County and District Badges

The District and County Badges are worn on the right shoulders of all uniformed members. On the left is the District badge and on the right is the County badge of which the District is part.

District Badge

THE ANVIL represents the forge that used to be in Cross Road (between Rectory Lane and Sidcup Hill). It served the local Coaching Inns such as the Black Horse (1705). The forge is remembered by Old Forge Way – a 1936 development designed by Kenneth Dalgleish in the style of Kent and Sussex Weald 17th and 18th century cottages. Today it is a conservation area. The green background reflects Sidcup’s rural background and the chain the link between Sidcup and Scouting.

County Badge

The County badge depicts TOWER BRIDGE, probably the world’s most famous drawbridge.The need for a bridge that would not disrupt river traffic into The Pool of London led to Horace Jones and John Wolfe Barry’s design being chosen in 1884.Some 432 construction workers using over 11,000 tons of steel built the framework which is clad in Cornish granite and Portland stone. It was completed in 1894 after 8 years of construction and was the gateway to London until the Queen Elizabeth 11 Bridge at Dartford was opened in 1991.

In 1910 the high-level walkways were closed due to lack of use and in 1912 Frank McClean flew his Short biplane between the walkways and the bascules to avoid an accident. But the most famous story of all was in 1952 when a route 78 double deck bus had to leap from one bascule to the other as the bridge began to rise. In 1982 the high-level walkways reopened after 72 years as part of the Tower Bridge Experience.

Bexley was until government’s formation of Greater London on 1^st April 1965, part of Kent County, whose badge depicts the white 'Invita' horse on a red background.