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Boy Scouts Soap Box Derby, 1955

Burrell Collection Photo Library, 1955 Survey

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Boy Scouts Soap Box Derby, 1955

Boy Scouts' Soap Box Derby, photographed by Alf Daniel in 1955.

The Boy Scouts introduced the idea of the Soap Box Derby to the UK in 1939, borrowing the idea from the American Scout movement. In the USA, a Soap Box Derby is a downhill race and the cars move by the force of gravity. In the UK cars are pedal-driven. Local Scout groups build their own cars, putting a great deal of effort and engineering know-how into their construction. The cars are entered into national races originally known as the Soap Box Derby, but renamed the National Scoutcar Races in 1962.

In 1955 Partick Camera Club set out to create a photographic survey of Glasgow. As the project progressed, other camera clubs joined and each was allocated a district of the city to photograph. Glasgow Museums exhibited the photographs at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and at the People's Place, and in 1956 the exhibition was shown at the Palace of Art in Bellahouston Park. The photographs are now part of Glasgow Museums' collections.

Reference: 1005.97.330 / OG.1955.121.[465]

Reproduced with the permission of the Partick Camera Club

Keywords:
Boy Scouts, boys, Glasgow Photographic Survey 1955, go-karts, National Scoutcar Races, soap box car races, soap box car racing, Soap Box Derbies, Soap Box Derby



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