Editing Isle of Wight (section)

===Identity===
There remains occasional confusion between the Isle of Wight as a county and its former position within [[Hampshire]].<ref>{{cite news|date=16 January 2008|title=Oiled birds may be linked to Ice Prince sinking|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=UK|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/3321933/Oiled-birds-may-be-linked-to-Ice-Prince-sinking.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090123112107/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/3321933/Oiled-birds-may-be-linked-to-Ice-Prince-sinking.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 January 2009|access-date=25 September 2010}}</ref> The island was regarded and administered as a part of Hampshire until 1 April 1890, when its distinct identity was recognised with the formation of [[Isle of Wight County Council]] (see also ''[[Politics of the Isle of Wight]]''). However, it remained a part of Hampshire until the local government reforms of 1974, when it became a full [[ceremonial county]] with its own [[Lord Lieutenant]].<ref>{{cite web|author=UK Government|date=1972|title=Local Government Act 1972|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1972/70/contents|access-date=28 November 2016}}</ref>

[[File:Flag of the Isle of Wight.svg|thumb|The flag of the Isle of Wight]]

In January 2009, the [[Flag of the Isle of Wight|first general flag for the county]] was accepted by the [[Flag Institute]].<ref>{{cite web|date=6 July 2010|title=Flag institute|url=http://www.flaginstitute.org/index.php?location=10&flagtype=county&flagid=108|access-date=25 September 2010|publisher=Flag institute}}</ref>

Island residents are sometimes referred to as "Vectensians", "Vectians" or, if born on the island, "caulkheads".<ref>{{cite web|title=Why are natives of the Isle of Wight known as 'caulkheads'? – Notes and Queries|url=https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-9551,00.html|access-date=23 September 2016|website=www.theguardian.com}}</ref> One theory is that this last comes from the once prevalent local industry of [[caulking]] or sealing wooden boats; the term became attached to islanders either because they were so employed, or as a derisory term for perceived unintelligent labourers from elsewhere.  The term "overner" is used for island residents originating from the mainland (an abbreviated form of "overlander", which is an archaic term for "outsider" still found in parts of [[Australia]]).<ref>[http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0011566.html overlander<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061231144021/http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0011566.html|date=31 December 2006}}</ref>

Residents refer to the island as "The Island", as did [[Jane Austen]] in ''[[Mansfield Park]]'', and sometimes to the UK mainland as "North Island".<ref>{{cite web|title=Celebrate all things Island on Isle of Wight Day|url=http://www.redfunnel.co.uk/my-isle-of-wight/features/celebrat-all-things-island-on-isle-of-wight-day/|access-date=27 November 2016|website=www.redfunnel.co.uk|archive-date=27 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161127220118/http://www.redfunnel.co.uk/my-isle-of-wight/features/celebrat-all-things-island-on-isle-of-wight-day/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|accessdate=17 November 2023|url= https://www.countypress.co.uk/news/19754170.route-best-mainland-driving-conversation/|title= Which route is best: having that mainland driving conversation|date=4 December 2021|publisher=Isle of Wight County Press}}</ref>

To promote the island's identity and culture, the High Sheriff, Robin Courage, founded an Isle of Wight Day; the first was held on 24 September 2016.