* Canadian boy scout uniforms -- cubs








Canadian Boy Scout Uniforms: Cubbing


Figure 1.--This Canadian image, probably from Ontario, shows a Cub wearing a uniform that looks rather like a British Cub uniform. Given the car in the background, the photograph was probably taken in the 1940s. He looks to have been a Cecond with his one sleeve stripe.

Canadian Cub Scout uniforms like Boy Scout uniforms have changed over time. We do not yet have, however, comprehensive information on Canadian Cub uniforms over time. We have very little chronological information on Canadian Cub uniforms. We do know that Wolf Cubs were formally introduced in Canada during 1916, the same time that the British Wolf Cub program began. This was more than a decade before the program was founded in the United States. HBU has some limited information on the uniform garments worn by Canadian Scouts. The basic styles have been realtively unchanged over time until the 1990s when the traditional English peaked Cub cap was retired. Some Cub and Scout groups diverge from the standard uniform or give speial attention to the uniform.

Chronology

We have very little chronological information on Canadian Cub uniforms. We do know that Wolf Cubs were formally introduced in Canada during 1916, the same time that the British Wolf Cub program began. This was more than a decade before the program was founded in the United States. We have Little chronological information on Canadian Cub Scout uniforms at this time. One Canadian image shows a Cub wearing a uniform that looks rather like a British Cub uniform (figure 1). The available image, however, does not provide us much detail. A 1980s photograph shows Canadian Cubs wearing a destinctive uniform of light blue shirts and dark blue short pants worn with grey kneesocks that had dark bands. One boy had a slid colored sock. While the uniform no longer looks like the traditional English Cun uniform, the boys stil wear the traditional English Cub cap. The boys wear variety of footwear including snearers. One photograph shows boys wering red neckerchiefs, but we do not know how common this was. Canadian cubs wear the traditional cub peaked hat worn by British cubs and initially cubs in many other countries. They also wear a kind of light grey pullover with darker grey long or short pants. The boys wearing short pants wear grey knee socks with distinctive green bands at the top.

Garments

HBU has some limited information on the uniform garments worn by Canadian Scouts. The basic styles have been realtively unchanged over time until the 1990s when the traditional English peaked Cub cap was retired. They have inckuded caps, shirts, knerchiefs, piilpvrs, pants, and knee socks, Short pants were especially imiprtant.

Caps

Canadian Cubs in the 1990s wore the traditional green cap with yellow piping that was adopted by the Brirish Cubs in 1916. As far as we know this was also adopted by Canadian Cubs in 1916. The style was based on the paeked school cap that was widely worn in Britain at the time. The cap has a front badge which in the 1950s had a red wolf. The badge in the 1990s was a yellow and green one, but I am unsure of the details.

Neckerchief

The standard Canadian Cub neckerchief in the 1990s was a kind of yellow and green plaid. Some Cubs may have worn destinctive colored neckerchiefs associated with the particular Scout troop or council to which they belong. We note some Cubs in the 1980s wearing red neckerchiefs.

Sweater/Pull-over

A HBU reader has provided us some images of Cub pullovers worn over time. We notice different styles and colors. Here are four photographs of Canadian Cub Scout pullovers showing the diverse designs and colours, two more will follow in another email plus a Canadian Sea Scout shirt. I believe the navy blue and bottle green button front pullovers are early designs and the pale grey is a later period. They are made of knitted wool yarn. The knee socks are pale grey, have bottle green tops with two grey contrasting stripes. We note brew-neck and rugby (polo) styles with buttons part of the way down the front. Canadian Cubs appear to have followed the uniform trend of British Cubs who wore pullover sweaters rather than the American uniform of a shirt. We do not yet have detaols as to precisely when the different puillovers were worn. The blue pullover seems to be the earliest one.

Shirt

We notice some Canadian Cubs in the 1980s wearing khaki shirts.

Pants

We notice some Canadian Cubs in the 1980s wearing blue short pants. The iniform in the 1990s consisted of eith long or short grey pants.

Socks

We notice some Canadian Cubs in the 1980s wearing blue kneesocks. The uniform in the 1990s was grey kneesocks with dark green bands at the top.

Attention to the Uniform

Some Cub and Scout groups diverge from the standard uniform or give speial attention to the uniform. The 7th Thornhill MYSA Wolf Cub Pack is one such group. The Cub uniform that all Cubs are required to wear consists of Cub uniform: beret with cub hat badge, shirt, badge sash, belt and buckle, shorts and knee socks (please note - track pants can be worn over the shorts to and from meetings during colder weather), garter tabs (keeps the knee socks up), cub neckerchief slide, money pouch, and Cub book (badge guide).








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Created: November 15, 1998
Last updated: November 10, 2003