Canada, Red Ensign, Unofficial National Flag, 1873, Five Provinces Badge
This is an unofficial Canadian Red Ensign dating from the last part of the 19th century or first part of the 20th Century; when technically all Red Ensigns bearing the arms of Canada were still unofficial. However, after the Canadian Confederation was founded in 1867, the need for a distinctive Canadian flag emerged, but sadly no thought was given to a national flag. The first Canadian flag was instead the Flag of the Governor General of Canada, a Union Flag with a shield in the center bearing the quartered arms of Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick surrounded by a wreath of maple leaves. A royal warrant granted arms to the four provinces and created the Great Seal of Canada, which originally was the four provincial arms, quartered. Though the Great Seal looked like a coat of arms, it technically was not.
Nevertheless, this was the first official use of the so-called Four Provinces design, which lent to the creation of an unofficial red ensign defaced with this badge and first used in 1868 as a de facto national flag. Canada, like its neighbor to the south, adopted a North American solution in that the people did not wait for any official word, they simply began to use what they thought appropriate. The Canadian flag is like the United States flag, bottom-up, meaning it came from the people rather than to them from on high. This flag was confirmed solely throughout its widespread use, even by government officials, and would remain unofficial in the eyes of the law until the 20th century.
By 1870 the use of the unofficial Red Ensign, with the addition of the Canadian composite shield in the fly, began to be used without Crown permission on land and sea, and became known as the Canadian Red Ensign. As new provinces joined the Confederation, their arms were added to the shield. Manitobas' addition in 1871 increased the total to five provinces. The stylized arms of which were added to the Canadian shield containing the composite arms in much the same way a star represented an additional state in Canada's southern neighbor, the United States.
In 1871 and 1873 British Columbia and Prince Edward Island were added, increasing the total to a potential of a seven province badge. In 1905 Saskatchewan and Alberta would increase the total to nine, which it would remain until 1921.
Since this flag was unprescribed the Red Ensign of Canada, like the United States flag, had as many variations as there were vendors. These designs were confirmed only through use, as there was no official approval for a Canadian Red Ensign until 1892; it was only authorized for use on Canadian merchant ships. Astonishingly it was still unofficial on land. This chaotic situation gave rise to hundreds of variations for the Canadian Red Ensign. There could be four, five, seven or nine provinces represented on the shield. And, while the number of provinces on the shield could be an indicator of the date range, many makers did not update their designs. Further many added additional symbols, like wreaths oak and maple leaves, crowns and beavers.
Canadian Red ensigns prior to 1921 are therefore difficult to date. This is a Canadian red Ensign with crowned, five province badges, and a wreath of stylized maple and oak leaves. There is no maker's mark, but the flag has two rope loops attached to the upper and lower hoist typical of flags intended for maritime use on yachts and pleasure craft. Since it was acquired from an antiques dealer in New York, it is probable that this was used on Lark Ontario or Lake Erie.
ZFC Significant Flag
Sources:
Canada - the Red Ensign (flag before 1965), Wikipedia, 16 November 2011, from: http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ca-reden.html
Fraser, Alistair B., The Flags of Canada, 16 November 2011, from:
http://www.fraser.cc/FlagsCan/
Evolution of the Canadian Red Ensign, Posters of Historical Flags of Canada, Canadian Heritage, 16 November 2011, from:
http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/ceem-cced/Flg-Pstrs/post4/Post4-eng.cfm
Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection
