The main thing that I notice here is that hat, on the tree, which is rather sourly called a "lemon squeezer", and which it does resemble, if you think of the idea of pushing a lemon on the top of the hat and squeezing it.
It was actually introduced by Baden Powell himself in the early 1900s and it had much affection awarded it from the Scouts, but it was not very practical, no use at all in wet weather, and it cost quite a lot to make, what with all of the bending and the shaping, which made it one of the most expensive items for the boys to afford. In the United Kingdom it was actually replaced with a beret, though it remained in the colonies for much longer - but after a very brief flirtation both the beret and any idea of having an official scout hat for the boys was abandoned, though they were still issued to scout masters,
If you look closely at your military cards you will also see these "lemon squeezer" hats on military cards, for they were also used by the Army, especially New Zealand, which was actually the first force to use them, during the Gallipoli Campaign. It is often said they invented them too, but that is incorrect. They were later also used by American and Canadian forces, who would have known them well from their boy scouting days.
But I still don`t know why the two uniforms on the cards we had on display this week were of a different colour?
As for our card, there is rather a tale to tell, for it was not solely issued by Ogdens.
In fact this first set of fifty cards was issued in five versions, including two by Ogdens -
- Churchman "Boy Scouts" - 3rd Series - numbered 1-50 - blue back
- Churchman "Boy Scouts" - 3rd Series - numbered 1-50 - brown back
- Imperial Tob. of Canada "Boy Scouts"
- Ogden "Boy Scouts" - A Series - numbered 1-50 - as today`s card, with a blue back -
- Ogden "Boy Scouts" - A Series - numbered 1-50 - an identical set as this one, but with a green back
You can read more about the Churchman`s versions at their home page, which is with our Card of the Day for the 31st of December, 2025
This page only deals with the Ogden`s issues, and primarily with this first series, though it does include all the details from the reference books, as befitting a central home page.
If we start with our original reference book to Ogden issues, issued in 1949 as RB.15, that reads :
- 225 BOY SCOUTS (1911-14). Fronts lithographed in colour. Backs with descriptive text. Home issues.
41. Series of 50. Numbered 1-50. Backs in (a) blue (b) green. Issued 1911. Varieties : Nos.39 and 40 are found with text transposed. Similar series issued by Churchman (3rd Series) and B.A.T.
42. 2nd Series of 50. Numbered 51-100. Backs in (a) blue (b) green. Issued 1912. Similar series issued by Churchman (2nd Series) and Player
43. 3rd Series of 50. Numbered 101-150. Backs in (a) blue (b) green. Issued 1912. Similar series issued by Churchman (1st Series).
44. 4th Series of 50. Numbered 151-200, Backs in green. Issued 1913
45. 5th Series. 25 subjects. Numbered 201-225. Backs in green. Issued 1914.
The blue links above take you to other pages where those sets are discussed in more detail. However the blue back second series is featured in a newsletter, and you will need to scroll down to Monday 27 March
I next pick the set up in my 1950 London Cigarette Card Company part one catalogue and handbook issued in 1950, which covers cards issued between 1888 and 1919. They give each set a reference number, which is the number at the front of each listing below, and they also tell us that the sets were size "A" (approximately 36 x 68 m/m) and printing "C" (which means in colour), as well as, most interestingly, the current price of odds and complete sets at the date of printing. The full entry, as far as the catalogue, reads :
- 20. A. C. 50. Boy Scouts (Jan. 1911) :- H.62
A. Blue back ..... [odds] 1/6 to 3/- [sets] £ 7
B. Green back .. [odds] 3/- to 7/6 [no sets available]
- 21. A. C. 50. Boy Scouts, 2nd Series (Feb. 1912) :- H.62
A. Blue back ..... [odds] 1/3 to 3/- [sets] £ 8
B. Green back .. [odds] 3/- to 7/6 [no sets available]
- 22. A. C. 50. Boy Scouts, 3rd Series (Oct. 1912) :- H.62
A. Blue back ..... [odds] 1/6 to 4/- [sets] £ 10
B. Green back .. [odds] 3/- to 7/6 [sets] £ 20
- 23. A. C. 50. Boy Scouts, 4th Series, green back, (Nov. 1913)
[odds] 1/9 to 5/- [sets] £ 12
- 23. A. C. 25. Boy Scouts, 5th Series, green back, (Sep. 1914)
[odds] 2/6 to 5/- [sets] £ 7
To see the pricings for the Churchman sets, nip along to our Card of the Day for the 31st of December, 2025
The Handbook, which is the H.62 code, simply adds in the other issuers of these sets, and that reads :
- H.62. BOY SCOUTS. (titled series). Fronts in colour. Three numbered series of 50 cards each.
1st 50 subjects.
Pre 1919
Churchman - 3rd Series
A. Brown back
B. Blue back
Ogden - 1st Series
A. Blue back
B. Green back
Overseas
Anonymous - Blue back. Recorded in Burdick under C.47, page 41, as issued by Imperial Tobacco Co. of Canada
2nd 50 subjects.
Pre 1919
Churchman - 2nd Series, brown back
Ogden - 2nd Series
A. Blue back
B. Green back
Overseas
Player - Grey back.
3rd 50 subjects.
Pre 1919
Churchman - 1st Series, brown back
Ogden - 3rd Series
A. Blue back
B. Green back
Ogden also issued a 4th and 5th Series.
Now back to our listing of all the cards in this group, and on to our World Tobacco Issues Index, we will find them amongst Section 4.A, with sets issued between 1903 and 1917. The wording is much reduced though, to :
- BOY SCOUTS. Sm. Nd. See H.62. ... O/2-94
- "Series of 50". Nd. 1/50. Back in (A) blue (B) green
- "2nd Series of 50". Nd. 51/100. Back in (A) blue (B) green
- "3rd Series of 50". Nd. 101/150. Back in (A) blue (B) green
- "4th Series of 50". Nd. 151/200. Back in green
- "5th Series". Nd. 201/225. Back in green
That other series does not follow, for it was issued later; instead, it appears in Section 4.B, for sets issued between 1922 and 1939, and the entry reads :
- BOY SCOUTS. Sm. Nd. (50). See RB.21/215-46.A ... O/2-130
RB.21 was the original British American Tobacco Company Booklet. This was issued in 1952, and was the last of the small booklets before the World Tobacco Issues Index combined everything together. It does not actually say much in the listing, which reads ; "215-46. BOY SCOUTS (1929). This series was issued as follows :- A. Ogden`s Home issue. B. Anonymous issue, with letterpress on back". However, if we go to the index at the front of the book we learn that this second, Anonymous version, was issued through British American Tobacco in 1930, in Malaya and the Channel Islands.
Looking at our first series set, and especially the final wording : "Similar series issued by Churchman (3rd Series) and B.A.T.", the B.A.T. version of the set had a blue back, but no mention of a manufacturer, however we know that it was actually issued in 1911 It originally had an album clause up the sides, but this was later blocked out in blue. There is also a very curious fact, that being that some of these cards have been found with a non-official label stuck on which reads “Help the Boy Scout Fund .. Grand Entertainment 2nd May`14”. This originated in South Africa. No idea if this appears on a whole set or whether it was just isolated cards used to serve a purpose. But I am sure one of our readers can help.
As far as issue dates, they are confusing too.
Ogden`s "A series of 50" was issued in 1911. Those cards were re-issued as Churchman`s “3rd Series” in October 1916, also being re-numbered to 101-150. The entire set was printed by Churchman twice, the back being either brown or blue. And it was a straight reprint as you find the same error cards that appear in the Ogden` version - at numbers 39 and 40.
Ogden`s “3rd Series of 50” was issued in October 1912, Those cards were issued as Churchman “1st Series” in January 1916.,
Ogden`s “4th Series of 50”, issued in November 1913
Ogden`s “5th Series” was issued in September 1914,
The listing actually continues with another, but later, and unconnected set, namely :
46. 50 BOY SCOUTS. (1929). Fronts printed by letterpress in colour. Backs in grey, with descriptive text. Home issue, 1929. Similar series issued by B.A.T.