My Ladybird collecting obsession is now at the stage where I have to carry round in my handbag two little notebooks containing a list of all the Ladybird titles in my collection, arranged by series. Otherwise it seems I can no longer remember which ones I have or which ones I just dream of having. Against each series I also have a tally number so that I know just how many there are out there in the series. Ladybird were a bit strange in that they had several series where there was only one or two titles, yet other series that had many more.
One series that is exactly the right size is series 706 which consists of books covering the Scouting and Guide movements. Looking at the listings on the rear covers it seems that the two books on Cub Scouts and Scouts were published first and then later joined by the Brownie Guides and Guides titles. For over a year now, three of these titles have sat on my shelf, but it was only a couple of weeks ago that I managed to get my hands on a copy of Scouts in one of my local charity shops.
First published in 1971 Scouts covers everything from the history of the Scouting and Guiding movements through to world Scouting and the badges that boys could work towards.
Over the years there’s no doubt that the Scouting movement has changed significantly. Just the fact that girls are now allowed to become Scouts and Cubs is a huge difference from what it used to be like. I also had to laugh when I read all about the role of Chief Scout. Up until 1971 all chief Scouts of the UK and Commonwealth were Lord someone or other (Lord Baden-Powell 1908 – 1941, Lord Somers 1941 – 1944, Lord Rowallan 1945 – 1959 and Lord Maclean 1959 – 1971) and Lord Maclean only stood down from the role when the Queen made him Lord Chamberlain. His successor was Sir William Gladstone, great grandson of the former Prime Minister. They’re all a long way away from the likes of Peter Duncan and Bear Grylls, but I bet I know which ones can relate better to young Scouts of today!
The world of Scouting is something of a mystery to me. When I was a girl they were just the boys that you sometimes saw when away at Guide camp but otherwise had no real interaction with. Their badges always seemed somewhat exotic and they always appeared to have more fun on their camps and trips than Guides ever did, and do far more exciting stuff. Both Little Miss C and Master C are already on the Beavers waiting list locally (yet another thing that didn’t exist when this Scouts book was written!) and I’m therefore expecting that I may have to swot up somewhat on how Scouting works. This book may end up being more useful than I’d initially realised!
If you have a collection of old Ladybird books then please feel free to join in with Ladybird Tuesday. There are no formal rules to follow, just leave a link to any post you write in the comments below and if you’re feeling kind link back to my Ladybird Tuesday category here on Being Mrs C. Thanks!
This looks like a great book! I joined Venture Scouts at 15 and loved it, although I’d been a Guide before the Scouts did seem to do more fun things.
I need to come up with some sort of list too, although I don’t get much chance to browse charity shops at the moment, my Mum is always on the hunt for me and even my husband came back with a couple for me after trip out with the kids!
I’m joining in this week with one of the Well Loved Tales although it wasn’t one that I’d heard of – The Old Woman and her Pig http://www.jenniferslittleworld.com/2014/09/ladybird-tuesday-old-woman-and-her-pig.html
I was looking for the scouting book, the one where it shows a patrol leaders meeting. My reason for this is it is myself and three friends in the picture, taken when I was about 12, I am now 61. Two of the others were my best men at my wedding. If you ever find another copy then please let me know.
Regards Steve Cole