree with 'Gymdeithas', which has been changed from 'Cymdeithas' because it is preceded by 'Y', but there is no apparent reason for spelling it 'Gymreig' rather than 'Gymraeg'
David Prothero, 9 February 2005


English-Australian flag

[English-Australian flag] image by Tomislav Todorovic, 12 April 2022

The English-Australian flag combines the red cross on white of the flag of England with the Southern Cross of the flag of Australia which is displayed in blue in the canton.

The flag was designed in 1988 by John Vaughan of Australiana Flags.

Source:
Australiana Flags website - English-Australian flag:
https://australianaflags.com.au/flags/the-english-australian-flag-1988

Tomislav Todorovic, 12 April 2022