To celebrate the Diamond Jubilee, I ordered two new Union Flags in early 2012, my first new flags since 2005. These are high-quality sewn flags - British of course - supplied by a manufacturer in Darlington.

The BeebMaster Flag Set currently consists of the following:

1995 printed Yard-and-a-Half Union Flag
2002 sewn Half-Yard Union Flag
2002 sewn Yard Union Flag
2002 sewn Yard-and-a-Half Union Flag
2005 sewn Two-Yard Union Flag
2012 sewn Yard-and-a-Half Union Flag
2012 sewn Two-Yard Union Flag

I have been flying the flag in the back garden since 2002, on Royal Flag Days (Accession Day, Coronation Day, Birthdays and Wedding Anniversaries of senior Members of The Royal Family etc.) and certain other significant National Days (such as Commonwealth Day and Armistice Day).

The 2002 flags were all purchased for use during the Golden Jubilee year, although I found that the Half-Yard flag was too small to be flown from a flagpole, so I purchased a third 2002 flag, the Yard-and-a-Half size.

The 2002 Yard-and-a-Half flag was in general flag flying use from 2002 to 2012 and was last flown at full mast on 9th January 2012 on the occasion of the Birthday of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge.

The 2002 Half-Yard flag is mounted on a short wooden pole and is used as a hand-waving flag. It has been used at Proms in the Park in Hyde Park every year since 2002, by me personally from 2002 to 2011. In 2006, it was flown from the BeebMotor (and temporarily lost on the M60 as a result) on the occasion of the Eightieth Birthday of Her Britannic Majesty The Queen. Since 2012 it has had the status of second hand-waving flag used principally at Proms in the Park, replacing an economy printed flag used for this purpose since 1998.

The 2002 Yard Flag was only used for flying at half-mast, during periods of Court Mourning and on Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day, and remained in service until 2011.

After the arrival of the Diamond Jubilee Flags, the 2002 Yard and Yard-and-a-Half Flags have been redeployed. The Yard flag has been mounted on a wooden pole and now has the status of number one hand-waving flag. It was first used at Proms in the Park 2012 by me personally in its new capacity.

After use at the BeebMaster Diamond Jubilee Garden Party in June 2012, the 2002 Yard-and-a-Half flag entered service as the half-mast flag and was first flown in its new capacity on Armistice Day 2012. It was most recently flown in April 2013 on the occasion of the funeral of Baroness Thatcher.

I purchased the 2005 Two Yard Flag for flying on the Royal Wedding Day of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall in April 2005. The Two-Yard Flag is flown on special Royal Flag Days, such as Royal Wedding Days, Jubilees and major Birthdays of Members of The Royal Family. After its 2005 use, the 2005 Two-Yard Flag was next flown on the Eightieth Birthday of Her Britannic Majesty The Queen. It has been flown again several times since, notably on the 2011 Royal Wedding Day, and was last flown on the Ninetieth Birthday of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh in June 2011.

In 2012, I decided to purchase two new flags in celebration of Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee. These arrived at the end of January 2012, being the Two-Yard and Yard-and-a-Half size flags shown in the pictures above. The 2012 flags have replaced the 2005 and 2002 flags of the same sizes for regular outdoor flying. The 2005 flag is not now in general use but has been retained for display and decorative use was most recently used at the BeebMaster Garden Party in June 2012.

The 2012 Two-Yard flag was first flown on 6th February 2012, the Diamond Anniversary of Her Majesty's Accession, and again on Her Majesty's Birthday on 21st April. It was flown between Coronation Day (2nd June) and Her Majesty The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Bank Holiday (5th June). It was most recently flown on the 60th anniversary of the Coronation, 2nd June 2013.

The 2012 Yard-and-a-Half flag was first used on the occasion of the Birthday of His Royal Highness The Duke of York on 19th February 2012 and remains in general flag-flying use.

The 1995 flag was the first high-quality Union flag I owned, and was an 18th birthday present. It has not been flown outdoors but has been displayed indoors continuously since 1995. It has only ever been lowered to signify being flown at half-mast on two occasions: during the periods of mourning for Princess Diana in 1997 and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 2002.

I have a number of other economy printed flags of various sizes for display use, which are not part of the main BeebMaster Flag Set and are gradually being retired as the Flag Set grows.

Eventually, I will collect together and photograph all the flags in the BeebMaster Flag Set, but for the time being, please click on the picture links above to see more of the 2012 flags.

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