AN EARLY 19TH-CENTURY NAVAL UNION FLAG, BY FAMILY REPUTE FROM H.M.S. TÉMÉRAIRE, C. 1805

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AN EARLY 19TH-CENTURY NAVAL UNION FLAG, BY REPUTE FROM H.M.S. TÉMÉRAIRE, C. 1805
comprising thirty hand-stitched bunting panels with sleeve, lanyard and toggle (holes, patched, dust) — 8 x 16½ft. (244 x 503cm.); together with a pennant of similar provenance – 75in. (190.5cm.) long;

Provenance: Captain Hyde John Clarke, R.N. (1777-1857) and thence by descent, and sold by Charles Miller Ltd Auctions in 2010.
This officer enjoyed a full naval career and has an entry in O’Byrne’s Naval Biographical Dictionary of 1848. By family tradition this flag was “at Trafalgar”, Clarke himself was serving in the East Indies, in 1805  . Clarke joined Téméraire in 1810, being promoted auspiciously on Trafalgar Day that year to the rank of Commander. He seems to have left the navy soon thereafter making this a likely souvenir. It is highly probable that this flag was aboard the Temeraire during the period 1805 to c1810 at which point it would be 5 years old and in need of replacement. Indeed one asks the question – would he be able to and why would he souvenir a brand new flag?  Clarke from then on was on half pay and was made Captain in 1840, his final promotion.

This is the closest thing to a 100% provenance Trafalgar Flag one could own (one with provence sold in 2008 for £250,000)