BRITISH TANKER CO. LTD.

The original flag is red with a horizontal white band expanded into a central circle and black “BTC”, the “T” larger. Loughran shows black edging between red and white; other references omit or do not stress it, leaving its correctness doubtful. B852 is the alternative without edging. The livery began in 1915, with its end variously dated 1925, 1926 or 1927.

A postcard version makes the central “T” resemble an inverted anchor with curved parts. António Martins-Tuválkin calls the crossbar curved; Rosanoski instead identifies the flukes, perhaps bent to fit the circle, and notes the narrower white band. Without an original source for the postcards, he regards the version as doubtful.

The later design incorporated Iranian national colours and a yellow lion passant guardant as a compliment to Iran’s government. Its adoption is dated 1926 or 1927 and replacement to 1955. Photographs show the green funnel band about twice as broad as either white band; Rosanoski rejects additional black edging in Stewart. A proposed early BP shield on the funnel is unsupported by photographs and other sources. World Tankers places that marketing change in January 1955, before the June 1956 renaming. The lion became red and rampant in the replacement livery. The museum’s B222 specimen, dated about 1951, measures 838.2 × 1219.2 mm.