Articles


	Articles HERITAGE FLASH BACK 3 Hi Patrol Leaders, every time you turn around there’s always a Scouting competition which grabs you and your Patrol, and off you go to participate. Competitions like the KIWI WOGGLE CAMP and OPERATION NIGHTHAWK–you can’t wait for them can you? Still, you’re not the first to be enthusiastic about competition in Scouting. Back eighty years ago all scout patrols throughout Queensland were eligible to compete for the Lady Goold-Adams Colours. The 1^st Wilston troop can take some credit for this. In 1915, at the Royal National Show (the ‘Ekka’), their exhibit comprised a fully staffed field hospital which caught the eye of The Governor of Queensland, His Excellency, Sir Hamilton Goold-Adams and his wife Lady Goold-Adams. They gave the display a ‘high five’, and in recognition of the effort the Lady Goold-Adams Colours were instituted. This was a flag – a beautiful silk Union Jack with a gold bullion edge and a scout badge embossed in the centre. Mounted on a polished staff, (see photo) it was consecrated and presented to 1^st Wilston troop, but held at Government House with the full status of regimental colours. The flag was then competed for yearly as a patrol trophy, and Lady Goold-Adams thought the idea ‘cool’, and approved of conditions for the competition. These included the number of Scouts in a patrol trained to second / first class standard (present day Pioneer, Adventurer and Explorer badges); loyalty: the frequency of meeting as a patrol and the number attending; self reliance: noteworthy work done by the patrol without the help of others; woodcraft: detailed list of outdoor work performed by the patrol; and importantly, service to others. I know, I know, your patrol would have met these conditions and have won the flag every year. Well, the colours didn’t stay down in Brisbane too long, not even at 1^st Wilston. Had to give them some country air. Patrols from Mount Morgan got their hands on the ‘colours’ a few times : 1916/17, 1923/4 and 1926. Others were Seagull patrol from 2^nd Townsville in 1937 and Swift patrol from the same troop in 1940. Buffalo patrol from 7^th Rockhampton earned the colours in 1947. Around eighteen patrols won them during the thirty two year competition and several of their names are recorded on the polished staff. Bunting soon replaced the silk, with the badge, bullion and polished staff retained. Around the 1980s, 7^th Rockhampton now Berserker, handed over the bunting colours to Headquarters and they eventually became part of the Baden-Powell Museum. At the opening of the 2^nd Wilston den, the original silk colours were presented to the Group by County Commissioner Ernest Weller. He was troop standard bearer when the colours were presented to 1st Wilston after they had won them again in 1919. But the saga continues, because in January 2003, the Group Leader of 2^nd Wilston, Jan Hawkins concerned about their security, handed the original silk colours to the newly named Baden-Powell Heritage Centre at Samford. So next time you’re in Brissy, contact Scouts Heritage Queensland for a look see at these colours - both silk and bunting - and while you’re at it take in the rest of the heritage treasures too! By the way, when you and your patrol are discussing Baden-Powell, which no doubt you do fairly often, mention that Sir Hamilton Goold-Adams was at Mafeking with Baden-Powell.
(Source: Vic Waddell as the Old Timer, p.68, 1996; Scouts Heritage Queensland Newsletter, January 2003)
©Heritage Section Scouts Australia Queensland Branch Inc. Webmaster: heritage@qldhq.scouts.com.au Updated: 4/2/2006

Scouts Heritage Queensland

Articles

HERITAGE FLASH BACK 3

Hi Patrol Leaders, every time you turn around there’s always a Scouting competition which
grabs you and your Patrol, and off you go to participate. Competitions like the KIWI WOGGLE
CAMP and OPERATION NIGHTHAWK–you can’t wait for them can you? Still, you’re not the first
to be enthusiastic about competition in Scouting.

Back eighty years ago all scout patrols throughout Queensland were eligible to compete for the Lady Goold-Adams Colours. The 1^st Wilston troop can take some credit for this. In 1915, at the Royal National Show (the ‘Ekka’), their exhibit comprised a fully staffed field hospital which caught the eye of The Governor of Queensland, His Excellency, Sir Hamilton Goold-Adams and his wife Lady Goold-Adams. They gave the display a ‘high five’, and in recognition of the effort the Lady Goold-Adams Colours were instituted. This was a flag – a beautiful silk Union Jack with a gold bullion edge and a scout badge embossed in the centre. Mounted on a polished staff, (see photo) it was consecrated and presented to 1^st Wilston troop, but held at Government House with the full status of regimental colours.

The flag was then competed for yearly as a patrol trophy, and Lady Goold-Adams thought the idea ‘cool’, and approved of conditions for the competition. These included the number of Scouts in a patrol trained to second / first class standard (present day Pioneer, Adventurer and Explorer badges); loyalty: the frequency of meeting as a patrol and the number attending; self reliance: noteworthy work done by the patrol without the help of others; woodcraft: detailed list of outdoor work performed by the patrol; and importantly, service to others. I know, I know, your patrol would have met these conditions and have won the flag every year.
Well, the colours didn’t stay down in Brisbane too long, not even at 1^st Wilston. Had to give them some country air. Patrols from Mount Morgan got their hands on the ‘colours’ a few times : 1916/17, 1923/4 and 1926. Others were Seagull patrol from 2^nd Townsville in 1937 and Swift patrol from the same troop in 1940. Buffalo patrol from 7^th Rockhampton earned the colours in 1947. Around eighteen patrols won them during the thirty two year competition and several of their names are recorded on the polished staff. Bunting soon replaced the silk, with the badge, bullion and polished staff retained. Around the 1980s, 7^th Rockhampton now Berserker, handed over the bunting colours to Headquarters and they eventually became part of the Baden-Powell Museum.

At the opening of the 2^nd Wilston den, the original silk colours were presented to the Group by County Commissioner Ernest Weller. He was troop standard bearer when the colours were presented to 1st Wilston after they had won them again in 1919. But the saga continues, because in January 2003, the Group Leader of 2^nd Wilston, Jan Hawkins concerned about their security, handed the original silk colours to the newly named Baden-Powell Heritage Centre at Samford. So next time you’re in Brissy, contact Scouts Heritage Queensland for a look see at these colours - both silk and bunting - and while you’re at it take in the rest of the heritage treasures too!

By the way, when you and your patrol are discussing Baden-Powell, which no doubt you do fairly often, mention that Sir Hamilton Goold-Adams was at Mafeking with Baden-Powell.

(Source: Vic Waddell as the Old Timer, p.68, 1996; Scouts Heritage Queensland Newsletter, January 2003)