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BEFORE SCOTCH WAS CARDINAL , GOLD AND BLUE
ABOVE : 1885 SCOTCH BOW FLAG .
Did a colour clash with Geelong College give Scotch cardinal ?
Many assume that Scotch has always had a school uniform and school colours : neither belief is true . Scotch took longer than most schools to develop its uniform , beginning with Principal William Still Littlejohn ( born 19 September 1859 , died 7 October 1933 ), who , as Principal from 1904 to 1933 , also finalised its colours .
When Scotch first sported identifying colours is uncertain , but , by the 1870s , with the development of regular sporting competition between Public Schools , there was a reason to adopt unique colours . It was a confusing decade : Melbourne Grammar School – famous for its Dark Blue – wore light blue until changing in 1875 . Geelong Grammar School – then , as now – wore iconic pale blue . Wesley College , which infrequently used distinctive purple and gold until 1875 , and light blue and white from 1876 , reverted to its original colours in 1902 . Whether Scotch chose its colours first , last , or in between , it added to the confusion , choosing royal blue and white : the colours of the flag of Scotland . The four Public Schools of the 1870s all wore blue – or blue and white .
Scotch ’ s blue evolved : the recent discovery of the 1st IV ’ s 1885 bow flag shows that the blue had darkened . The crew was then reported in May 1886 as wearing ‘ Oxford blue and white ’. While this may be an error in description , it could be correct , if the blue was identical to MGS ’ s ( by then ) Oxford blue .
Past research suggested Scotch ’ s colours changed in about 1885 or 1887 , but Trove ’ s scanned newspapers now confirm it was 1886 . A month after describing the Scotch crew wearing Oxford blue and white , The Argus of 26 June 1886 , reporting on the football match two days earlier against Geelong College , observed that Scotch ‘ instead of their [ sic ] old colours , wore a cardinal cap and stockings [ socks ]’. One wonders if Geelong College ’ s colours , then dark blue and white
( it is argued that it gave those colours to the Geelong Football Club ), gave Scotch an opportunity to introduce cardinal to prevent a clash with Geelong College , as well as with other schools . As Scotch had no magazine , nor any mention in its annual report , there is no official record of why or by whom the change was made . Despite blue remaining , cardinal quickly became the dominant colour . Surprisingly , a 1902 hatband is cardinal and white , as too is Scotch ’ s oldest blazer , dating from at least 1907 . The introduction of gold to Scotch ’ s colours has been variously reported as being in 1906 or 1908 . Both are – in a way – correct . The October 1906 issue of The
Scotch Collegian announced Littlejohn ’ s decision that from 1907 , Scotch ’ s colours would be ‘ cardinal , navy blue and gold ’. This was to distinguish Scotch from other schools with similar caps and hat bands . However , as the new colours did not arrive until mid-winter 1907 , it was decided to introduce them in 1908 . Despite the original announcement ’ s order , Scotch ’ s famous colours have ever since been cardinal , gold and blue .
MAIN PHOTO : 1870s CLOTH SCOTCH BADGE . BELOW : 1902 HATBAND .
88 Great Scot Issue 161 – December 2020