Beige coloured Scout certificate

Category

Museums & Galleries Item

Item no

51533

Title

Scout certificate addressed to W. Hackland for saving a life, 1924

Description

A beige-coloured Scout certificate with multi-coloured overprinted text. It is addressed to W. Hackland for saving a life, 1922. There are Scout emblems and flags with printed scenes of gallantry

Date

1924

Location

Museums Collection Centre

Copyright

The City of Edinburgh Council Museums and Galleries

This certificate was presented to William Hackland in 1924 for gallantry in saving the life of a girl from drowning in the sea at Newhaven on July 9th 1924. The award is signed by the founder of the Scout movement, Robert Baden Powell, on the October 17th 1924.

Along with the certificate William Hackland was presented with the Scout Silver Cross, the second highest award for gallantry in the scouting movement. This wasn’t the first time William was awarded by the Scouts. In 1922 he was awarded the Gilt Cross, the third highest award for gallantry.

William’s exploits were recorded in the Scotsman newspaper on Wednesday November 22nd 1922:
‘William Hackland, 34A Main Street, Newhaven. He showed great promptitude and presence of mind in effecting the rescue of a youth who, whilst sitting on the bulwarks of the Marine Parade, overbalanced and fell into the sea’.

William Hackland was not the only member of his family to receive praise for his heroism. His brother Alexander saved two separate children from drowning in the Forth in the space of a week, and received a testimonial from the Royal Humane Society in February 1927.

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Related subjects

Education > Educational materials > Certficates

Places > Edinburgh areas > Newhaven

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

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