Flag of the British South Africa Company was first raised over Fort Salisbury. In 1893, it was raised over Bulawayo, following the Company's conquest of the Matabeleland. In 1922, Rhodesian voters voted in the Southern Rhodesian government referendum, 1922 for responsible government independent of the BSAC ahead of joining the Union of South Africa. Remaining under BSAC control was considered but was eventually not included in the final ballot. As such, the BSAC flag was lowered on 29th September 1923 by the British South Africa Police when the colony's new status as Southern Rhodesia came into being with the Union Flag becoming the only official flag. However,
Flag of the British South Africa Company it is speculated that it was retained by the Governor of Southern Rhodesia as the governor's flag until around 1931. The same happened in what would become Northern Rhodesia where the BSAC surrendered its role in the colony to the Colonial Office via an order in council from His Majesty's Privy Council. Despite the flag losing its status as a colonial flag, the BSAC flag continued to be used by the British South Africa Company as their private company flag and they would fly it over their offices in London and in the Rhodesias. This situation continued until 1965 when