Cape of Good Hope (Colony -1910)

Last modified: 2002-05-31 by jarig bakker
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• Cape of Good Hope Blue Ensign

• South Africa
• Cape Province

Cape of Good Hope Blue Ensign

A flag of the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope was taken into use on 12 May 1875, on the occasion of the laying of a foundation stone of the House of Parliament in Cape Town. The Governor's flag followed the traditional pattern of having the colonial arms in the centre of a Union Jack surrounded by a green laurel garland.

However, official authorisation by Royal Warrant for the arms of the colony was only granted nearly a year later on 29 May 1876 and a Blue Ensign bearing these arms on a white roundel was introduced soon thereafter. There does not seem to have been a Red Ensign version.

The Cape Colonial Blue Ensign was used until the Union of South Africa came into being on 31 May 1910 when the Cape Colony became the Cape Province.

No provincial flag was used by the Cape Province, or any of the other four provinces in the period 31 May 1910 to 26 April 1994. The Cape Province was divided into the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape provinces on 27 April 1994.
Bruce Berry, 28 May 1999