Entries from Troop log, Douglas Brown and newspaper clippings
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19th June 1954
The following newspaper articles were printed describing the visit of Lord Rowallan to Greenock anmd the presentation of Queen Scouts Award. The Greenock Telegraph provided accurate, well-written coverage of the event (caption 1 and article 2). Article 3 was a poor example of journalism that trivialised the event, contained factual and spelling errors, and caused offence to some if not many readers.
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Newspaper caption 1
Chief Scout’s visit –Bad weather caused the cancellation of the big display planned by Greenock Scouts for their chief, Lord Rowallan, when he visited the town on Saturday evening. Instead, the proceedings were staged in Lady Alice School and this informal picture shows the Chief Scout talking with some of the Queen’s Scouts who received certificates and badges during the evening.
Newspaper Article 2 (Greenock Telegraph)
Lord Rowallan Presented Awards to Local Scouts
Greenock Scouts had to cancel the big display they had planned for the Battery Park when their chief, Lord Rowallan, paid a visit to the town on Saturday evening.
Instead of the outdoor display, however, the local troops staged an indoor exhibition which had also been prepared in the event of wet weather. This was presented in Lady Alice School.
About 1000 Scouts, Sea Scouts, Cubs, leaders and officials of the local Association gave a welcome to the Chief Scout who, in a brief speech, said that Scouts all over the world were maintaining the principles and their faith in spite of all opposition.
Large-scale Persecution
Referring to the difficulties of the Scout movement; behind the Iron Curtain and in the Mau Mau-infested Kenya, Lord Rowallan said that despite large-scale persecution, skirts of those countries carried on their work in the spirit of the movement.
“During my recent visit to Africa, I found that not one Kikuya tribesman who had taken the Scout oath implicated himself in Mau Mau atrocities, although they were persecuted for their membership of our movement.
“Likewise, in Iron Curtain countries, Scouts maintain the high principles to which they were dedicated in the face of overwhelming opposition.”
Awards Presented
During the evening, Lord Rowallan presented Queen Scout badges and Royal certificates to the following:-
Andrew and Alexander Whiteford, Robert Miller, Douglas Brown, Ian McFarlane(70th Greenock Troop); E. Jagger and R Thompson (6th Gourock Troop); John Paull (38th Greenock Troop); Neil Campbell (45th Greenock Troop) Dugald McGrorie (56th Port Glasgow Troop).
The Medal of Merit for services rendered to Scouting over a long period was presented to Mr David Thompson and Mr Robert Morrison both of Greenock.
Lord Rowallan was presented with a map of the Clyde and Greenock district published in Amsterdam in 1662 and a book recording the names of Scouts and Cubs who had passed tests since the beginning of the year.
Newspaper article 1
Hats, slouch, were the uniform of the day – worn in anything but uniform fashion– when Lord Rowallan, the Chief Scout, visited Greenock to present the Queen’s medal to ten members of local troops.
Mothers, inspecting their sons, wondered just why Scout hats have to be so very, very slouch – all except Lord Rowallan’s.
His was so very spruce, so trim, so straight, so well-balanced– an example to all.
The boys– in contrast–mainly favoured the off-the-face mode, with here and there, a touch a la Bartok.
There were those worn at acute angles and some not so cute.
Two brothers, Alex and Andrew Whiteford–seen receiving certificates from Lord Rowallan – who qualified for medals together, wore their hats in “Sloppy Joe” style.
Other medallists were: Robert Miller, Douglas Brown, Ian McFarlane (78th Greenock Troop); E. Jagger. R. Thomson(6th Gourock); John Paull (38th Greenock); Neill Campbell (45th Gourock); and Dugald McGrorie (56th Port-Glasgow)
FASHION FOOTNOTE: At the end of the day, mothers consiled themselves with the thought that after all Lord Rowallan’s hat does not have to cope with West Coast rain falls. Then they decided to go home and try to do something with hot irons about juniors headgear.
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