Flag Institute

Founded on St George's Day, 23 April 1971 by William Crampton (later President of FIAV) and Captain EMC Barraclough CBE RN, the Flag Institute is one of the world's leading research and documentation centres for flags and flag information.Fact|date=June 2008 It is the principal advisor and designer of flags to Her Majesty's Government.Fact|date=June 2008 Flag designs with which its officers have been involved in recent years include those for the British Antarctic Territory, Tristan da Cunha, the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, the Special Boat Service and various flags of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.Fact|date=June 2008 Since its creation, the Flag Institute has grown to be arguably the largest membership based vexillological organization in the world, having over 500 members from all five continents.

The institute maintains the William Crampton Library, named in honour of its founder, based in Kingston upon Hull, England. Comprising over 40,000 flag related volumes it is thought to be one of the largest vexillology based libraries in the world.

The Institute publishes a quarterly 24 page full colour journal, "Flagmaster", and a virtual magazine called "eFlags". Since 2006 it has sponsored an annual public lecture on a flag-related topic, known as the ‘Perrin Lecture’. It holds twice yearly meetings for its members in various locations around the United Kingdom. The Institute itself is governed by a Council of nine members elected annually by members. Its headquarters are at 38 Hill Street, Mayfair, London W1J 5NS.

Council Members

The current members of the Flag Institute Council are:
* Capt Malcolm Farrow FFI OBE RN (President)
* The Revd John Hall FFI (Chairman)
* Dr Mike Kearsley (General Secretary)
* Graham Bartram FFI (Chief Vexillologist)
* Michael Faul FFI (Editor, "Flagmaster")
* Ian Sumner FFI (Librarian)
* John Ford (Council Secretary)
* Charles Ashburner
* Tam Fowler

External links

* [http://www.flaginstitute.org/ The Flag Institute]