F2591

House flag, Brocklebank Line Long Caption: The house flag of Brocklebank Line. A rectangular flag divided vertically into white and blue. The design was in use by the company as early as 1820 and was flown from the fore on the orders of the owner, Thomas Brocklebank. Flag A in the present day International Code is swallow-tailed because of the refusal of Brocklebanks to change their house flag. The flag is made of a wool and synthetic fibre bunting. It has a cotton hoist and is machine sewn. A rope and toggle is attached. The business was founded by Daniel Brocklebank, who after an early career as a New England shipbuilder and British merchant retired to shore as a ship owner and shipbuilder, based in Whitehaven. In 1800 he passed the business on to his sons Thomas and John, (the firm was re-named Thomas & John Brocklebank in 1801). It originally traded with the Americas, but after the ending of the East India Company's monopoly of trade with India, the company opened routes to the subcontinent in 1815 and later to the Far East, starting services to China in 1860. In 1819 Thomas Brocklebank opened an office in Liverpool which city became the company's main base. Credit line: © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Pope Collection. We regret that Museum enquiries have not been able to identify the owner of the flag's emblem and would welcome any information that would help us update our records. Object: AAA0179 Artist: unknown Date: circa 1951 Medium: wool blend; synthetic blend; cotton; machine sewn Size: 1828 mm x 2514 mm Click here to buy a bespoke print of this image.