Canadian Bell System Flag (1924-1938)
Canadian Bell System Flag Design Change (1939-1951)
Canadian Service Flag Design Change. (1951)
This exceptionally rare, pre-1948 Bell System flag measures an impressive 6′ x 9′ and dates back to 1939. It represents the second Canadian design introduced that year and was originally flown over the Bell Telephone building at 479 Clarence Street in London, Ontario. Constructed in 1929, the building housed this flag until 1949, when renovations added two additional floors and a new Canadian Service flag design was introduced in 1951.
The flag was discovered stored in a wooden box in a basement storage room of the building. It was removed from storage in 1972 and kept by a Bell employee until the early 1980s. Later, the flag was passed on to an outside HVAC contractor working with Bell, who then stored it again until it came into my possession in February 2018. Since then, it has been safely preserved in a climate-controlled storage area.
Made from woven woollen bunting, the flag features stitched logo pieces and includes a jute rope for attaching it to a flagpole. It was manufactured by the Montreal Tent and Tarpaulin Co. Limited of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, sometime between 1939 and 1949.
September 28th 2023 Updated pictures showing reverse side.
Different year, different camera
Front side – Reverse side
An article in Bell Telephone Quarterly, July 1923 that claimed the flag was adopted and flown at The President’s Conference, beginning on May 26 1923. Images of the flag photo and the relevant quote are below.
The presidents of the Associated Companies of the Bell System met with the executives of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company for a five-day conference at Yama Farms, on May 26th 1923. A feature of the conference was the adoption of a Bell System flag which is pictured below on the left. They were flown from hundreds of Bell-owned buildings, to suggest the national character of the service as well as the immense physical resources of the Bell System.
The Bell Telephone Company of Canada used the Bell System logo from 1924 until 1951 and this style of flag was flown on all Canadian Bell buildings at the time. This flag came from a Bell building at 479 Clarence St. London, Ontario. The building was built in 1929 and had an upper floor addition added in 1949.
This flag was manufactured by Montreal Tent and Tarpaulin Co Limited Montreal Quebec, Canada. Montreal Tent Awning and Tarpaulin Company was started by WH Griffin, in 1883 and remained a family business until it ceased operations in 1987. During World War I, it was part of the war effort as a Smart/Woods Manufacturing facility (making tents and bags for the war effort). When the Smart/Woods Manufacturing Company disassembled, WH Griffin changed the company name to Montreal Tent and Tarpaulin Company Ltd. They also made canvas manhole covers and canvas bags for the Bell Telephone repairmen.
