L0163

Australian Merchant ensign (1901 pattern) Long Caption: The Australian Merchant ensign 1901-09 pattern. It is made of wool bunting, with a cotton hoist. The design is entirely printed with machine-sewn ends and selvedge edges. Rope halyard with a wooden toggle is attached for hoisting. The ensign is red with a Union Flag in the canton and the Southern Cross constellation of five white stars in the fly. On the lower left side, a large white star with six points. On the hoist is written in ink 'M.P.' In 1901 the six colonies that made up the Australian continent combined to form a federal national state. There was an official competition to design a national flag. There was no outright winner but a consensus emerged that the flag should contain the Union Flag, the Southern Cross constellation and a six-pointed star representing the six colonies. After the acquisition of Papua New Guinea in 1905 an extra point was added to the star in 1909. Credit line: © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London Object: AAA0720 Date: 1901-1909 Medium: wool; cotton Size: 1118 mm x 2261 mm Click here to buy a bespoke print of this image.