Flying the flag

Hooray! Everybody's got a day off for the Diamond Jubilee. Well, not everybody. Here at West Gallery we are open every day, so if you're looking for fantastic experience pop in and see us. We even have our own Union flag on canvas, a great addition to any contemporary home. I'm pleased to say that our national flag is back in vogue again.

The patriotic fervour and flag waving got me all vexillological (easy for you to say!). I was pleasantly surprised to see most people flying the Union flag the right way up and, of course, unless you are a naval type, it's not the Union Jack.


It is often asked why Wales is not represented on the Union flag? Oh but it it is! As Wales is technically a principality of England, not a 'country' it is represented by England's cross of St. George. In much the same way the Cornish flag of St. Piran is not included. That will stir up the natives!


Flags were the early form of communication especially in the navy where we are all familiar with the famous message from Nelson's flagship The Victory, which started "England expects..."


Semaphore was also widely used, however, you do not necessarily need flags, it just helps to make it more visible.The well recognised logo for CND represents the letters N and D in semaphore.

Now, of course, waving flags to message people seems ridiculous, we just text them. In fact, for some of us reading a teenager's text message can be as complicated for us as semaphore would be for them. Here is a typical example:

YO LTNC, HRU?

WL I JST GT BK FRM CRTE.  ND WZ XLNT. GT UP2 SO MCH FRU OT D 2WKS. 1ST WK WNT FST.  . WNT 2 RSTRN LKN OVA D HRBR, D SCNRY WHR WE STAYD WZ MAZIN  I RLXD FRU OT D 2WS. DA WEVR WZ LUVLY AD NA RAIN!  WNT 2D BEACH KPL TMZ ND SPNT MST OFD HOL SUNIN MSLF. ONLI WNT RD NM LOL :$ GT BK 2DYS GO ND AV ALRDY BN SHPIN ND GN 2 WRK ND WNT 2GR8 PRT WZ SAL. <0-). IZA OGNIZIN BBQ 4 AL MI M8S NXTWKD ND WIL B OFF NOTHR HOL IN 2WKS WCH WIL B GD FC, HP 2CUSN.

ATB, BFN XOXOXOXOX

Don't ask me what it means, I'm going to have to find a hoodie to translate for me. It will make Countdown awkward in the future, I mean, consonant, consonant, consonant, consonant! Am I showing my age? Don't answer that!

Anyway, the message is simple. If you want to wave the flag for Britain and especially Devon and Cornwall, get down to West Gallery and see some of the country's finest artists work. What better way to spend a Bank holiday?

CU L8R  YUK!