A Conversation for DEVON'S NEW FLAG
Devon Flag
Kerswell Posted Aug 12, 2003
I love the pictures of the minature Devon Flags on the traction engines (look at the main BBC Devon website)
It seems these were homemade, but I thought Jetz Novelties were making some as well???
Devon Flag
Plymouth Exile Posted Aug 13, 2003
Does anyone know anything about Jetz Novelties? I have done a Google search for this company, but came up with a blank.
Devon Flag
MrFlag Posted Aug 13, 2003
Incidently... I don't know if anyone saw it but the Devon flag did get a bit of a mention in the Times a couple of weeks ago.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1561-748688,00.html
Slightly odd article, all things considered, but you're in there amongst it
Devon Flag in the Times
Ozzie Exile Posted Aug 14, 2003
I tried to read the article - but it tried to charge me for accessing the archives.
I presume it is the same as that repeated on Mr Flag's website
http://www.mrflag.com/display_article.asp?id=7390
Yellow dye in ice-cream?!! Inferior Devon pasties?!! I suppose that they will be saying that the best Clotted Cream comes from Cornwall next!
Devon Flag in the Times
Plymouth Exile Posted Aug 16, 2003
Parrferris - What is BBC7? Please tell us more about this and the 'fascinating portrait of Mr Flag'.
Plymouth Exile
Devon Flag in the Times
Plymouth Exile Posted Aug 18, 2003
I have no idea whether it is good or bad until Parrferris returns to tell us. I am sure it must be good, unless you have some dark secrets which you haven't been telling us about.
Plymouth Exile
Devon Flag
Ozzie Exile Posted Aug 19, 2003
Kevin Pyne has suggested that we set up a 'friends of the flag' society.
He is concerned that the Devon Flag may be used in inappropraite ways (I think he is concerned about crass commercial exploitation), and would like to set guidelines to try to limit this.
I have asked the (commercial) 'Mr Flag' about this and they indicate that it is possible, and that we could do it by forming such a 'committee', appoint a 'flag officer' and set out some guidelines of what we think is appropriate use and lodge that with the Flag Institute.
It wouldn't have force of law, but it may be persuasive.
I am not sure how easy it would be to reach agreement on what is acceptable - for example is the flag were to appear on t-shirts etc???
I think it comes down to a matter of taste, and that might not be easy to get agreement on let alone codify.
Some might not even think such regulation is desirable.
Personally I would not like to see the flag denegrated - or used in obvious 'bad taste' - but I am not really sure where I would draw the line.
So - what do you think???
A "Friends of the Flag Society"? A "Flag Standards Officer"?
Devon Flag
ryan_sealey Posted Aug 19, 2003
I'm not sure that the flag committee is such a good idea, i mean just a couple of months ago we were trying desperately to get people to even be aware of the flag and now we want to limit its production?
To be honest i can't think of any way that the flag could be mis-used. If it is reproduced in a way that people see as bad taste then they just would'nt buy it surely.
I don't think any other flags are mediated in this way are they?
I actually own a pair of union jack underpants (im sure im not alone in this) would you say that that was a misuse of the union flag? im sure some people would but surely thats best left up to the individual to decide.
What products is Kevin is refering to? ive only seen clothes, clocks and actual flags for sale.
Whats everyone else's opinion on the control committee?
Devon Flag
MrFlag Posted Aug 19, 2003
For the record, some flags ARE mediated - with varying degrees of success.
In the USA, it's a criminal offence to deface, burn, or otherwise soil their flag... and underpants would be included. There are no similar laws preventing you from doing any of these things with the Union Jack. In parts of Scandinavia I believe it's illegal to have an empty flagpole (i.e. if you have a flagpole, you have to fly something on it. There ARE laws in the UK governing certain flags - technically it's a criminal offence here under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 to hoist the existing Cornish Ensign (for example) at sea. Or so I'm told. I've never known anyone be prosecuted for any such breach.
Devon Flag
Ozzie Exile Posted Aug 27, 2003
Okay - it has taken me a week.
Nice pun by Mr Flag (above) about laws against soiling the American Flag, "and underpants would be included".
A bit slow I guess.
Devon Flag
Ozzie Exile Posted Aug 27, 2003
I came across the following website which refers to the Pellew battle Flag, as flown at the Battle of Algiers.
http://website.lineone.net/~teignmuseum/pellewflag.htm
Pellew is a Devon lad who hailed from Teign Valley, and who was raised to Lord Exmouth for his military achievements in the late 18th and early 19th century.
As you can see he was responsible for the flying of a green and white flag at the Battle of Algiers.
Although this is of a different design to the current Devon Flag, this does provide some additional historical evidence for the basic Devon Flag colours (green and white), and no - its not related to Plymouth or Plymouth Argyle!!
In fact the Cornish Flag is in a similar position. Whilst there are (apparently) references to The Cornish fighting under a black and white flag centuries ago the actual design flown is unknown, and the current 'St Piran design' is only relatively recent invention.
A couple of other titbits.
Kevin Pyne has had a letter published in the WMN
http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=103349&command=displayContent&sourceNode=103338&contentPK=6795381
I am not sure about his comment about 'hotheads running beserk' because I think I was responsible for the article of the 12 August (he must mean some other article)
Also, I hear from Barumite (flag designer whose design ran second in the final poll) that he saw the Devon Flag being flown at a Traction Engine Rally in Barnstaple over the bank Holiday Weekend - and said it looked 'extremely good'.
Pellew Flag
Ozzie Exile Posted Aug 28, 2003
I have done a little more research and it seems Edward Pellew was not as Devonian as I first thought. he was born in Dover from a family which had links to Western Cornwall.
Nevertheless he chose to live in Devon (in the Teign Valley) and when honoured chose the honorific 'Exmouth'.
Whether the choice of flag colours was to do with Devon or some other part of his past I have not yet discovered.
Lord Exmouth
Plymouth Exile Posted Aug 28, 2003
Hence the large Silver/Lead Mine in the Teign Valley was called Wheal Exmouth.
Plymouth Exile
Salthill Devon.
ryan_sealey Posted Aug 29, 2003
I just found out about a footall team called Salthill Devon, they play in the Connaught premiership in Ireland.
I was wondering if any of you could shed some light on why they chose to be called Devon when they are based in Galway.
Devon Regatta Ensign
MrFlag Posted Sep 1, 2003
For the record:
http://www.mrflag.com/display_product.asp?id=1421
Devon Regatta Ensign
parrferris Posted Sep 1, 2003
I've seen Kevin flying the ensign from his boat all through Dartmouth Regatta, and very fine it looks too!
And what a Regatta! In one quick stroll on Thursday afternoon I counted at least twenty Devon flags flying in the town , and another sixteen afloat, including both Lower Ferries and the Higher Ferry. I think we can safely say that (entirely thanks to Kevin) the St. Petroc's Cross has well and truly arrived, in this corner of South Devon at least.
Wish You Were Here
Big JG - Landlord of The Editor's Arms Posted Sep 2, 2003
Hi all
Just added yet another page to the BBC Devon website about the Devon flag.
We're giving away the bumper stickers to people who tell us why they love Devon so much - it's been up a day and already bumper stickers are on their way to Cyprus and South Australia - as well as some closer to home.
Find out more at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/discovering/wish_you_were_here/frontpage.shtml
Regards
Key: Complain about this post
Devon Flag
- 361: Kerswell (Aug 12, 2003)
- 362: Plymouth Exile (Aug 13, 2003)
- 363: MrFlag (Aug 13, 2003)
- 364: Ozzie Exile (Aug 14, 2003)
- 365: parrferris (Aug 15, 2003)
- 366: Plymouth Exile (Aug 16, 2003)
- 367: MrFlag (Aug 18, 2003)
- 368: Plymouth Exile (Aug 18, 2003)
- 369: Ozzie Exile (Aug 19, 2003)
- 370: ryan_sealey (Aug 19, 2003)
- 371: MrFlag (Aug 19, 2003)
- 372: Ozzie Exile (Aug 27, 2003)
- 373: Ozzie Exile (Aug 27, 2003)
- 374: Ozzie Exile (Aug 28, 2003)
- 375: Plymouth Exile (Aug 28, 2003)
- 376: ryan_sealey (Aug 29, 2003)
- 377: MrFlag (Sep 1, 2003)
- 378: parrferris (Sep 1, 2003)
- 379: ryan_sealey (Sep 2, 2003)
- 380: Big JG - Landlord of The Editor's Arms (Sep 2, 2003)
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