Girl Guide Blazers & Blazer Badges (UK)

This post was inspired by a post on Facebook sharing an old Blazer Badge for sale on eBay.

A decision was made by the Girl Guide Association in 1926 that “the question of including blazers as part of the official uniform of Guides or Guiders was considered. It was decided that this was an unnecessary additional expense, and therefore not agreed to.” (The Girl Guide Gazette (May 1926))

Blazers were recommended as an alternative, with the camp overall, to the full uniform (tunic and skirt) for Guiders in Camp by 1932, and were an expected part of the Sea Ranger No. 2 Uniform (Summer) by 1939.

A blazer for Guiders makes an appearance in the 1930 Price Lists. It is described as as Navy Melton Cloth, sizes 36in or 38in, and costing 25s. The same blazer was offered in 1931, but a new size – 34in – was added. In 1932, a new style, described as Navy Flannel (all wool) was offered, with the sizes and price remaining the same. The blazer was discontinued in 1937.

A blazer for Guides and Rangers was offered for the first time in 1930. The Price List for

guideinblazer1933 — Guide, 1933 Catalogue

that year describes it as Navy Melton Cloth, sizes 32in, 34in, and 36in, and sold for 12s. The price increased in 1934 to 12/6. A new size, 38in, was added in 1936. The price increased again in 1937 to 13s. The last mention of this blazer is in Price Lists for 1939.

Guide Wear by Bukta offered two Blazers for Guides in 1931. The first, called Buxcel, was of Navy Melton, unlined, in sizes 32in and 34in, at a cost of 11/6. The second, called Buxwin, was of Navy Soft Twill Melton, lined sleeves, in sizes 32in and 34in, at a cost of 18/9.

Blazer Badges were offered as Registered Goods on the Price Lists beginning in 1929 for Rangers, Sea Rangers and Guides, all costing 8d. It is possible that these badges were available earlier, as a decision was made in May 1929 that “blue blazer badges be instituted for Sea Rangers.” An Old Guide Badge was added in 1937. The last mention of blazer badges is in Price Lists for 1939.