BC
Game Warden Badges
These
are the various metal insignia worn and carried by Game Wardens and Conservation
Officers in BC. Breast badges are not commonly worn in Canada, so
the badges depicted are either wallet/pocket badges or hat badges.
Although I have a complete collection of all the insignia used from the
1950's until now, I borrowed and photographed several of the old badges
from two other collections.
This badge is believed to
have been used in the late 1800's before the formation of an actual Game
Department in 1905.
1905 - 1918
From 1905 to 1918 there was
only one actual Provincial Game Warden who had a host of Deputies.
Many were not paid and were called Honorary Deputies. Badges #1 to
50 were produced in 1905. Hallmark – Tower & Lyon, NY
Badge #39 was issued to
Arthur P. Cummins of Chilliwack in 1907. He has the distiction of
being the one of only two Deputies who continued their service with the
Provincial Police in 1918 and became a Game Warden in 1929.
Badges #51-77 (plus three
Provincial Game and Forest Warden badges for A. Bryan Williams) were produced
in 1908. Hallmark – Tower & Lyon, NY. Below is an artist's
rendition of what Williams' badge would have looked like based on the design
of the Deputy badges.
Badges # 78 - 105 (plus 2
Prov. Game Warden) were produced in 1909. Hallmark – Tower &
Lyon, NY. No badges numbered 106-199 are known to exist and no records
exist to indicate these numbers were ever issued.
Badges #200 - 224 were produced
in 1911 and came in two different shapes, both shield variations.
Hallmark – Bagley & Sons, Vancouver.
#225 - #250 were produced
in 1914 and have no hallmark.
and badges #251 - 262 were
produced in late 1914 and were the last of the Deputy badges. They have
no hallmark.
1918 - 1929
From 1918 to 1929 game management
was overseen by the Game Conservation Board and enforcement was carried
out by the BC Provincial Police. The Superintendent of the Police
was also the Chief Game Warden and the Chief Game Inspector reported to
him.
The
Game Inspector and Member badges are very likely the only ones of their
kind - they are not in my collection.
1929 - 1963
In 1929 the Game Commission
became a separate entity from the BC Police. The badge and uniform
was very similar with some small differences. The brass items were
worn on the collar, epaullette and cap.
In 1929 the Game Commission
became a separate entity from the BC Police. The badge and uniform
was very similar with some small differences. The brass items were
worn on the collar, epaullette and cap.
1963 - 1980
Cap badges from 1957 to
1979, and the wallet badge used from 1962 to 1979.
1980 - 2004
In 1980 the color of the
uniform was changed to blue and gray and all badges were now silver.
Below are all the cap and wallet badges issued until the present day.
The gold badge is worn on the cap of the Chief Conservation Officer.
2005 - Present
In 2004 the cap badge of the
Conservation Officer Service was changed to depict the newly approved insignia
of the Service, rather than making use of the Provincial Coat of Arms.
The wallet badge was changed in 2005.
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A HISTORY OF BC GAME WARDEN CLOTH INSIGNIA
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