Flag of the Orange River Colony facts for kids
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| Use | Civil and state flag, state ensign |
|---|---|
| Proportion | 1:2 |
| Adopted | 1904 |
The Flag of the Orange River Colony was the official flag for a part of South Africa. This flag was used from 1904 to 1910. It was part of a bigger system of flags. These flags were used across the huge British Empire. Later, a new flag replaced it. This was the Flag of the Union of South Africa.
Contents
History of Colonial Flags
Around the 1860s, the British government made some important decisions. They wanted every colony to have its own special symbol, called a "badge." This badge would be shown on flags, especially on ships at sea.
Here is how the system worked:
- The governor of a colony would show the badge. It was placed in the middle of the Union Jack flag. This happened when the governor traveled by sea.
- Ships owned by the colony's government used a different flag. This was the Blue Ensign. The colony's badge was placed on the outer part of this flag.
- Even private ships registered in the colony could use a flag with the badge. They needed special permission from the British Admiralty. These ships would put the badge on the Red Ensign.
This flag system is still used today. You can see it in some of the remaining British overseas territories.
The Orange River Colony's Flag Badge
The Orange River Colony was once a republic called the Orange Free State. It became part of the British Empire in 1902. Soon after, a flag badge was approved for it.
It is not fully clear if this colony actually used the Blue Ensign flag. The Orange River Colony was a landlocked area. This means it did not have a coastline or access to the sea. So, it might not have needed flags for ships very often.
What the Flag Badge Looked Like
The badge for the Orange River Colony was round. It showed a springbok standing on a patch of grass. A springbok is a type of antelope found in southern Africa.
This badge was inspired by the colony's new official seal. The seal showed the British royal arms. It also had a landscape scene. In this scene, three springboks were standing in the veld. The veld is a type of open grassland in South Africa.
See also
- List of South African flags
- Flag of the Cape Colony
- Flag of the Orange Free State
- Flag of South Africa
- Flag of Transvaal
