image by Ivan Sache, 17 July 2002
Last modified: 2021-08-25 by rob raeside
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image by Ivan Sache, 17 July 2002
Antigua Yacht Club is located in Falmouth Harbour, on the
southern coast of Antigua. Admiral Nelson funded there dockyard
for the Royal Navy. The narrow bay in which Falmouth Harbour is
located is one of the most scenic places in Antigua and Nelson's
dockyards have been preserved. This historical monument is
partially used as a marine business center. The AYC Marina hosts
the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta in April followed by the
Antigua Sailing Week. The burgee of AYC is horizontally divided
blue-yellow with a crenellated separation between the two fields.
A yellow gun is placed in the blue field.
Source: < http://www.aycmarina.com/
>
Ivan Sache, 17 July 2002
A burgee (Royal Navy swallowtail pennant, with the
pre-1801 Union Flag in the upper hoist canton) was
flown from an eye-catching yacht in Bermuda this summer
and caused some negative comment in the local yachting scene,
stoked by a retired Royal Navy Captain (not a Bermudian).
Quite a few thought that it was either the White Ensign
being flown illegally at the masthead, or some sort
of modified Royal Navy Commodore's pennant.
The owner of the yacht was directly accused of breaking the
British Merchant Shipping Act and responded by explaining his
entitlement and then inviting the complainant to get the Governor
to investigate the alleged crime, if he was so sure it was an
illegal act.
When the owner was separately asked politely by
others he responded in some detail that this swallow-tailed
pennant is the very distinctive burgee of the Royal Naval
Tot Club of Antigua and Barbuda. There was scepticism about this,
but research reveals that at least least one other boat
visiting Bermuda at the same time had the same burgee and
went unnoticed!
This unusual organization is based in English Harbour,
Antigua, and apparently has:
1. A Warrant to fly the Royal Navy White Ensign at the
mast that stands in Nelson's Dockyard, English Harbour,
Antigua. This privilege is exercised on certain days,
such as the Queen's Birthday and to commemorate
significant battles, etc.
2. A burgee that is a Royal Navy swallowtail pennant,
with the pre-1801 Union Flag in the upper hoist canton.
There doesn't appear to be a website for the Club, but there is a
page with some information at <antiguanice.com> which
shows the White Ensign being hoisted in Nelson's Dockyard.
Ted, 13 January 2010
Authority to fly a pre-1801 White Ensign received on 21 July
2000. It was derived from the authority previously granted to the
government of Antigua on independence, to fly the White Ensign in
the dockyard. The ensign is flown on the following days:
- 16 January - Battle of St Vincent:
- 14 February - Battle of Cape St Vincent:
- 2 April - Battle of Copenhagen:
- 12 April - Battle of The Saints:
- 21 April - Birthday of Queen Elizabeth II:
- 1 June - Glorious 1st of June:
- 2 June - Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II:
- 1 August - Battle of the Nile:
- 11 October - Battle of Camperdown:
- 21 October - Battle of Trafalgar.
Photograph shows a modern White Ensign, not a pre-1801 White
Ensign.
A website about the club is at <linnetwoods.com>
and a picture of the burgee is at the bottom of <www.searoom.com>.
It is possibly that there is no warrant as such. The website <antiguanice.com>
refers to "permission"; "The Tot Club also
obtained permission to hoist the White Ensign in Nelson's
Dockyard on special days such as the Queen's birthday and
anniversaries of famous British naval successes such as the
Battle of Trafalgar. The Flagstaff in Nelson's
Dockyard was restored by the Royal Naval Tot Club."
The information, which came from Malcolm Farrow's 'Colours of the
Fleet', refers to "authority".
Perhaps there are two aspects to this.
1. The club obtained permission to use a version of
the pre-1801 White Ensign as their club burgee.
2. The club obtained permission to fly the current
White Ensign in Nelson's Dockyard in continuation of the
authority already granted to the government of Antigua.
David Prothero, 14 January 2010
I have been informed that the Royal Naval Tot Club has a
Warrant to fly the current White Ensign at Nelson's Dockyard,
English Harbour, Antigua on appropriate days, not the pre-1801
White Ensign as mentioned in 'Colours of the Fleet'.
The confusion in 'Colours of the Fleet' may be because the burgee
is indeed a swallowtail pennant (Commodore RN style) with a
pre-1801 Union Flag in the upper hoist canton.
I have also been told that the previous and current Commodores of
the Royal Yacht Squadron are both members of the Tot Club, so
maybe the White Ensigns are sticking together!
Apparently Prince William was presented with a Tot Club burgee
when he visited Antigua onboard HMS Iron Duke a year and a half
ago.
Ted, 26 February 2010
The photographer has sent me a better image of this burgee,
taken on 13 June 2009 when the yacht in question was anchored off
the quay at Hamilton.
The yacht was dressed overall for HM Queen's Birthday with the
Red Ensign is flying alongside the Royal Naval Tot Club burgee at
the masthead.
I suspect that there is some embarrassment as it seems that it
was originally assumed that this burgee was a current White
Ensign.
Ted, 28 February 2010
The following was was provided by a Tot Club source:
"ROYAL NAVAL TOT CLUB OF ANTIGUA & BARBUDA. CLUB
PENNANT.
1. The Tot Club pennant is NOT a white ensign as it does
not have the Irish cross in it. The Tot Club pennant is
based on the pre 1801 Royal Naval ensign of the white squadron,
the red squadron being the senior and the blue, the junior.
The white ensign itself was not reserved for the Royal Navy until
1864. Until 1801 Ireland was a separate kingdom. In
1800 an Act of Union was passed to create the new United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, to come into effect on the 1st.
January, 1801. The College of Arms designed a new flag with
the “Cross of St. Patrick” counter-changed with the
existing Cross of St. Andrew. The inclusion of “St.
Patrick’s Cross” is of interest as St. Patrick was not
martyred and therefore did not have a cross as such. The
red saltire on white was the emblem of the powerful Irish
Fitzgerald family and was chosen by the heralds of the College of
Arms as a convenient symbol for Ireland. The independence
in 1922 of the southern part of Ireland as the Irish Free State
did not result in any further change to the union flag.
2. While the Tot Club does indeed have a warrant, and
rightly so, to wear the White Ensign on the mast in Nelson’s
Dockyard, Antigua, on certain occasions, a warrant as such does
not exist, nor does it need to, for a member to fly the Tot Club
pennant.
3. We approached the MoD early in 2001 for permission to
use a design based on the pre 1801 white ensign and if permission
was granted, the etiquette involved in flying it. The answer came
back “that providing it is an historic design, there is no
problem in using what was previously a sovereign or national flag”.
In plain English MoD said that providing it not a current flag or
ensign of any sovereign country then there is no problem using
it.
4. It should be flown from the masthead or if this is
impracticable, then the spreader. It is not and never
should be worn as an ensign.
5. The design which was submitted to MoD in 2001 was used,
which is the Tot Club pennant of today. It is the pre 1801
white ensign imposed on a broad swallowtail pennant.
6. In October, 2007, the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir
Jonathan Band, KCB, ADC personally endorsed the MoD decision of
2001."
Ted, 8 March 2010
The RN Tot Club has its own website now. See:
http://www.royal-naval-tot-club.com
Theodore, 18 February 2011
The official website says:
"The Royal Naval Tot Club of Antigua & Barbuda was formed in 1991 by a small
group of 'like minded people' who met at the end of the working day to toast the
Queen and reinstate the Royal Navy's tradition of a daily tot of rum which had
been discontinued in 1970."
The club's website includes the following statement on the burgee (which is less
detailed than previously reported) but has some "official" status:
"Unique to the Tot Club is its White Ensign burgee. The White Ensign is very
jealously guarded by the Royal Yacht Squadron as the only club in the world
whose members are permitted to wear the Royal Navy's White Ensign. The Tot Club
obtained consent from the Admiralty to incorporate the pre-1801 White Ensign
into its burgee and it is proudly flown from members' yachts. The Tot Club also
obtained permission to hoist the White Ensign in Nelson's Dockyard on special
days such as the Queen's birthday and anniversaries of famous British naval
successes such as the Battle of Trafalgar. The Flagstaff in Nelson's Dockyard
was restored by the Royal Naval Tot Club."
The actual
burgee is shown on the "Memorabilia" section of the
club's
website
Ivan Sache, 19 February 2011
