A mystery about Titanic's mast flags

[Bookem311]

What might the "Merchant Jack" be?

Diane, the dressing overall was done on Good Friday, April 5th. That is an old custom that is done on festive occasions. One story is that it was done on Titanic by way of putting on a show instead of opening the ship for public inspection as was often done.

I'm damned if I can see the US flag in any photos and I've got quite a few. For me, photos beat speculation any day. I wouldn't trust Ken Marschall's drawings. I've got one of his showing Lusitania wearing the Union Flag. That was illegal because the Union Flag was reserved for the Royal Navy and the Royal Yacht.

No one in this thread said anyone should use Marschall's paintings as proof. They were simply stating why he (properly) paints the flag he does. I'm not sure why you have such a hard-on for the guy and are so bitter about the Stars and Stripes being flown, but it is not speculation, it is 100% historically accurate. Not for nothing, but contemporary maritime practices, witnesses, photographs, articles, and modern experts deserve credence over your personal insecurities and obvious disgust for the reality of the flag situation on the Titanic.

 

[Steven Christian]

No one in this thread said anyone should use Marschall's paintings as proof. They were simply stating why he (properly) paints the flag he does. I'm not sure why you have such a hard-on for the guy and are so bitter about the Stars and Stripes being flown, but it is not speculation, it is 100% historically accurate. Not for nothing, but contemporary maritime practices, witnesses, photographs, articles, and modern experts deserve credence over your personal insecurities and obvious disgust for the reality of the flag situation on the Titanic.

You know you can simply disagree and say why you do. No need to throw personal insults especially when they are un-founded.

 

[B-rad]

This is the only two mentions of flags being flown on foremasts that I could currently find. IDK if any of these really help. The source are 'A Trip to the Orient' (1907) and 'The Railway Conductor' (1909).

 

[Jim Currie]

This is the only two mentions of flags being flown on foremasts that I could currently find. IDK if any of these really help. The source are 'A Trip to the Orient' (1907) and 'The Railway Conductor' (1909).

View attachment 74551

They are describing a "courtesy" flag. It was the practice in many ships to fly a smaller version of the nation the ship was visiting...always at the foremast. Again, always at the foremast truck - at departure time, passenger liners usually displayed the national flag of the country of destination. Company House Flags were usually flown on a pole extension and always at the truck of the mainmast. The extension was to take the flag above the truck and prevent it fouling the stays and being ripped. Here are two photographs of Titanic. In the first, there is not a flag at the foremast but you can see the house flag and the ensign at the stern. In the second, you can clearly see all three flags and a blow-up of the one on the foremast shows it to be "Old Glory".