Last modified: 2012-02-25 by rob raeside Keywords: united
kingdom | union jack | saltire | jack | cross: saint george |
cross: saint andrew | cross: saint patrick | Links: FOTW
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mirrors image by Clay Moss, 16 December 2006 Flag adopted 1
January 1801. The UK flag consists of three elements: the cross
of St. George (red on white) for England, the cross of St.
Andrew (white diagonal on blue) for Scotland, and the so-called
cross of St. Patrick (red diagonal on white) for Ireland. The
original Union Jack/Union Flag adopted in 1606 was symmetrical:
the red cross of St. George outlined in white overlaid on top of
a St. Andrew's flag, which was blue with a white X. In 1801, an
Act of Union which made Ireland a co-equal member of the United
Kingdom made it necessary to add a symbol for Ireland to the
flag, but without obliterating any of the existing symbols. If
the St. Patrick's cross had been centered on the diagonal
stripes, then St. Andrew's cross would ha