Coat of Arms of Queensland - The Maltese Cross

25th January 1966

Dear Mr Nicholson,

As promised in our telephonic conversation yesterday, I append such information as we have concerning the origin of the use of the Maltese Cross in the Queensland Badge and Coat of Arms. I might mention that the relevant facts involved were decided by officers of this Department from old records and from certain correspondence this Office had had the Agent General many years ago as a result of a similar enquiry.

Briefly, the story is that on 23rd August 1873, the Secretary of State for the Colonies circulated the various Colonies as to the adoption of distinctive badges.

When this request was received in Queensland, the then Acting Colonial Secretary, Mr W Hemmant, wrote to the then Governor, His Excellency Mr WW Cairns, in the following terms –

"Referring to the Circular Despatch of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, dated the 23rd August last, upon the subject of distinctive badges proposed for the Flags of several Colonies, I have the honour to advise Your Excellency that the difficulty of producing upon bunting a fair representation of the head or bust of Her Majesty has proved so great, and the effect, when produced, so unsatisfactory, as to render it necessary to abandon the idea of using that device for the Queensland Ensign, and I beg therefore to recommend that the accompanying design, within a wreath of laurel, be adopted for the Flags of the Colony in lieu of that formerly advised.

The Governor forwarded a copy of this letter to the Secretary of State for the Colonies with 'two copies of the device which Mr Hemmant and myself have approved in substitution for the present Badge of the Colony. If Your Lordship should be pleased to adopt the proposed device of the Maltese Cross with the Crown in the centre as the future Badge of the Colony for the Governor and Government vessels, an intimation to that affect would receive the immediate attention of the Executive Council."

On 16th July 1876, in a dispatch to the Governor of Queensland, the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty approved at the device submitted and on 29th November 1876, the following appeared in Queensland Government Gazette, Vol XIX, No. 64.

The Treasury Queensland Brisbane, 15 November 1876

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION

His Excellency the Governor, with the advice of the Executive Council, has been pleased to direct that in the future the Badge of the Colony be emblazoned in the centre of the Union Flag for use by the Governor and to the employment at the Queensland Government shall be as herein after described:-

ARGENT ON A MALTESE CROSS AZURE A QUEEN'S CROWN PROPER

James R Dickson Colonial Treasurer

Subsequently, the design was incorporated as part of the Queensland Coat of Arms when the Royal Warrant authorising the present device for the Queensland Coat of Arms was issued to the state of Queensland on 29th April 1893.

It is not known for certain exactly why the Maltese Cross with a superimposed crown was chosen as suitable Badge. Over the years, various theories have been propounded and the one given best credence is that as the Victoria Cross was first bestowed in 1857 by Queen Victoria at the close of the Crimean War and as Queensland was established in 1859, it would be a natural association of ideas to ally Queensland with the Victoria Cross which is a form of the Maltese Cross with Royal Arms and Lion superimposed.

This latter theory, and the fact that the actual proposal of the Maltese Cross was not put forward until 1876 – quite some years after Governor Bowen had left Queensland – are regarded as significant arguments against the theory that there was some association between the Maltese Cross and Lady Bowen.

I am enclosing a copy of the Government Gazette Notification of 26th November 1959, which gives heraldic description of the State Badge and Coat of Arms, and trust that this and the foregoing information will be of assistance to you.

Yours Sincerely,

RB McAllister Under Secretary

—RB McAllister