A Conversation for DEVON'S NEW FLAG

Devon Flag

Post 361

Kerswell

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

Post 362

Plymouth Exile

Does anyone know anything about Jetz Novelties? I have done a Google search for this company, but came up with a blank.


Devon Flag

Post 363

MrFlag

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 smiley - smiley


Devon Flag in the Times

Post 364

Ozzie Exile

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

Post 365

parrferris

...and what a fascinating portrait it paints of our friend Mr Flag!smiley - biggrin


Devon Flag in the Times

Post 366

Plymouth Exile

Parrferris - What is BBC7? Please tell us more about this and the 'fascinating portrait of Mr Flag'.

Plymouth Exile


Devon Flag in the Times

Post 367

MrFlag

Good fascinating or bad-fascinating?


Devon Flag in the Times

Post 368

Plymouth Exile

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

Post 369

Ozzie Exile

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

Post 370

ryan_sealey

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

Post 371

MrFlag

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

Post 372

Ozzie Exile

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

Post 373

Ozzie Exile

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

Post 374

Ozzie Exile

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

Post 375

Plymouth Exile

Hence the large Silver/Lead Mine in the Teign Valley was called Wheal Exmouth.

Plymouth Exile


Salthill Devon.

Post 376

ryan_sealey

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

Post 377

MrFlag

For the record:

http://www.mrflag.com/display_product.asp?id=1421


Devon Regatta Ensign

Post 378

parrferris

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.


Devon Regatta Ensign

Post 379

ryan_sealey

Thats a very nice looking flag isnt it.

Well done Kevin smiley - smiley


Wish You Were Here

Post 380

Big JG - Landlord of The Editor's Arms

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


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