Life Boys membership Cards
Overview
To ease the transition from The Boy Reserves to the Life Boys, the design of the membership card remained unchanged for a number of years post union, with the exception of the logo and name. These were discontinued in the early 1930’s, and in an attempt to make the cards more appealing to boys, the new membership cards featured the artwork of celebrated artist Tom Curr. In 1936 a series of three ‘progressive’ picture cards, were introduced also featuring the artwork of Tom Curr. Available in three colours, blue, red and green, the image of the first year card represented ‘welcome and friendship’ the second year card represented ‘discipline and activities’ and the third year card the culmination of a Boys time in the Life Boys and promotion to The Boys’ Brigade. In addition to helping the Boys to value their membership, one of the main purposes of the card was to enable Leaders to have a ready means of checking the attendance of Boys at Sunday School. This concept continued through a series of design changes and subtle print variations.
Post 1966, the Junior section use the same membership card design as the Boys Brigade, however some years a special version was produced with the Sunday School attendance record.
The Story in detail
The BB Gazette of September 1936 announced with great fanfare the launch of the new Life Boy Membership Cards: It is believed that the new series of Membership Cards will prove popular. Three designs have been provided so that a Boy may receive a different card at the start of each of the three years of his normal Life Boy career. The cards, which are shown on the next page, are printed in colours, each has appropriate wording and an attractive picture, and “every picture tells a story.” The Boy on joining at nine receives a card that breathes a spirit of welcome and friendship, and the wording on the back introduces him to the Life Boy Motto and sets him on the road for a jolly time in his Team. At ten he is presented with a card whose picture tells of the growing sense of discipline, as well as the happy activities of his Team, concerning which he is exhorted to do all he can to help it to be a real success in the great movement of which he is now proud to be a member. The card for the Boy in his last year points forward to the culmination of his L.B. career—the day soon to come on which he will be welcomed into the B.B.
“Look ahead and then go ahead,” he is reminded every time he looks at his card.
The use of this progressive series of cards will entail some additional care on the part of Leaders so that at the annual Presentation of Membership Cards each Boy in the Team gets the card appropriate to his age. Still, who minds a little extra trouble ? It must not be forgotten that, in addition to helping the Boys to value their membership, one of the main purposes of the card is to enable Leaders to have a ready means of checking the attendance of Boys at Sunday School. Spaces are provided for each Sunday, and nothing is more calculated to impress on the Life Boy his obligation of regular Sunday School attendance than the never failing regularity with which the cards are inspected at the weekly meeting of the Team. Life Boys’ fingers and pockets are sometimes grubby, so the use of the special linen envelope (6d. per dozen) is recommended. When ordering the Membership Cards, which cost 1/- per dozen. Leaders should specify carefully the quantity required for each year—1st Year (blue), 2nd Year (red), 3rd Year (green)
A series of three ‘progressive’ picture cards, were introduced again featuring the artwork of Tom Curr, Available in three colours, blue, red and green, the image of the first year card represented ‘welcome and friendship’ the second year card represented ‘discipline and activities’ and the third year card the culmination of a Boys time in the Life Boys and promotion to The Boys’ Brigade. This concept continued through a series of design changes and subtle print variatio Year (red), 3rd Year (gr refers to the colours by the Boys’ ages, i.e 9 year (blue), 10 year (red), 11 year (green). There are various print runs of this card design, featuring subtle differences in the artwork, and sometimes with the Boys’ age included in the text, however, this may have been dropped when the lower age limit of the Life Boys was lowered to allow membership to Boys aged 8.
The unique feature of the Life Boy and latterly the Junior Section cards is that they included a grid which could be used to record Sunday School attendance. Traditionally Boys Brigade Company Sections ran their own Bible class on a Sunday, and attendance may have been recorded in the Company roll books.
Post 1966, the Junior section use the same membership card design as the Boys Brigade, however some years a special version was produced with the Sunday School attendance record.
