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The '''flag of Stellaland''' was the official flag of the short-lived southern African Republic of [[Stellaland]], which existed from 1883 to 1885.
The '''flag of Stellaland''' was the official flag of the short-lived southern African Republic of [[Stellaland]], which existed from 1883 to 1885.

==History==
Stellaland ("land of the star") was established in [[Bechuanaland]] by a group of 'freebooters' (mercenaries) from the [[Cape Colony]] and [[South African Republic|Transvaal]], who had helped the [[Koranna]] chief David Massouw win a war against the Batlapin chief Mankoroane. Massouw gave them the land as payment for their services. The freebooters laid out a town, which they named '[[Vryburg]]', in September 1882.,<ref name=bv>Bornman, H. (1982). ''Vryburg 1882-1982''</ref> and in January 1883 they established an administration ('Bestuur') under Gerrit van Niekerk. The Bestuur proclaimed Stellaland to be an independent state on 6 August 1883.<ref name=bv/> In October 1883, Stellaland signed a treaty with the neighbouring freebooter territory of [[Stellaland|Goshen]] to unite the two territories as the 'United States of Stellaland', but the treaty was not carried out and they remained separate.<ref name=ths>Theal, G.M. (1919) ''History of South Africa from 1873 to 1884''. Theal, who was the Cape government's official historiographer, stated that "nothing further ever took place in the matter".</ref><ref name=dts>Du Toit, A. (1983). ''Op 'n Storm van Drome''. He attributed the failure to unite to Goshen's poor financial position, and the influence of Cecil Rhodes.</ref>

The general instability of both Stellaland and Goshen was of concern to the British, Cape, and Transvaal authorities. In April 1884, the British high commissioner and the Transvaal government established a joint commission to try and stabilise the region. The British commissioner, the Rev John MacKenzie, exceeded his authority by declaring Bechuanaland, including Stellaland, a British protectorate in May 1884. The Stellalanders divided into pro-British and pro-Transvaal factions, and some of the latter, including Van Niekerk, moved to the Transvaal. In July 1884, MacKenzie (or the pro-British Stellalanders) hauled down the Stellaland flag and raised the Union Jack in Vryburg. The high commissioner immediately recalled MacKenzie, and appointed [[Cecil Rhodes]] as commissioner in his place.

MacKenzie took the Stellaland flag with him to Cape Town. Rhodes, and the high commissioner's secretary Graham Bower, took the flag back to Stellaland, handed it over to Van Niekerk, and persuaded him to resume office as administrator.

While this was going on, the German Empire annexed the coastal region to the west of Bechuanaland (now [[Namibia]]). To prevent German (or Transvaal) expansion into Bechuanaland, the British government despatched a military force under Col [[Sir Charles Warren]] to occupy the territory. Warren's forces arrived in Bechuanaland in January 1885. They entered Vryburg on 7 February, effectively ending Stellaland's independence. The Bestuur continued to function for a few months longer, as a local authority. A British protectorate was proclaimed over Bechuanaland on 23 March 1885.

Since 1885, Stellaland has been a district within British Bechuanaland (1885-95), the Cape Colony (1895-1910), the Cape Province (1910-94), and North West Province (1994- ). The district was called 'Vryburg' until 1980. From 1980, it was administered by a local authority called the Stellaland Divisional Council, later replaced by the Stellaland Regional Services Council. The current local authority is the Dr Ruth S. Mompati District Municipality but, although the name 'Stellaland' is not currently in official use, it is still used by a local school, the local rugby football union, and others.


==Description==
==Description==

Revision as of 08:24, 26 July 2014

The flag of Stellaland was the official flag of the short-lived southern African Republic of Stellaland, which existed from 1883 to 1885.

Description

Although the Republic of Stellaland existed for only eighteen months, its flag history is as complicated as its politics, and some uncertainty exists.

During the period from January to August 1883, i.e. before the proclamation of the republic, the flag is reported to have been a red star on a blue background.[1]

As a republic, Stellaland had two flags :

There is also a third historical flag - green and red, displaying a white star - which various writers since 1952 have attributed to the republic, but its provenance is unclear and it may very well date from after 1885.

Green flag displaying a white star

Stellaland flag

This appears to have been the official flag. An official document issued in 1884 depicts the Stellaland coat of arms flanked by flags, including a green flag with a white 5-pointed star.[2] Three of the original Stellalanders later confirmed that this was the Stellaland flag. 'Groot' Adriaan de la Rey, who had been a member of the Bestuur, stated in 1898 that the flag had been "a green cloth with a star on it".[3] Mrs Christina Doms, whose late husband had also been a member of the Bestuur, stated in 1924 that the flag was "a white star stitched onto a green field".[4] Charles Dennison referred in 1928 to "the Stellaland flag of green base and white star",[5] and depicted it on the cover of his book.

G.W. Hawes, who lived in Vryburg in the early 1930s and researched the Stellaland flag and coat of arms, reported in 1933 that Dennison had told him that "a green flag with a star on it was the common flag of Stellaland."[6]

Had Stellaland and Goshen gone ahead and formed a united state, a second star was to have been added to the flag.[4]

Some reference books give alternate versions of this flag, e.g. green with a white 6- or 8-pointed star, or green with a yellow star. None of the writers, however, cite any sources for their information.

Green flag displaying the Stellaland coat of arms

This flag, measuring 1.4 metres (wide) by 2.3 metres, was used by the government.[7] It was known as the 'standard'. According to G.W. Hawes, Dennison told him that "the standard with arms was only flown on the 'government' quarters, the site of the flagstaff being next the Landdrost's office, now covered by the cinema (Plaza) at a spot by the main entrance."[6]

On 21 August 1885, after the British occupation, the Bestuur resolved to send the standard to Queen Victoria, "praying that she may be pleased to keep us under her protection".[8] This was duly done, and the standard hung in Windsor Castle until 1934, when King George V returned it to South Africa.[9] It was placed in the Vryburg town hall in 1935.[10]

Green and red flag displaying a white star

Flag of unknown provenance associated with Stellaland

This flag is divided vertically into green and red, and has a white 8-pointed star in the middle. According to Gerard's Flags Over South Africa (1952), "this flag was returned from England in 1934 to General Smuts and his widow presented it to the Transvaal Museum".[11]

The provenance of the flag is unclear. It is possible that it came from Stellaland as a region, but was not an official flag of the Republic of Stellaland. It may date from after 1885.

References

  1. ^ 'Stellaland Government Notices' in Diamond Fields Advertiser (30 January 1883).
  2. ^ Goldman, P.L.A. (1927). Beredeneerde Inventarissen van die Oudste Archiefstukken der Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek.
  3. ^ De la Rey, A.J.G. (1898). 'Losse bladen uit mijn leven' in Ons Tijdschrift Vol 2 (1897-98).
  4. ^ a b Van Zyl, J.A. (1943/1995). A History of the Flags of South Africa Before 1900.
  5. ^ Dennison, C.G. (1928). History of Stellaland.
  6. ^ a b Western Cape Archives : CAD 2/1/1/59 : C 14/106 : letter from G.W. Hawes to Chief Archivist, 7 January 1933
  7. ^ Bornman, H. (1982). Vryburg 1882-1982.
  8. ^ Western Cape Archives : BCC 4 : Stellaland Bestuur Minutes (21 August 1885)
  9. ^ 'Canberra Times' (5 June 1934)
  10. ^ Western Cape Archives : 3/VBG 1/1/1/10 : Vryburg Municipal Council Minutes (14 and 16 May 1934, 10 June 1935).
  11. ^ Gerard, R. (1952) Flags Over South Africa.

Sources

  • Bornman, H. (1982). Vryburg 1882-1982.
  • Burgers, A.P. (1997). Sovereign Flags over Southern Africa.
  • Burgers, A.P. (2008). The South African Flag Book.
  • Dennison, C.G. (1928). History of Stellaland.
  • Du Toit, A. (1983). Op 'n Storm van Drome.
  • Gerard, R. (1952). Flags Over South Africa'.
  • Goldman, P.L.A. (1927). 'Beredeneerde Inventarissen van die Oudste Archiefstukken der Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek.
  • Mackenzie, W. (1902). John MacKenzie, South African Missionary and Statesman.
  • Pama, C. (1981). Flags of Southern Africa.
  • Theal, G.M. (1919). History of South Africa from 1873 to 1884.
  • Upington, T. (1885). Bechuanaland - by a Member of the Cape Legislature.
  • Van Zyl, J.A. (1943/1995). A History of the Flags of South Africa Before 1900.

See also