![[Royal Malta Yacht Club]](../images/m/mt~rmyc.gif)
image by Clay Moss, 9 June 2019
Last modified: 2019-07-11 by rob raeside
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image by Clay Moss, 9 June 2019
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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
![[Royal Malta Yacht Club burgee]](../images/m/mt~rmycb4.gif)
image by Clay Moss, 9 June 2019
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]. 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
Version with shorter white field
![[Royal Malta Yacht Club burgee]](../images/m/mt~rmycb2.gif)
image by Clay Moss, 9 June 2019
Version with St. Edward's Crown
image by Clay Moss, 9 June 2019
In looking at various images of the club's burgee via the club's website, it is
apparent that both versions are used as images, be it on the front home page of
the website, or on clothing, equipment, and merchandise.
Clay Moss, 9 June 2019
A version of the ensign is widely reported that shows the crown above the
cross, instead of on the cross. A major flag-maker 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
