![[Derbyshire]](../images/g/gb-e-derbs.gif)
image by Charles Ashburner, 28 September 2006
Last modified: 2021-11-03 by rob raeside
Keywords: england | derbyshire | rose |
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image by Charles Ashburner, 28 September 2006
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The new flag of Derbyshire was launched at 8am Friday, 22nd September 2006. Thousands of people in Derbyshire helped choose a flag to represent them via the BBC Derby website.
The blue is one of the traditional colours of Derbyshire and represents the rivers and reservoirs; the cross marks the fact that Derbyshire is at the centre of the country and it is green because Derbyshire is "a lush county with outstanding countryside".
The symbol in the middle is the Tudor Rose, which has been Derbyshire's royally awarded county badge for over 500 years and it's been used in many county symbols and coats of arms over that time. The rose is in gold (as it is on the county cricket club logo) to symbolise quality and avoid confusion with Lancashire and Yorkshire.
The flag was designed by Martin Enright from Derby, a listener to Andy Whittaker's Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Derby which spearheaded the campaign to get a Derbyshire flag.
I became involved with the campaign in July 2006 and assisted in a number of areas from the practical manufacture of prototypes to advising on the timing and manner of the launch itself. As with the flags of Devon and Lincolnshire before it, Mr. Flag is proud to have been the first manufacturer in the world to make a Derbyshire flag.
Colours used:
The colour descriptions and the image come from the pdf file originally provided by the BBC... so technically these are correct. They were used to create the initial batch of lightweight printed "Economy" flags which you can see an example of here.
However when it comes to traditional sewn flags pre-dyed fabrics are not available in every possible shade variation and for these flags the BBC chose colours from the available range which they felt resulted in an appropriate flag, which you can see here.
It is my view - quite rightly not shared by everyone - that the precise shade of the colours in a flag (especially at its inception) is very much less important than making sure that the new design is easily available, widely, recognisably, and at affordable prices, to whomever has the enthusiasm to fly it. The birth of a flag can be tricky, but once it is properly "alive" it will pretty much look after itself... and that's always our overriding concern.
Charles Ashburner, 28-29 September 2006
Blue is one of the traditional colours of Derbyshire and represents its many rivers and reservoirs. The green cross reflects the lushness of the county and marks its position at the centre of England. The rose is in gold to symbolise the quality of Derbyshire people and to avoid confusion with Lancashire and Yorkshire. The same rose also appears on the badge of Derbyshire County Cricket Club. BBC Derby organised a poll to select the Derbyshire Flag. It flew for the first time on Friday 22 September 2008 in ceremonies at Derby Cathedral, the Buxton Campus of the University of Derby, Ashbourne Town Hall and Ripley Town Hall.
![[Derbyshire Coat of Arms]](../images/g/gb-e-derb-coa.gif)
image located by Pete Loeser, 16 September 2020
The basic coat of arms is that first granted to the County Council in 1937, a Tudor rose with three stags heads above. The rose was taken from the centuries old county badge, and the stags heads from the Cavendish arms by the permission of the Duke of Devonshire. The new supporters, a stag and a ram, have special significance for Derbyshire. (Derbyshire Record Office)
Official Blazon
![[variant Banner of Arms 1 of Derbyshire, England]](../images/g/gb-e-der-cc1.gif)
old 3x6 variant
![[variant Banner of Arms 2 of Derbyshire, England]](../images/g/gb-e-der-cc2.gif)
new 3x5 variant
images by Pete Loeser, 16 September 2020
new variant based on image located by Valentin Poposki, 9 December 2011 (source)
Prior to the creation of the new flags, the county council's armorial banner was not widely available commercially. The older variant banner shown here was an irregular black and tan 3x6 bicolor with a Tutor rose centered on the lower and thicker gold stripe. The Tudor Rose has been Derbyshire's royally awarded county badge for over 500 years. The newer variant banner is a blue and yellow/gold irregular 3x5 bicolor with the county coat of arms (awarded 1937) centered on the thicker gold lower stripe. The motto on the centered coat of arms is bene consulendo meaning "by good counsel." Of course, neither of these commercially made banners represent Derbyshire in any official manner, but they have been used.
Pete Loeser, 16 September 2020
![[Derbyshire County Council]](../images/g/gb-e-der-cc.gif)
image by David Black, 3 October 2019
Other than above the door at their offices and on their website a few times, the Council doesn't use the arms themselves that much. They instead use a flag that is their logo, name and slogan, printed on purple fabric.
David Black, 3 October 2019
