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Royal Malta Yacht Club (Malta)

image by Clay Moss, 2 March 2006

Description
Burgee
Incorrect rendition

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Description

No one knows for certain when the RMYC got its start although some evidence points back to 1835. In 1935, the RMYC received a warrant and entitlement to fly their particular blue ensign. I'm sure that the original ensign was displayed with a Tudor crown, and I will post that version some time soon.
Clay Moss, 2 March 2006

Some comments on the history of the club are given at http://www.rolexmiddlesearace.com/rmyc.html

According to Adrian Strickland in "Malta Insignia" the club was founded in 1871. The 1873 warrant was for an undefaced Blue Ensign, at which time the burgee of the club was blue with a white Maltese cross surmounted by a crown. (It is now white/red with a St. Edward's crown in the centre.) The 1894 re-issue was a reorganisation of the warrant system. The existing warrants (general and yacht) of all clubs were cancelled and new warrants were issued.

According to the Admiralty file in the National Archives (ADM 116/2501) the club was unable to use the title "royal" after the First World War because it had lost the letter that authorised it. The club had fourteen yachts in 1927 but had not applied for a yacht warrant since 1882. The following year it was decided that the club could call itself "royal", but a special ensign was not recommended by the Governor as the yachts were only small. Later in August 1935 the club was added to the list of yacht clubs using a special defaced Blue Ensign.
David Prothero, 2 March 2006

The Club's rules at: http://www.rmyc.org/membership/club-statute state:
11. Club Flags, Badges, Ties and Scarves.
11.1 The Club Burgee... (see below)
11.2 The Club Ensign shall be whichever of the following is appropriate:
a. The Maritime Flag of the Republic of Malta, or
b. The Blue Ensign defaced with the Maltese Cross and the Tudor Crown.
No yacht may wear this Ensign without a permit from the Club.

Attached are two pictures showing the burgee and ensign actually in use, both with a 'Tudor' crown (which is above the Maltese cross in the ensign, not on top of it).
Theo, 13 March 2013

Although the club's rules may well be a direct quote, without sight of the actual Warrant it is difficult to be sure who is truly in error. In the first place, it would seems that Clay's image was based upon the wording of the 1873 burgee Warrant which used the heraldic term "surmounted by" which means placed on top of not over the top of, and he drew his image accordingly. On the other hand, the 1935 Warrant may well use the heraldic term "ensigned with" which places the crown above any other charge?

In the second instance it appears (in my experience) to be quite rare that an Admiralty Warrant should state a particular style of "royal crown" leaving it to the club involved to decide whether to use the type current at the time of the Warrant or the present version if any different.
Christopher Southworth, 15 March 2013

A photograph in Adrian Strickland’s 1992 book ‘Malta Insignia’ shows a St Edward’s crown in the centre of a Maltese Cross. It appears the flag has been changed subsequently.
David Prothero, 16 March 2013

During the 1990s the Club used an unusual 'double-gaffed' mast outside Fort Manoel, with the club burgee at the masthead and the blue ensign at the peak of the 'port' gaff, with the Maltese civil ensign at the peak of the 'starboard' gaff.

As anyone who knows Malta would understand, this was an exceptional restaurant location with a truly marvellous view to Valletta over Marsamxett Harbour. The restaurant was open to non-members and I ate there on many occasions. The blue ensign in use whenever I visited Malta throughout the 1990s was the one with the Tudor crown above the Maltese cross, not the one with St Edward's crown superimposed on the Maltese cross. Since about 2000 only the Maltese civil ensign was used and the club has since moved to new premises as the Fort is being restored.

Since the club's rules insist on the use of the Tudor crown for the ensign, I wonder whether the flag was ever actually in use, or was an error, rather than there having been a change? Certainly, in the 1990s, the 'St Edward's superimposed' was not the one in use by the club itself. I will see if I can find any more information and send it on, as this now has me intrigued!
Theo, 18 March 2013

Burgee

image by Clay Moss, 9 June 2007

The Club's rules at: http://www.rmyc.org/membership/club-statute state:
11. Club Flags, Badges, Ties and Scarves.
11.1 The Club Burgee shall be white at the hoist for two-sevenths of the length and red at the fly, with a Tudor Crown proper superimposed at the center of the division. The hoist of the flag shall be one half of the length, and height and width of the Crown shall be equal and shall be one third the length of the hoist of the flag.
Theo, 13 March 2013

The white hoist here is too wide [it should be 2/7ths], and the crown should apparently have a different style. I can well believe that burgees with more white are in use, as that's the way the club's artwork displays it.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 13 July 2013

The club's website photo gallery shows pictures with the burgee and it sure looks like, in practice, they divide their burgees right down the middle.
Clay Moss, 13 July 2013

Incorrect rendition

A version of the ensign is widely reported that shows the crown above the cross, instead of on the cross. A major flagmaker has since [the 1970s] stated that 'We were instructed many years ago to put crown above the cross, in order to make it more visible when flying... We have made the ensign in this manner for at least 30 years.' That would explain why the 'crown above cross' version existed.
Theo, 17 October 2013