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"But we are the people of England; and we have not spoken yet. Smile at us, pay us, pass us. But do not quite forget."
- Gilbert K. Chesterton -
Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland, England 2001 Watercolours |
Kenilworth Castle, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England - 1990 - Watercolours |
Old Engine House, Sutton Stop Canal Basin, Warwickshire, England - 1987 - Oils |
The Oak Tree -Summer in Duggin's Lane, Warwickshire, England - 1989 - Oils |
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Warwickshire lane, near Coventry, England - 1990 |
Brandon Village, England 1992 Watercolours |
The United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was founded on 1 January 1801 when the Act of Union was signed. The Act was accompanied by the unveiling of the modern Union Flag. The first sketch for a Union Flat was produced in 1606 by James I, but it was another 200 years before the modern design was completed in time for the Act of Union in 1801.
Until the 19th century, the Union Flag had just been a combination of the red-on-white vertical cross of St George (England's national flag) and the diagonal white-cross-on-blue of St Andrew's (Scotland's National Flag - the Saltire).
With the Act of Union in 1801, a new design was required, incorporating the thin red-on-white diagonal cross of St Patrick (Ireland's National Flag). The Welsh Dragon (Wales National Flag) was not incorporated into the new design because, at that time, Wales was considered to be part of England. Today, since the Independence of Eire, the Union consists of Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
It is only when the Union flag is flown from the jack mast on British ships that it should be called the Union Jack, however, this is how most people know it today. The flag should also only be flown with the broad white cross band at the top on the mast side. Flown upside down it is a sign of distress.
I believe the UK can be a force for good and believe the Union can still be of great benefit for all the nations who belong to it. However, every country in this Union should be treated equally and fairly to prevent bitterness and resentment.
In contrast to the enthusiastic celebrations of the Australians' Centenary on the same day - 1st January, 2001, the British Government did nothing to mark the United Kingdom's Bi-Centenary. This shows the contempt in which this Government holds, not just England, but the United Kingdom too. The Government appears to have been hoping the day would slip by without anyone realising. The antagonism they show against any display of patriotic pride, especially if the patriot is English, is disgraceful. I also believe there is some political expediency involved, regarding the peace process in Northern Ireland.
The year 2001 also marks the 300th Anniversary of the Act of Settlement, the 465th Anniversary of the Act of Union between England and Wales and the 294th Anniversary of the Act of Union which created the United Kingdom of Great Britain.
What other Government would have purposely ignored these historical anniversaries?
Can anybody imagine the French ignoring Bastille Day?
A few years ago the USA celebrated the 200th Anniversary of their Independence from the UK, with much enjoyment, and that is as it should be. Can anybody imagine the President of the USA trying to ignore the anniversary?
In 2001, the Australians also celebrated the 100th Anniversary of 1st January 1901, when the Australian colonies combined into the single Commonwealth of Australia. There was no way the Australians were going to ignore their birthday.
"We must be free or die, who
speak the tongue
That Shakespeare spake,
the faith and morals hold,
Which Milton held......"
Wordsworth
England's Patron Saint
England's Patron Saint is St George. St George's day is on 23rd April. Coincidentally, this is also the date of both the birth and death of William Shakespeare.
England's National flag is the Flag of St. George, a red cross on a white background. St. George is usually depicted with this emblem on his shield. He was made the patron saint of England by Edward III in 1349.Tales of St. George seem to have been circulating in England since the eighth century. It is generally accepted that St. George of the dragon fame, actually existed but there are a number of versions of the legend, one claiming that he was born in Cappadocia in the 3rd century and died in Palestine as a martyr. In that story, Coventry would not have come into existence yet. But, as I am English and St. George is my Patron Saint, I prefer the legend of the English St. George.
St. George, the Patron Saint of England was, according to one legend, born at Caludon Castle in Coventry and also lain to rest there. 'Guy, Earl of Warwick, has also been said to have been one of St. George's three sons. This Coventry St. George died in 303 AD in Palestine.
The English Rose
England's National Flower is the Rose. Initially a gold rose became the symbol of England when Henry III married Eleanor of Provence. The golden rose of Provence was adopted by England as its new floral symbol. From this golden rose came the red rose of the House of Lancaster and the white rose of the House of York.
The Three Royal Lions of England
The lion is the oldest device known in heraldry and, as "king of beasts", was adopted by kings of Leon, Norway and Denmark as their emblem. However, the origin of the three royal lions of England still remains a mystery.
In the 11th century, Henry I, known as "The Lion of Justice", may have been the first English king to use a lion. It is not known for sure why or when a second lion suddenly appeared. However, when Henry II married Eleanor of Aquitaine, whose family emblem was also a lion, he is believed to have added the third lion. When he led his English troops in the Crusades, Richard I, "the Lion-Heart" carried a shield emblazoned with three golden lions on a red background. These are still the royal symbol of England.
England's National Bird
England's National Bird is the Wren - a tiny brown bird and the smallest in England.
England - Part of the United Kingdom
England is NOT the United Kingdom. England is one of the countries in the United Kingdom. England is not Great Britain. Great Britain is all the countries of the United Kingdom - Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England.
Three countries of the UK, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, now have their own devolved governments, with National Parliaments or a National Assembly to look after the interests of their own people.
Unlike in the British Parliament at Westminster, where all the countries of the UK send MPs to represent their own constituents from whichever country of the British Isles, English MPs are prohibited from having any say in matters devolved to those three countries' Parliament or National Body. However, MPs from these devolved countries National Bodies have duel mandates. They can vote on purely English affairs and affect what laws are passed for the English as well as voting in their own countries Parliament or Assembly. The injustice of this has already been demonstrated in the bills to ban hunting and the ancient rights of citizens of this country to trial by their peers. There is nothing to stop dual mandate MPs voting for one action in England and another in their own country if it suits their country's interests.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland's MPs can, illogically and unfairly, have their say in matters involving only the English. The English cannot have any matters decided by their OWN people in their OWN national parliament as they are being denied the right to have a Parliament of their own. So, matters concerning only the English can only be debated in the UK Parliament and can be debated and decided by MPs from all the other UK countries, against the wishes of the English MPs. This is just wrong and if this was happening to any of the other UK countries, there would be outrage in the House of Commons and steps would be taken to remedy the situation. Even if this present House of Commons does not react with outrage, an outrage it most certainly is.
The United Kingdom Government at Westminster, acting in an undemocratic, discriminatory and unfair way, will not give equal independence to the remaining country of the UK - England.
This refusal by Blair's Government to give equal treatment to the English appears mainly to be their fear that, because England is the largest member of the UK, by giving England her own Parliament, the break-up of the UK will follow. However, it is my belief (and the belief of a growing number of people) that if England continues to be unfairly discriminated against in this way it will do more damage to the UK than equality of treatment with the rest of Great Britain would ever do. That sounds pretty obvious to me. Why should England be held in an unfair political system, without national representation, to sustain the impression of a United Kingdom? Such cynical and unjust treatment will never work in the long term and cannot and should not be sustained.
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Examples of the Unfair Treatment of England
Representation - Ministers of the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are entitled to represent the whole of the UK at the European Union Headquarters in Brussels. England, alone in these islands, cannot and neither can any of this labour government's proposed regions of England. The people of England are overtaxed and not represented at all as a nation.
The English are required to pay taxes to the UK government but receive much less back in benefits than Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Government Finance - For the year 1998/1999 the total government expenditure per head of population for Northern Ireland was £5,450, for Scotland £4,772, for Wales £4586 and in England just £3,897.
Education - Per person. The people of England receive 30% less than people in Scotland. This has enabled the Scottish Parliament to grant free tuition for students in tertiary education without them having to raise any more in taxes from the Scottish people.
Housing - Welsh people receive £106 per head of their population. In England this is only £53 - exactly half.
Tourism - The British Government at Westminster allocates the following per head of population - Northern Ireland £8.25, Wales £4.99, Scotland £3.63 and in England a derisory 20p.
I love England, my own country, and I believe everybody should be proud of their country and their roots, no matter what part of the world they live in. Every nation has it's own unique beauty, including England. What a far drearier world it would be if we were all the same. Every country should have its own patriots.
My best wishes go to the Scots with their new Parliament and the Welsh with their new Assembly. These are both beautiful countries which I have visited a number of times and hope to visit again. In fact, my mother was from Scotland. I sincerely wish them well with their new Parliaments and Assembly. I think the time was long over-due when they should have control over their own countries. Who wants to be run by an elite set down in London, who have no idea how the rest of us in the UK live or want to live, and seem to care even less? If I resent it, then how much more do the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish? No I do not blame the people of these countries for the undemocratic mess that the UK is now in. I blame Tony Blair's Labour Government.
However, with the devolution of Scotland and Wales, England is now the only nation within the UK without its own National Body to look after it's own people's interests. What England needs now is an English Parliament to represent the interests of the English people. Westminster is the British Parliament, for the whole of the UK.
It is not an English Parliament.The UK Government will not give equal treatment to English people by giving them their own English Parliament. What they are doing is dividing England into Regions and appear to be going to create Regional Assemblies as a sop instead of a National Parliament. They have not asked us if we would rather have our Country divided up and have just Regional Assemblies than an English Parliament and they are not going to ask us. The carving up of England is already underway. We, apparently, must not be given equal treatment with the rest of Great Britain.
Even the European Union Map does not show England as an independent nation in its own right. England is described under "other European Union regions". What a disgrace! It appears that England is gradually being erased from maps and documents and pressure is being applied to erase it from the minds of the English people. We are very rarely referred to as English anymore but British. Even when it is obvious that the speaker means the English it is extremely rare for the English to be described as English.
Politicians appear to be trying to make us ashamed to call ourselves English rather than British and many of them at the top of government seem to denigrate England and the English at any opportunity. In fact Jack Straw (the British Labour Home Secretary) appears to believe England is a nation of racists. I believe his statements are racist in themselves - against the English. He takes no pride, it seems in any aspect of England. He now also appears to be trying to equate the word British with racism too. His very words seem to be contrived to drive a wedge between the white English and other English people whose forebears were from non-white nations, which I think is very worrying. Is it such a crime to be a patriot? In most countries being a patriot and loving one's own country is the most natural thing in the world. Countries need patriots who are willing to work and fight for the values and traditions on which their country has been built and in which they believe. No country can improve its people's lot without the support of those who love that country.
People of England, you must stand up and be counted. Write to your MPs and your local and national papers. Make your voices heard. Do not let this Government destroy England as a nation. We are not just regions - we are a country and our name is England. We are not a nation of racists any more than any other nation. Every nation on Earth has its bigots but through the ages the English have welcomed many other nationalities to these island shores and I am sure we will through ages yet to come.
We also, do not have to redefine what makes us British or English. Nationalities do not change with time, they just ARE, and no Labour Government "Patriotism Minister" will decide what the British are and make them fit their politically correct mould.
We have a democratic right to equality of treatment and representation and to have our voice heard in our own National Parliament, just like the Scots.
At present there is no true democracy for English people in England.
"He that wishes to see his country robbed of its rights cannot be a patriot."
Samuel Johnson
Campaign for an English Parliament
If you are interested in campaigning for an English Parliament or just want to find out more, there is a website which
may be of interest to you. It is www.englishpm.demon.co.uk - A non-party political organisation, it welcomes support from anybody, whatever their political affiliations or nationality, who agrees that all the nations of the UK should be treated equally, and that in the interests of fairness and democracy England must be given a Parliament of it's own.We Are The English - Clothing, merchandise, news and views - www.wearetheenglish.com
Coventry -
My Home Town (I will be putting more information on this site about Coventry as soon as I get some time).On 14 November 1940, Coventry suffered a devastating bombing blitz at the hands of the Germans. Many Coventry people were killed and injured and this was the night where our ancient St Michael's Cathedral was bombed.
On Monday 8 April 1941, the following Spring, our City suffered its second wartime blitz. One target of the German bombers was the Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital and 21 patients, 2 doctors and several nurses lost their lives under the rubble. In the previous blitz in November, the hospital had already been damaged but after the April attack it was reduced to mainly rubble.
That April night another city landmark, Christchurch was also practically destroyed. All that was left was the spire. Coventry is known as the City of Three Spires and Christchurch was the smallest of these ancient spires.
Many lives were lost - civilians, firemen and defence personnel. One of these brave people who gave their lives, was Fred Matts, the commander of the Special Police. He had just been made an MBE (Member of the British Empire) to honour him for his bravery during the blitz of the previous November.
Charles Churchill. 1731-1764.The Farewell.
Isabel Clark's Pet Portraits of Special Pets & Animals Make Very Special Gifts
See more of my paintings on my other web sites:-
www.petportraits.org - www.isabelclarkpaintings.freeserve.co.uk
www.icpetportraits.com - www.icpaintings.com - www.petportraits-england.com
Pet portraits of your beloved pet dogs, cats and animals painted in oils or watercolours from your favourite photos.
All images on this website are the copyright of the Artist - Isabel Clark BA (Honours) Fine Art - Pet Portraits - Isabel Clark Paintings - All Rights Reserved