THE BOOTH STEAMSHIP CO. LTD.

The later flag, in use by 1885, had a small “B” wholly on the red saltire, with red visible behind it, and a black funnel. Letter size and saltire width vary among sources. Sampson’s black “B” is considered a confusion with very dark blue. Rosanoski also rejects the letterless Lloyd Reedereiflaggen rendering.

The larger-letter version has white behind the blue “B”, with the red diagonal cross radiating from it rather than continuing behind. A.C. Fidgen’s 1957 description and photographs support this. Loughran dates the change to after the outbreak of the Second World War; Bonsor gives a funnel flag-panel and larger “B” from 1947, followed by a still larger letter in 1950. Older renderings persisted in books. Liverpool Shipping draws a band rather than a panel, and the Ships List slants the letter.

Liverpool Shipping gives a “white or green” alternative without explanation. NJK confirms B126 but calls B151 a mystery.

B584 follows a letterhead’s fluttering flag between “BOOTH” and “LINE”, with very dark blue. Harnack dates it from 1 January 1952.