Flag

Paper flag printed one side with the flag of St George produced to commemorate English victory in the cricket Ashes Tour, 2005. In the centre of the red cross is printed 'ecb.co.uk' the website address of the English Cricket board. On the reverse printed the logo for 'NPower' the sponsor of the cricket ashes tour. The flag is attached to a white plastic stick. Such flags were distributed free to spectators lining the processional route of the England Cricket Team's victory parade through London. This example was given to a spectator as he watched the procession from the area around St Paul's Cathedral. The parade took place the morning following the final day of the fifth test that confirmed England's series win over Australia. The parade by the team travelling on an open topped bus began at Mansion House and ended with a ceremony at Trafalgar Square. The route was lined by mass crowds waving flags whilst, at Trafalgar Square, tens of thousands gathered to join the celebrations.

Traditionally London as capital city has always been the focus for national celebration and commemoration - its streets providing a backdrop for spectacular processions with Londoners always ready to rush onto the streets to provide a ready made crowd. As with other national events hosted by the capital in 2005 including the Olympic victory celebrations and the 2 minute silence for the London bomb victims, the Ashes Victory Parade reaffirmed the traditional role of Trafalgar Square as a symbol of national unity - a place where Londoners can gather together at times of both celebration and tragedy. Flag waving has long been associated with the London Crowd and, within the Museum collections, we have several examples of flags that were issued to those celebrating on the streets including a flag waved at the procession to celebrate British victory at Mafeking during the second Anglo-Boer war and a flag waved during the wedding procession of Princess Diana and Prince Charles. This flag thus reveals how Londoners today continue to uphold the traditions of past generations by streaming onto the streets to celebrate in a show of national unity. Such events also reveal how, contrary to popular belief, national flags do still have a role to play in contemporary London and reconfirm, beyond doubt, the role of Trafalgar Square as a continuing focus for national celebration.