English Boy Scout Uniforms

Figure 1.--This photograph shows what an early English scout uniform looked like. This photograph was probably taken in the 1910s. Notice the colored bands on the knee socks.

The 1900s

[details on the early uniform needed]

The original English Scout uniform following a military model influence the uniforms of the Scout uniforms adopted in many other countries. Some countries adopted the English uniform without change and others made only minor changes. The two elements of the uniform that proved most popular were the lemon-squeezer hat and the short pants worn with kneesocks. Virtually every country adopted the English Scout hat. The only country where the Scouts chose not to wear shorts was the United States. Most American Scouts chose to wear knickers.

The 1910s

I believe the English Scout uniforms were little changed in the 1910s, but have no specific information.

Figure 2.--English Scouts are seen hear with the Prince of Whales at the World Jamboree in 1929. The wear the traditional hat with long dark colored shorts and light colored socks.

The 1920s

English Scouts in the 1920s continued wearing the traditional lemon-squeezer hats. The short pants like the original ones were worn at knee length. One photo shows the boys wearing dark colored shorts and lighter colored shirts and kneesocks.

The 1930s

No informational available yet on the 1930s.

The 1940s

British Scouts in the 1940 wore blue shorts and kneesocks with green stripes at the top.

The 1950s

English Scouts in the 1950s wore a khaki uniform, including khaki-colored shirts, short pants, and kneesocks. The old traditional lemon-squeezer hats were replaced with black berets giving the English Scouts a bit of a French look.

Figure 3.--English Scouts in the 1950s and 60s wore a khaki uniform, khaki-colored shirts, shorts, and kneesocks. A beret replaced the traditional lemon-squeezer hat.

The 1960s

There seems to have veen some variation among different English Scout units. One Bristol Scouter reports that in 1964 the uniform for their scouts (over 11 years old) was a khaki shirt and shorts with green knee length socks and black garters. The green socks seems to have been unusual at the time and changed over the years to more traditional grey socks so the information we have would suggest.

One English contributor reports that uniform standards may never have been rigidly standardised. Some troops followed the BSA's rules less slavishly than others. His recollection from the 1960s is mainly of boy scouts in khaki shorts with long socks that were often grey but could be green. But he seems to remember others in corduroy shorts though hevsay he might be wrong.

The Scout Association's Chief Scouts at that time, Lord Maclean, in 1969 set up an Advance Party to determine how to modernize Scouting and better appeal to boys. The outcome was to change English Scouting for ever. The Association got rid of the names Wolf Cubs and Boy Scouts for Cubs and Scouts. He put all the Scouts in to long pants by changing the uniform that was set out by Baden-Powell to a new uniform of green long sleeved shirts and mushroomed coloured long pants . Some English Scouters, at this time, broke away from the main-line Scout Association and formed the Baden-Powell Scouts Association.

The 1970s

Since 1969, the English Scout uniform as stayed roughly the same. They were allowed to get rid of their berets, green shirts and mushroomed pants for green sweatshirts and school pants.

Not all English Scout units immediately adopted the new uniform. One Scouter reports joining a Bristol unit in 1976 having moved to the area from London with his parents. The scout uniform had changed. The 1960s khaki shirts had been replaced by dark green shirts. Most of the older boys 15-16 years, were wearing long grey trousers, however, myself and those under 15 years of age still wore shorts, although they were grey in colour and not khaki as they had been in the past. The older boys were allowed to wear shorts if they wanted to but I can't recall any of them doing so except during the summer or at camp. If they did want to wear shorts they would have to wear grey shorts and socks like the rest. In the winter those who were required to wear shorts were allowed to come to scouts wearing our shorts under our jeans or tracksuit bottoms when it was very cold which, when you had to walk a few miles to the scout hall, was a great relief !

The 1980s

An English Scouter repports that by the time he had become a venture scout in 1982 and had taken on some leadership responsibility within the group the scouts were all wearing long grey trousers (usually their school trousers) to meetings and only wore shorts at camp.

The 1990s

An English Scouter reports that the present day scouts even object to wearing grey trousers and often turn up in jeans to meetings which, many of the older Scoters believe seems to spoil the whole appearance of the meetings.