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Guernsey flag in 1863

Bailiwick of Guernsey

image by António Martins

Description of the flag

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Description of the flag

The checkered flag of Guernsey in 1863 was featured on the cover of The Flag Bulletin, 171, November-December 1996. It looks a like the White Ensign with squares, like on a picnic tablecloth.
Steve Stringfellow, 21 January 1997

The following is from The Flag Bulletin, XXXV:5/171 (1996.09-10), p.197:

Prior to the creation in 1985 of the current Guernsey flag, the Cross of St. George had been flown on the island for an indeterminate time as its local flag. However, during the 19th century a different flag seems to have been in use as well - an ensign with the Union Jack as a canton and a (?red) cross on a chequered field. The cover illustration of this flag is based on a contemporary engraving ('Unveiling the Albert Statue at Guernsey 8 October 1836' from Barbet's Almanack 1864). Design details are not entirely certain: one writer refers to '96 black and white cheques', another to 'Mr. Tupper's blue and white chequered flag'.

I made two gifs of this flag as it probably should have been if the part about ninety-six squares is correct: such a flag would have a 4x8 chequered panel in three of the cross's fields and the Union Jack in the honour one, a precise number to get square squares and a 1:2 Union Jack.
António Martins, 11 June 1997

At this week's meeting of the History Section of La Société Jersiaise, a member brought along a piece of crested china with the chequered Guernsey flag. The flag does appear to have existed.
Geraint Jennings, 19 April 2000

The flag shown was never an official Guernsey flag, but one flown by a Mr H Tupper of Les Cotils, Guernsey.
David Le Conte, 15 October 2013