1919 Gale and Polden Flag Chart of the British Empire and the World

This is a c. 1919 Gale and Polden flag chart of the British Empire and other nations.

A Closer Look

The flags of the British Empire occupy the center, with the Royal Standard of Great Britain and Ireland taking pride of place. It is also by far the largest flag on the chart. British military flags, along with the Union Jack and St. George's Cross, border the Royal Standard. Below the section dedicated to the British Empire, the colonial flags and badges identifying British colonies worldwide from the West Indies to Southeast Asia and Hong Kong are illustrated. Other specifically British content includes the flags of the Royal Yacht Clubs, Britain's special coast flags, and a table detailing the British Semaphore. Content not specific to Britain fills the remaining space. National flags, admiral's flags, and signals for pilots from various nations provide country-specific content. International content, including international code signal flags, international signals of distress, and a table discussing more code, provide a global perspective. Four photographs of British naval vessels occupy the four corners. Proceeding clockwise from top left, they are: H.M.S. Lion, H.M.S. King George V, a naval airship and an early naval airplane, and Submarine E. 2.

Publication History and Census

This chart was published by Gale and Polden c. 1919. We have located several different editions of this chart. The most noticeable difference between editions is variations in the photographs. We have been unable to locate another example of this edition.