Chairman's Notes Spring 2016 by Melvyn Gallagher

2016 sees the centenary of Cub Scouting in the UK, or to older readers “Wolf Cubs”.  Formed locally as far back as 1913, as so many younger boys wanted to be part of Scouting like their big brothers, and formed officially in 1916. The first postage stamp to depict a Cub was from the U.S.A. In 1950 on a single 3c stamp commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America and later in 1954 Cuba produced a 4c stamp picturing a Cub with a Scout.  Since their revolution, when Scouting was banned, Cuba is one of the few countries w i t h o u t Scouting.  But with their recent better relations with the rest of the world things might change. There have been numerous later issues picturing Cub Scouts involved in various activities and events from around the world, enough to make a colourful display. 2016 also see the summer Olympic Games hosted by Brazil and, no doubt, there will be many thematic stamps issued in commemoration.  As usual, there will also probably be some very speculative issues with dubious postal validity - their designs incorporating other themes, including Scouting, so buyer beware! In reply to Colin’s interesting article “The Mystery of the Silver Cross” in the Winter 2015 issue it is not surprising that the medal is actually bronze.  The first “batch” of these medals awarded from 1909 were all silver plated bronze and the thin plating usually wore off with polishing to reveal the bronze below.  I possess two such awards from 1909, including the very first Silver Cross issued in June to Scout H. Motton, 1st Longford Troop, Sheffield.