House flag, Elders and Fyffes Ltd

The house flag of Elders and Fyffes Ltd, Garston. A rectangular blue flag with a white diamond in the centre bearing the blue letters 'E & F'. The flag is made of a wool and synthetic fibre bunting. It has a cotton hoist and is machine sewn. A rope and toggle is attached.

Fyffes plc is an Irish public limited company originally established in the United Kingdom and specialising in fresh food products. Fyffes is one of the world’s leading brands of bananas and the company also owns Geest, Turbana, Coplanca, Cape and Outspan. The company formerly operated its own fleet of ships known as the Fyffes line.
In 1901 the Imperial direct West India Mail Service Company was formed to run passenger and banana cargo services from the UK to Jamaica. Elders & Fyffes shipping Ltd was founded in 1902 as a separate company, but only catered for a handful of passengers. In 1910 Elders & Fyffes came under the control of the American United Fruit Company, but retained their own identity. The Imperial Direct Line closed in 1911, and their ships were either sold or returned to Elder Dempster & Co, causing Elders & Fyffes to enter the passenger market. By 1913 United Fruit completely owned Elders & Fyffes and between 1922 and 1926, several European subsidiary companies were set up. United Fruit company took over the Cuyamel Fruit Company, Honduras in 1931 and transferred the three largest ships to Elders & Fyffes service.

The Surrey shipping company, Hamilton, Bermuda was set up in 1959 to own Elders & Fyffes managed ships and in 1969 the group became known as Fyffes Group limited. After several ownership and name changes, the company became Fyffes plc in 1990 and in 1996 acquired the Geest group.

Object Details

ID: AAA0218
Collection: Textiles; Flags
Type: House flag
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Unknown
Date made: circa 1951
People: Elders and Fyffes Ltd; Pope, Charles Meredyth Fyffes plc
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Pope Collection. Reproduced with kind permission of Fyffes plc.
Measurements: flag: 914.4 x 1828.8 mm