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  • "
    A Darener wrote:
    Quote from the flag institute....It is often stated that the Union Flag should only be described as the Union Jack when flown in the bows of a warship, but this is a relatively recent idea. From early in its life the Admiralty itself frequently referred to the flag as the Union Jack, whatever its use, and in 1902 an Admiralty Circular announced that Their Lordships had decided that either name could be used officially. Such use was given Parliamentary approval in 1908 when it was stated that "the Union Jack should be regarded as the National flag". Sorry chaps but you are out of date.
    You learn something new every day. I stand (happily) corrected.
    And yes, pedantry is good: it means that standards don't slip....."
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Tattered Union Jack at Blackburn Cathedral replaced

7:00am Monday 18th June 2012 in News

A TATTERED Union Jack flew over Blackburn Cathedral on the Queen’s official birthday this weekend.

The nation’s flag had been put up two weeks earlier ahead of Jubilee celebrations in what clergy at the cathedral assumed to be mint condition. However within a few days harsh weather conditions took their toll and caused an embarrassing fix for the cathedral.

Bosses at the cathedral said it soon became apparent that their bespoke Union Jack had degraded and aged during five years in storage.

The cathedral rarely uses the Union Jack, instead choosing to fly the St George’s flag on most special occasions.

The St George’s Flag is also the Church of England flag.

The church made the decision to let the damaged flag remain up during Jubilee celebrations, taking it down yesterday. The church will resume flying the St George’s flag, which is in good condition and have also ordered a new Union Jack for future state events.

Canon Andrew Hindley said: “There was no way to know when we took the flag out of storage that it was not in good condition. It appeared to be and it was only when it encountered a few days of very bad weather that it showed deterioration.

“We decided to keep the flag up as it would have taken three weeks to get a replacement. There was no time to get a new flag here for the Queen’s birthday. It is now coming down and we are ordering a new, bespoke Union Jack.

If anyone would like to donate £250 to the church to replace the flag, we would be most grateful. Raising the flag at the cathedral is a job which involves the climbing of 200 steps.

“We are proud to fly the flag and will be displaying an immaculate St George’s flag this week.”

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