COUNTY
BADGE
The
Silver Penny, used as the County Emblem, represents the obverse side
of the penny piece struck in the reign of Edward the Elder (899-925).
It is his name, in Saxon, which it bears: Eadvveard Rex. This brave
son of Alfred the Great, with his equally brave sister, Aethelflaeda,
widow of Aethelred of Mercia, undertook to rid the East of England of
the Danes, who had seized the area from his father and ruled it as the
Danelagh. By the treaty made between Alfred and Gunthrum, the Dane,
the latter held all of England, East of a line running from the Thames,
up the River Lea to its source at Leagrave and, from there, straight
to Bedanford, along the River Ouse and so to Watling Street. Therefore
most of Bedford lay in the Danish zone and formed a bridge-head on the
Ouse. Edward's plan was to make certain strong bases and to strike from
these at the enemy's frontier posts and bridge-heads. To this end he
constructed ' strong points' along Watling Street and the border of
the Danelagh while his sister, the Lady of Mercia, did the same further
North. In 919, when Edward was nearing Bedford, the leader of the Danish
garrison, the Yarl Thurkitel, sensing that the native Saxons were preparing
to go over to their own people, became a quisling. With others, he approached
the King secretly and offered to admit him to Bedford without a struggle.
Consequently, on November 10th, Edward entered Bedford and occupied
it. As he did not trust the quislings, yet did not wish to send them
back to the Danes, he shipped them off to France. In the following weeks
he prepared Bedford against a counter-attack. He erected fortifications
(the tower of St. Peter's Church was possibly a part of these fortifications)
and dug a deep moat and earthwork on the South side of the Old Danish
suburb of Mikesgate. This moat, known later as the 'King's ditch', can
still be seen. It is narrower and shallower, and bereft of its earth
wall, but above it remain the last vestiges of Edward's earthworks,
commemorating to this day the bravery, military genius and perseverance
of the brave son and daughter of Alfred the Great. A well-known writer
of English history describes Aethelflaeda as 'one of the few warrior
women of the world' The Silver Penny was first used as the County Guide
Emblem in 1921, one thousand years after Edward the Elder had defeated
the Danes and driven them out of Bedfordshire back towards the Wash.
COUNTY
STANDARD
Bedfordshire's new County Standard was Dedicated on, 20th March 2004.It
was commissioned as after 72 years of service the previous standard
was showing signns of wear and tear. The history of how it was made
is shown below. Searching for the fabric proved quite a challenge, but
eventually we found what was wanted in Lincolnshire. All the other materials
were bought in London, or locally.
Between the hoist and the motto band the fabric is guide blue, and the
first emblem is the current guide badge, made in gold leather, a gift
from a sandal maker in Milton Keynes, and outlined with gold cording.Next
to the guide badge comes the county badge, also in leather, from the
same source and outlined with silver cord. The badge is based on an
old coin found in the Castle Mound, when it was excavated in 1910, the
year Guiding started in Bedfordshire. This accounts for the rough circular
shape, since it would have been hand cut from silver. The inscription
reads Edward Rex, Edward the confessor, and the cross in the outer circle
should always be at the bottom.The Motto Band is in gold fabric, with
Be Prepared on the front, and Bedfordshire on the back. The letters
were machine stitched on vilene, then applied to the band with buttonhole
stitch. Each letter took about an hour and a half to apply.The Fly is
in green fabric to represent the agricultural industry in Bedfordshire
and also the parks and recreational areas. Mounted on the Fly are the
various symbols chosen to represent our County. The blue wavy band with
silver cording represents all the rivers and canals within the County.The
three lace bobbins worked on each side with their spangles represent
the lace industry in Bedfordshire, both past and present. They are also
a link with the previous standard, signifying that although things change,
the fundamentals remain, and we are not forgetting the past.The white
lion recognises the famous chalk lion carved into the hillside of Dunstable
Downs, and represents the tourist industry, as well as reminding us
specifically of Whipsnade Zoo.The windmills represent the countryside,
and in particular the Windmill at Stevington, a well known attraction,
frequently visited by units staying at Mollivers.The appliqué
is of the now famous stained glass window of John Bunyan, for he and
Bedfordshire are so closely linked. The background was painted with
dyes and we are grateful to the Bunyan meeting for permission to use
the window on our standard and they were delighted to have a preview
when it was finished.The narrow boat, in blue and white, represents
the canal which runs through the County, nowadays used for tourism and
leisure, but of course in the past a transport highway between London
and the Midlands.The aeroplanes represent all our Airports, Luton, Old
Warden, Cardington and Cranfield.The pieced border is blue and gold
It was quite a challenge when it came to the curved sections on the
fly, but with the aid of many shaped pattern pieces, it was finally
achieved..Many people joined in with the opportunities given to "put
a stitch in it" and we have a record of their names. Pearl Lawson
Johnson was one of these, forming a living link with the previous standard,
since her mother was a major embroiderer when it was made in 1932.The
final assembly was achieved on schedule, but a final consultation with
our textile consultant was necessary to smooth away a few final, but
major headaches. We all rejoice that such a major challenge has been
achieved by so many pairs of hands, and we have handed our work over
for use, hopefully for the next 70 years or more.
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The
Original County StandardThe Bedfordshire County Standard was made by
the Cambridge Tapestry Company in 1932 and it appeared for the first
time at the Jamborally in Ampthill Park at Whitsun, 1933 when it was
dedicated by the Bishop of St. Albans. The cost of the design was five
guineas, the materials and embroidery £26.The Arms those of Bedford,
the wavy lines are the River Ouse and the silver circles the Guide County
badge. The lace bobbins represent an old Bedfordshire industry.
Last updated
4 February, 2010
