Objects Database

Scottish Mountain Rescue badges

Accession Number

848.2010.1(a-f)

Object Name

Scottish Mountain Rescue badges

Created

25/10/2010

Creator

Hermione Cooper

Accession Date

25/10/2010

Brief Description

Two cloth badges, two large and two small metal badges.

Materials

cotton, metal

Dimensions

cloth badges-8cm (diameter), metal badges-4cm (diameter) and 2cm(diameter)

Number Of Objects

6

Inscription Description

'SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE' on all six with a red cross on a white mountain design on a blue background.'1587 and 1907 on the back of the two small badges. 'R.E.V. GOMM,16 FREDERICK ST. BIRMINGHAM' on the back of the two larger metal badges.

Colour

red, blue, white

Maker

R.E.V Gomm

Object Production Place

Birmingham

Provenance

The Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland(MRCofS) was formed in June 1965 having worked for many years prior to that under the aegis of the English based Mountain Rescue Committee(MRC.
We are not quite sure who was responsible for the design, but within a few years a logo and these badges were produced, and for many years following were proudly displayed by members of the Scottish Mountain Rescue fraternity.
In 1996 the then secretary of the MRCofS was asked to copyright the logo as someone had been using it illegally to raise money on the sale of postcards. A lawyer, Fergus Ewing,(later a Member of the Scottish Parliament) was consulted and fairly rapidly said that the MRCofS must stop using the Red Cross immediately as it was in contravention of the Geneva Convention - the real RED CROSS being the only organisation legally allowed to use it.
Mick Tighe was the Training Officer to the MRCofS at the time and he inherited a few of these badges which had become illegal overnight. Nice story!
The MRCofS produced a new logo and badge in the the late 1990's, this time with a green cross!

Acquisition Method

Donated by Mick Tighe

Acquisition Date

25/10/2010

Condition Check Date

25/10/2010

Rules

Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007

Modified

25/10/2010

Go Back