Thoughts on two basics of Uniform

 

Although they are out of favour within Cubs being replaced by a baseball style cub with the words Cubs in the current stylized font, frankly I much prefer the traditional cap  which apart from being much smarter, will keep your head warmer on cooler days.

Safe for now at least, the traditional kneckerchief survives even if the woggle is usually plastic and that is mine.

Authenic new-old uniform looks II

Continuing on with the theme given how well the sweatshirt turned out I was looking at a number of contempary pictures and noticed there was a official polo shirt.

I first thought it just would not work as first example only went up to size 36 chest which would be a tight fit and, as thin as my arms are, there would not be enough room to comfortable pull it stretching under the arm.

Looking beyond just the regular polo shirt I noticed there was one with purple tipping contrast on collar and sleeves and that it did go up to 38 inches so allowing for the generous cut there was a good chance it would fit well.

It arrived and having tried it on it fits perfectly, indeed compared to many of my t shirts the arm is actually a good inch longer.

Perfect!

Wolf Cub Uniform

From time to time I post things around my Uniform which in part was the start point of the entire blog because uniform albeit then the discovery of my younger brothers Cub Uniform played a important part in my early regressive life in my mid teens. 

That is  standard bottle green jersey extremely close to what those sections in Scouting that didn't hold with the post 1967 changes still wear in Wolf Cubs and over time you'd of earned you badges to go on the right side arm.

That is the Wolf Cub membership badge, an original, to go on the wearers left when I persuade someone to sow it on.

These are my David Luke charcoal shorts because most cubs and wolf cubs didn't have a set pair supplied for cubs but used what you had for school.

Because I was brought up in the 1970's and through my entire boyhood our shorts were shorter than current shorts by a good margin, they were taken up to a four inch inside leg which is just a smidgen longer than what I wore as junior school boy which would of overlapped with the period I would of been in membership of. 

Pix credit: Albert Prendergast.

I also bought to go with it a pair of navy blue scout socks with green bands on the turn over top of the sort worn at the time.

To a point, authenticity in a practical sense comes into having a uniform in the context of "being" who you were so in that respect rather say buying a vintage jumper ready badged but not having my County and Scouting District badges on them I favour buying more or less the same thing new and adding the badges.

We are not in formal scouting where we are required to follow rules around where and what goes on them to the letter but they are uniforms that when we wear them help us channel the Spirit of that Eternal Boy as a Cub or Wolf Cub in practising scouting, helping us move along and making a difference for the good in the wider community.

From my point of view there's no need to collect and wear old uniforms in order to be us but when a uniform is worn help us resemble it thus my shorts are taken up so I look and feel like a boy of 8 1/2 to 10 1/2 of my era so while they are new, they are very authentic.

Becoming the Cub

The youngest cub presents for the first time in front of his Six in what I suspect was a early 70's investiture in this grainy originally under exposed picture  that I have attempted to process.

This probably is a community hall or similar judging by the chairs and the type of windows rather than a  dedicated Scout Hut such as in parts of my City we still have.

As was the norm back the their shorts are mainly those they wore for school with one exception.

The Scouting world of the past

Source: gakya Colour corrected and sharpened by me.

I have mentioned a few times the changes of the Advance Party Report in 1966 and how that lead to changes within the Scouting Programs in the Scout Association and the forming of traditionalist breakaway scouting associations.

Here we can see the uniforms the Leader, Boy Scout, Brownie (in Girlguiding) and Wolf Cub as they were before the 1967 changes.

The Wolf Cub isn't far removed from the 70's Cub who I fondly remember growing up members of but the Boy Scout is very different.

See, If I'd of been in Cubs in the 70's I would of wanted upon getting my arrows and working toward transition to of been a Scout BUT I would much sooner been a Boy Scout with the thick shirt and khaki shorts, been seen as BOY not a mini adult in long trousers and more bands man uniform which is more suited to scouting.

But the cool school thought a boy of twelve or thirteen didn't want to be seen as one thinking that put ten to fourteen year olds off but the numbers dropped noticeably in Scouts afterward . 

What they didn't seem to realize was the boy that wanted to be a scout wanted that tradition of being out in a more 'safari' type uniform having fun whilst learning skills.

Our Expedition

Source: gakya Colour cast corrected by me.
A Summer expedition for this group of cubs with the duffle bags we all had back then with their drawstrings  to keep our provisions in photographed while taking a well earned break.

There are a number of interesting things in here like the lad  second to the right who has matched the colour  strips on his turn down socks to his neckerchief which is an ochreish red while the others have blue striped socks which is what I wear.

Also some are wearing the Khaki/tan shorts more common in the past with Boy Scouts which are more of a summer thing rather than school grey ones.

Personally I'd of loved to had been with them at that time as looks so much fun! 

Cubs beyond these shores

Source: norlington3 Additional processing by me.

Scouting extends beyond the United Kingdom even when it the basic forms are the same as the British Isles is more than the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland but covers politically independent islands such as the Isle of Man.

The Isle of Man has its history, a language of its own Manx based on Gallic even if English is the main spoken language and elements of modern culture hold as much to that of Lancashire in the adjacent English North-west enjoying ties while being very much its own country.

I am not sure if it is that these Cubs Scouts in a picture taken in 1970 on the Island are actually Cubs Scouts from there or if they may of been visitors from a troop in the North West of England as tourism is a big thing  but they look like the post 1967 cub scouts I recall as a child here in Staffordshire.

At Home

The Cub Scout in a domestic setting is one that tends to be ignored as we see him typically as getting up for school, coming home possibly if he's ten doing a small amount of homework which is more Prep for the next days lesson and except for his Cubs night playing or watching tv.

That in better weather might be being more outdoors exploring, climbing trees and working on projects.
There are times when you might wear your uniform around the house such as if an Aunt or Uncle comes to visit and you've been asked to show your latest badges or a new item which if she saw this fine young man she'd be very proud.

He looks splendid.

Righting Wrongs II

Anyone who has read this blog knows one of three reasons why this blog exists and as part of that I am putting together a uniform an amalgam of past and present as authentic as it gets for this Wolf Cub in spirit.

This is a genuine contemporary neckerchief from an official supplier  for me to learn to fold properly  and fasten

Purists and traditionalists may well prefer leather woggles which aesthetically they may have a point with but contemporary cubs from which Wolf Cubs were replaced by do use plastic ones today.
I may well get a leather one at some point but I don't like the angular Cubs written in bold designs like what's so wrong with having an actual logo a wolf cub perhaps and "cubs" underneath it?
The main thing me is to work on my dexterity so I can wear it correctly with given my conditions is itself a challenge.

Different packs had and have different attitudes to things like socks so I'm sticking with the old school grey school shorts and school socks that with the green top do look smart.

That for now wraps it up until next time

Pack outing 70's style

The early 1970's were a turbulent time in the United Kingdom with terrorism from and in  Northern Ireland and the Miner's Strikes and associated three day weeks with power cuts living through it at the same age as these children.

To them therefore to be away from that on a Cub Scout outing with Akela and all your friends was special beyond say seeing the countryside which some city boys would never have seen before.

The boy second left in the brown jacket is a deadringer for me in looks and demeanour with that era being the start point of this unique blog cos it starts from the boy who wanted to be a Cub Scout.

Into the 1980's

While time moves into another decade, the one that was in my last years at high school small alterations were made in the World of Cubs which has holding a certain fascination with me during this period.
They were still recognizable as as cubs to me as those I grew up with in the 1970's were.
I have tried to clean up this noisy photograph taken in 1984 of a Cub Scout pack in Dronfield, Sheffield, Yorkshire.

Respect all living things

On what is a bank holiday here, I've been out rovering around the time in the past thoughts would be toward Autumn and the return to school after being off.
There's little getting away from what the cub experience means to me but this photographs subject talks of something I feel strongly about and it is teaching respect for other living species such as ponies.
We are fortunate here that outside of farms, within walking distance there are areas where ponies and horses do graze so youngsters can easily get to see them and form attachments.
It interesting to see in this vintage photograph a few pairs of white shorts while the majority are grey and a few boys are wearing school coats or blazers even if they are clearly in cub uniform!