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When you think of Britain surely you think of the iconic red, white and blue? The distinctive union jack unites our kingdoms, it’s the spirit of Britain encapsulated!

The origins of the Union Jack stem back to the days of Scotland’s King James VI. In 1903 he inherited the English and Irish throne, uniting the crowns of Scotland, England and Ireland and subsequently the design of the “King Jack”, as it was then called, was created to symbolize this regal union.

The current design features the crosses of the English, Scottish and Irish flags imposed upon one another. The Welsh dragon does not feature as when the current design originated in 1606 Wales was united with England.

Aside from being a symbol we often associate with royalty, the Union Jack design was initially only used at sea on civil and military ships. Looking ahead it became popular with mod’s, rockers and fasionistas alike and most recently conquered the 2012 London Olympics.

Much more than just a flag, the Union Jack is the epitome of Britishness and continues to be celebrated the land over.

 

Image credit: Duncan~

Roast Dinner, probably the most British food since fish and chips.

Most of us will have been lucky enough to experience the taste of warm gravy greedily layered over crisp roast potatoes and thick juicy chicken or chewy beef, complimented by delicious Yorkshire puddings.

If not, National Roast Dinner Day is the perfect opportunity to try something new and enjoy a British favourite.

National Roast dinner day will be celebrated on Wednesday 14th November and is organized by the Food For Life Partnership.

Food For Life Partnership aims to get all schools serving healthy meals for kids. National Roast Dinner Day encourages schools to do so more than ever, by enticing them to invite parents to enjoy an organic roast dinner with students and staff.

Food For Life encouraging our children to eat healthily, with roast dinners. Two reasons to be proud to be British in one!

 

Image credit: Jeffreyw 

Great Britain has always been ahead of the game when it comes to transport. The British railway system is the oldest in the world and the first of its kind; influencing railways seen across the world and the majestic, high spend trains we see today.

On this day (27th September) in 1825, George Stephenson took the next step in transforming the way we travel.

Locomotion No.1 was built in 1825 by Robert Stephenson and Company for the Stockton and Darlington Railway and on this day was the first train to ever run on a passenger carrying line, making Britain the deserving winners of the world locomotion race.

Locomotion No.1 was an innovative invention, which sparked the creation of an influx of steam-fueled trains, eventually leading to the creation of our modern locomotion system.

The preserved locomotive can today be found in Darlington Railway Centre and Museum.

In 1825 the British beat the rest of the world with the creation and running of George Stephenson’s Locomotion No.1, a definite reason to be proud to be British.

 

 

Image credit: Capt’ Gorgeous

Sue Barker started her career off as a professional tennis player in 1973, and in 1976, she won the French Open Championship, her only Grand Slam title. There is no footage of her amazing win as the French cameramen went on strike that day; typical! She was at one time ranked third female tennis player in the world.

Since retiring in 1985 due to recurring injuries, Sue is now one of the main faces and leading female sports presenters on the BBC. She has presented for major sports events such as the Winter Olympic Games, Grandstand and also numerous tennis tournaments. Barker is known for her charming personality, witty humour and brashness, making her a favourite amongst all the sports TV presenters.

In 1998 she won a impressive TRIC award for sports presenter of the year and in 2000, she was awarded a MBE for her services to tennis and broadcasting; it’s not just us that recognise her as a national treasure!

 

Image credit: sukhchander

The Punk subculture was a way for people to express their opinions through fashion, music and behaviour. In the 70’s what people saw as the ‘norm’ of society was everything that a Punk wasn’t! It was desirable because it was a way to rebel against the mainstream culture of Britain, and also the hippy movement that was becoming increasingly popular that painted everything as loving and happy – the complete opposite of Punk which was realistic and matter-of-fact.

They were out to shock and outrage from the colourful Mohawks, tattoos, piercings, torn clothes and t-shirts with bold designs and offensive slogans. These were all part of a signature look that Punks would proudly wear – a sign of individualism.

Although they may of been influenced by bands such as the Sex Pistols, this was not just a music genre – it was a lifestyle and a way of showing what you stood for and believed in, a look that clearly identified you from the crowd, a look that spells rebellion – an outcast to society.

Punks may have been portrayed in the media as lost causes, however they held some worthy beliefs such as; anti-racism, anti-sexism, anti-homophobia, vegetarianism and environmental protection.

After all, they always say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.

 

Image credit: Vectorportal

“I can resist anything but temptation”

 

          – Oscar Wilde, dramatist, novelist and poet (1854-1900)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image credit: Brett Jordan