badges

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. They were fairly thin, stamped badges. Hallmark � Bagley & Sons, Vancouver.

#225 - #250 were produced in 1914 and have no hallmark.

Badges #251 - 262 were produced in late 1914 and were the last of the Deputy badges. They have no hallmark but records suggest they were produced by Vancouver Stencil Company. As there were only 12 of them made, they are the rarest. Number 251 was issued to Harry Blurton in Vernon to replace his original badge #75 which was lost. A thirteenth badge in this design was then made, bearing number 75, and was issued to Blurton. Either badge #75 would be a rare find indeed!! The records of exactly who the remainder of the badges were issued to are non-existent. The picture below is of an actual badge from this series that was found in a garden in Victoria, rusted almost beyond repair. Re-plating it was not an option and it has been partially restored for display purposes using expoxy.

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 rare. The Chief badge is one of a kind and was issued to Major Montague Furber in 1925 when the Game Laws Enforcement Branch was being established. The Game Conservation Board Member badge was likely issued to the first Chairman A.R. Baker, though this is not confirmed. It is also unknown if badges were issued to all members of the board.

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.

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.

VIEW A HISTORY OF BC GAME WARDEN CLOTH INSIGNIA

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