deliriouslove1970. The life & times of Gary and Denise Flanders. (Free and worth every penny. If you would like to compliment the editor, send to garytheflan@deliriouslove1970.com. If you would like to complain, call your mother.)

Saint Helena is one of the three constituent parts of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, a remote British overseas territory. The British Overseas Territories (BOTs) or alternatively referred to as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs) are the fourteen territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom that, while not forming part of the United Kingdom itself, are part of its sovereign territory. The permanently inhabited territories are delegated varying degrees of internal self-governance, with the United Kingdom retaining responsibility for defence, foreign relations, and internal security, and ultimate responsibility for governance.

Saint Helena is a volcanic and tropical island, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, some 1,874 km (1,165 miles) west of the mainland of the continent of Africa, with the Southern African nations of Angolaand Namibia on its southeastern coast being the closest nations geographically. The island is around 1,950 km (1,210 mi) west of the coast of southwestern South Africa, and 4,000 km (2,500 mi) east of the major seaport city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in South America.

The island was named after a significant character in history, Helena Augusta, was the mother of Emperor Constantine the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity. She is an important saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church. She founded many churches and in her spare time found the actual cross that Jesus was crucified on (or so the story goes.)

Saint Helena, the island, was first sighted by João da Nova in May 1502. The East India Company (EIC) was later conferred a royal charter to govern the island in 1659. It briefly came under Dutch sovereignty in 1673, before becoming a crown colony for the duration of Napoleon‘s exile there from 1815 until his death in 1821. After reverting back to EIC control for thirteen years, it became a crown possession again in 1834.

The flag, like many English/UK flags borrowed heavily from the entity’s coat of arms.

Eight other BOTs utilize the same theme of a blue field with the U.K. flag (the Union Jack) in the upper left hand corner then the ‘badge’ of the territory centered on the remaining field. On the historic flag that I fly there is the three mast sailing ship flying the flag of England approaching the rocky cliffs of the island. When the flag was redone and registered they added the St Helena Plover to the official badge.