Van Dieman's Land Ensign(Australia) (original) (raw)
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Last modified: 2016-02-27 by ian macdonald
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[![[Van Diemen's Land Ensign]](http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/images/a/au_vdle.gif) ](../images/a/au%5Fvdle.gif) |
 by Vincent Morley and Jonathan Dixon, 16 Apr 2005 |
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Description
The blue and white striped British ensign with a red cross overall is described on the chart as the "Van Dieman's Land Ensign". I first reported the existence of this chart (by Edward Murphy, located in the State Library of Tasmania in Crux Australis Volume VI No1/25 in January 1990 following a visit to Tasmania.�
This is apparently an unofficial flag for merchant shipping in Tasmania prior to the adoption of official flags.� It appears to trace its origin to the NSW Merchant Flag, which�first appeared on the Nicholson chart of 1832, together with the first record of the NSW Ensign (also known as the Australian ensign and the Federation flag).� This NSW Merchant flag is believed to be the historical origins of the Murray River Flag.� Other than the two Edward Murphy flag charts of the 1850's, there is no known historical record of the usage of the Van Dieman's Land�ensign.
Ralph Kelly, 14 April 2003
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