Why is it that the iconic
Jamaican flag is the only
national flag apart from that
of Scotland that includes the
saltire or St Andrew’s Cross?
The answer to that question
is a fascinating story that has
provided the inspiration for
a new project called Flag Up
Scotland Jamaica
As the time of independence in 1962 approached, an initial design
for the flag with three horizontal stripes in green, black and gold
was deemed unsatisfactory. Rev William McGhie, a Presbyterian
missionary from Scotland had become a friend of the Prime
Minister Alexander Bustamante and it was after a conversation
with him about the flag that suggested that he drew his design
based on the Scottish flag. This design was further developed and
approved. The Jamaican flag has become one of the best
known in the world
.
Here is more detail about the circumstances of the design of the flag from William
McGhie’s son John...
“ I can vouch for the validity of the origin of the Jamaican Flag. My father Rev
William R.F. McGhie, was a Church of Scotland minister who in 1957 went out to
Jamaica to work as a missionary. As the date of independence was fast approaching
there was an urgent need for a new design for the national flag as the current
suggested design was too similar to that of Tanganyika (now Tanzania.) This
prompted my father to draw out the Scottish saltire and replace the blue and
white with the Jamaican colours of green, black and gold. He passed this design
over to Sir Alexander Bustamante, explaining that as a Christian country he felt it
was important there should be a cross in the design.
Sir Alexander took the design
to the appropriate committee and won their approval to have this design adopted
as the national flag of Jamaica. ”
2014 wasWilliam McGhie’s centenary. He was born at 539 Edinburgh Road Camlachie in Glasgow on November
23rd 1914. He was brought up in Shettleston and Tollcross and attended Eastbank Academy.
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