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Southampton, Hampshire (England)

image by Ivan Sache, 14 January 2019

Description of the Flag

Description of the Flag

From Living Southampton (http://www.discoversouthampton.co.uk/living):

The winner of Southampton City Council's flag competition announced 19th October 2017

Children in Southampton were tasked with designing a community flag that represents the city's heritage, diversity and unique character. Six flag designs were chosen from over five hundred designs, entered from school children aged between five and sixteen years of age. The Leader of the Council, Councillor Simon Letts then invited residents of Southampton to have their say and choose the final design from the shortlist. The final votes were counted and the winning design was by Yihuan Han, aged 8 from Portswood Primary School. On the 23 November at 10am, Yihuan will raise the new flag for the first time outside of the front of the Civic.
John Moody, 13 January 2019

From http://www.discoversouthampton.co.uk/learn/news/2017/10/19/the-winner-of-southampton-city-council-s-flag-competition-announced:

The winning entry features the Hampshire rose and an anchor and will be added to the Flag Institute’s UK Flag Registry and recognized as the official symbol of Southampton.
https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/15603205.what-do-you-think-of-the-new-symbol-of-southampton/
The Daily Echo, 18 October 2017

The flag was inaugurated on 23 November 2017.
https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/15681382.southamptons-new-flag-flown-for-the-first-time/?ref=ar
The Daily Echo, 24 November 2017
Ivan Sache, 14 January 2109

The six proposals submitted to vote were:

image by Ivan Sache, 14 January 2019

#1. White flag quartered by a red cross, on each side a vertical gray stripe charged with three yellow lightning bolts. The quarters respectively charged with a sailboat, a fortified gate, a ferry, and a Spitfire fighter aircraft, all gray.

The ships represent the port of Southampton (see http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk). The fortified gate represents the town walls, most probably the Bargate. Started in 1175 as a basic rectangular tower, it was significantly enhanced in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Its size and scale is a testament to the wealth of the medieval port (see
http://www.castlesfortsbattles.co.uk/south_east/southampton_castle_walls.html). The lightning bolts must refer to the West Quay geothermal power station, the only one of that kind in the UK (see https://www.wessexscene.co.uk/magazine/2017/11/30/southamptons-geothermal-pursuit-a-success-or-failure). The Spitfire recalls that the prototype Spitfire first flew from Southampton Airport and production of the earliest models was based at the Supermarine factory in Woolston. This was bombed in the Second World War with great loss of life to local workers (see
https://www.southampton.gov.uk/arts-heritage/history-southampton/spitfire.aspx).
Ivan Sache, 14 January 2109

image by Ivan Sache, 14 January 2019

#2. White flag quartered by a red cross. The quarters respectively charged with a gray Spitfire fighter aircraft in front view, a gray and white handshake, a gray mask over a white mask, and a gray liner.

The liner recalls Southampton as a main terminal for luxury cruises operated by P&O, Royal Caribbean and Carnival Co., and, most of all, Cunard. RMS Titanic's maiden (and last) voyage began on 10 April 1912 from Southampton.
Ivan Sache, 14 January 2109

image by Ivan Sache, 14 January 2019

#3. Flag vertically divided, at hoist, red with a white Yorkshire rose, at fly, white with a blue anchor. This is the eventually adopted proposal.
Ivan Sache, 14 January 2109

image by Ivan Sache, 14 January 2019

#4. Flag vertically divided (1:2:1) red-white-blue with a counter-colored fimbriation. Charged in the center with a red chained
anchor.
Ivan Sache, 14 January 2109

image by Ivan Sache, 14 January 2019

#5. Flag quartered blue-green-blue-red per saltire. Charged in the center with a white eight-handled steering wheel, with 16 blue fish on the ring and a gray fortified gate in the center, on a white disk.
Ivan Sache, 14 January 2109

image by Ivan Sache, 14 January 2019

#6. Flag vertically divided red-white-red-white-red, the red stripes slightly longer. Charged in the center with a red ring inscribing the prow of a black liner on a white background.

https://www.southampton.gov.uk/news/article.aspx?id=tcm:63-395962
Southampton City Council, 29 September 2017
Ivan Sache, 14 January 2109