THE CUNARD STEAM-SHIP CO. LTD.

The early flag was a double pennant, blue with a white saltire above plain red. It is associated with the British & North American service from 1840 to 1880 and with the Burns and McIver interests. One account describes adoption of G. & J. Burns’s sailing house flag in recognition of George Burns’s help; Griffin names Cunard Line (Burns & McIver).

A blue swallowtail with a white star is reported about 1850–80. It is attributed to A. Cunard & Son of Nova Scotia, Samuel’s former firm, but its later function is uncertain: a company flag, Samuel’s personal flag or a senior captain’s flag are suggested.

The red flag bears a crowned golden lion rampant guardant holding a globe, normally standing on a wreath. Adoption is variously dated 1878, 1880 or 1881, with Servia named as the first bearer in 1881. The emblem is described as derived from the East India Company crest, differenced by placing the crown on the head and the globe in the paws. Sources omit the wreath or crown and vary the lion’s proportions. Rosanoski found no evidence of deliberate redesign and judged the FOTW emblem about 25% too large from video evidence; a closer estimate gives roughly 20% of flag width and 55% of its depth. A swallow-tailed form is used by the fleet commodore.

The funnel sequence is disputed. Loughran gives C49 for the early operation, replaced by C48 in 1850 and later C50 as shorter motor-ship funnels reduced the bands originally marked on strengthening hoops. Other early sources already show two bands. Photographs may conceal a third behind lifeboats, as with Ascania and Franconia. Rosanoski also finds the flag paired with C49 chronologically incompatible with that funnel. Harnack’s illustration and accompanying three-band description differ.

After the merger, ships retained their original funnel colours and flew both house flags, their own above the other. General use of the White Star burgee ended in 1968. For a few subsequent years it was flown below Cunard’s flag on 20 April, explained either as the merger anniversary or the birthday of the last surviving White Star officer. Rosanoski rejects an alternative 1957 end date on film evidence. Some sources make the White Star burgee too narrow; he considers its size should be closer to Cunard’s.

C52 is recorded for two ships with short twin funnels, described as very deep pink with considerable buff tint and identified as White Star. C665 is likewise described as more pink than buff. The buff-funnel period is given as 1934–60, ending with Britannic’s scrapping; Brown 1951 identifies its C52 form with Britannic.

The Queen Elizabeth II funnel is described as white, or white and charcoal grey. Rosanoski suggests this may have been a proposed scheme not followed or quickly altered. The accompanying flag rendering shares the disputed oversized lion detail.