Tuesday 24 April 2012

Belts and Badges

Jings!  Found my old Girl Guide belt the other day.


This really dates me - saw one online and it was described as "vintage".  What ho, can't hold back time!  When I was in Guides we wore a uniform like the one in this pic from my Brownie Book which I had when I was a fairy - you can read all about that here!




Look at the knife which was attached to my belt!  Can you imagine them allowing that now?  Quite a lethal weapon,  almost stabbed myself with the stone getter outter thingy when I tried to open it just now! (Well, I presume that's what it was for - getting stones out of horseshoes and that sort of thing!)  The blade part is actually quite blunt - haven't a clue what it was for - cutting string and making pot holders out of twigs at camp, perhaps?????  (More likely trimming friends fringes?)

I think Guides used the whistle for signalling - three short sharp blasts - springs to mind, but I can't remember what that means - your tea's ready or something?

 Anyway, I could never use my useful belt additions, because when I got them, my Dad attached them really tightly to my belt so that no one would steal them.  So tightly, that I could never actually get them off and I wasn't bendy enough to use the whistle while it was still around my waist attached to the belt!  Happy days - at least I had a waist and the belt fitted!



Found some badges too - all need a good polish - obviously the lessons learned at Girl Guides didn't stay with me for long!


Love, Liz

21 comments:

My Vintage Mending said...

Liz this is awesome...no not that we are vintage...the whole fact that we had knives on our belts! Who knew! Start a new trend and put that baby on. Mom's with knives on our belts you know for opening up canned goods...thanks for memories...smiles..Renee

Tina said...

Wow! What a great post, Liz. A huge trip down memory lane to you, I bet. Such lovely memories. :)
xx

Jan said...

That does bring back memories-we had Girl Scouts over here. I remember wonderful camping trips-lots of giggling at night before the leader came over and made us settle down. I found some of my badges when my daughter was in scouting-things have certainly changed! (I had a knife too, but it was never sharp enough to do anything with.)

vintage grey said...

LIz how great to still have these sweet treasures!! Thanks for sharing such great memories!! Have a beautiful day!! ;) xo Heather

Unknown said...

I used to be in the guilds and i still have my badges but wow that belt is amazing ;-)) dee x

Mum said...

We all had knives hanging from our belts in Guides. I never used mine either. Health and Safety would have a field day if girls had them now or they could be arrested for having an offensive weapon. Do you still remember how to tie the tie?
Love from Mum
xx

two bones and a bagle said...

How fab that you found your old Guide items. I was a Brownie and a Guide and I much preferred Brownies we played more games. I have all my badges somewhere.

Rose H (UK) said...

I think it's so lovely that you still have these treasures Liz, I'm sure they have LOTS of happy memories linked with them for you :o)
I never joined the guides, but my daughter did and she insisted that she kept the badges and uniforms too.
Have a lovely week.
Rose H
x

Shabby Vintage Junk said...

Oh Liz how LUCKY you are to still have this reminder of your time as a Guide...I had to chuckle over your Dad putting your pocket knife & whistle on your belt so tightly....Needless to say, this no doubt saved you from accidental jabbings....hahahaha....!!

I hope you're having a BRiLLIANT week....!!!!!

Cheers,
Tamarah :o)

Kylie said...

I was a Brownie too Liz, sadly my little brown uniform hasn't survived. I do have my husband's scout belt though and I'm keeping my daughter's guide uniform and badges safe so she'll have them when she's older.

Marjorie said...

Lovely to see your Girl Guide treasures. We had a two piece for our uniforms and the skirt was a skort. My Brownie uniform was a one piece tan dress.

The Cloth Shed said...

Never made it to the Girl Guides...one day at Brownies put me off for life!
I love the idea of you being unable to blow your whistle as you weren't bendy enough.
Thanks for your lovely comment Liz, enjoy your week,
Julie x

Little Nell said...

Great find Liz - keep polishing!

Deborah said...

Great post, love finding old things :)

Bee happy x
Have a delicious day!

Anonymous said...

Wow, we didn't get whistles or knoves in Guides! All I have, somewhere, is a few musty badges - I even lost my All Round Cord!

Mrs. H said...

I love the belt and whistle,(even though you couldn't blow it!)
What fantastic memories xxx

Anonymous said...

Hi Liz, I loved your post. Brought back memories. Wish I had kept my guide badges etc. Thanks for sharing.

Jean
x

claire said...

thats so cool! i was never a guide or a brownie!

Unknown said...

Oh my goodness - What a treasure!

hope you are doing well,
e

Andrea said...

Hi Liz,
Thankyou for following my blog, glad to have found you and looking forward to a good read of your lovely blog.
Have a great day (even though it is pouring down, again!!)
Andrea x

Lakota [Faith Hope and Charity Shopping] said...

I still have some badges somewhere and I think I wore the same belt - unless I'm thinking of my brownie one - but definitely no knives. I did have my own penknife though - in a 'survival tin' which also contained waxed matches, a stump of candle (for fire lighting), teabags, string and other handy life saving bits and pieces (just in case I was ever lost in a swamp or similar at age 11!)