Woggle

A woggle is a device to fasten the neckerchief, or scarf, worn as part of the Scout or Girl Guides uniform, originated by a Tasmanian Scout in the 1920s.

Early Scouts tied a knot in their neckerchief (scarf) to fasten it around the neck. In the United States, experiments were made with rings made from bone, rope or wood.

A young Australian Scout, Bill Shankley, who was responsible for running a workshop and developing ideas for camping equipment at Gilwell Park, became aware of the American rings, and set out to create something similar. The result was the Gilwell Woggle.

On the origin of the Woggle, Shankley said:

They used to knot their scarves, which used to get creased and stick out at the ends. But in America the early scouts used to plait up various stuffs to make a ring for theirs — they called it a boon-doggle. I got some thin sewing machine leather belting, plaited it into a neat ring, submitted it, and had it accepted. I called it a Woggle and that’s the name it’s known by throughout the world

The earliest known reference to a Woggle is the June 1923 edition of The Scout. The term was quickly applied to other designs of fastener, of many shapes and sizes, and is today used around the world.

The word ring was used in editions of the Scouting handbook Scouting for Boys until 1929 when Baden-Powell changed it in the 14th edition:

The Woggle designed by Bill Shankley became known as the Gillwell Woggle, as it has been traditionally presented to leaders who have completed their Wood Badge training. Trained leaders are admitted into 1st Gillwell Park Scout Troop, with the Gilwell Woggle as one of its symbols. Because of its association it is not worn by other scouts.

At the 1989 US National Scout Jamboree, William "Green Bar Bill" said to Jim Newell, "Francis Gidney was the Camp Chief for the first two courses at Gilwell Park. Francis Gidney knew that most folks were not good wood carvers and asked them to make their own neckerchief slides by tying the Turk's-head knot." This in no way is intended to contradict the contribution made by Bill Shankley.

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