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District History

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Robert Baden Powell, founder and father of the Scout Movement, visited Cambridge in March of 1908 and gave a talk at the Perse School which was then on the corner of Hills Road opposite the Catholic Church and near Parker's Piece. Many groups were inspired to start up. At a meeting held on February 15th 1909 an age limit was adopted "from 10 years upwards and no maximum age."


BP walking down Free School Lane in the 1930's


BP at a rally on Sheep's Green by Fen Causeway in 1917
Hit train was three hours late on account of a bomb dropped by the Germans in front of his train at Liverpool Street Station


BP on the steps of the university Senate House having been awarded an Honorary Law Degree in 1931
The scouts all chanted "B.P., B.P., Hon. LL.D. CA-A-AM-BRI-DGE" to the chimes of Great St Mary's

Many groups started up on the strength of that first visit and many other formed over the coming years. A fantastic history of Cambridge Scouting is available here, written by Ken North who ran the Scout Shop on Perne Road for many years. Collated from that site, and others, is a table of the Cambridge District Scout Groups, when they were formed if known, who ran it and where and when in the 1950's and whether they are still going strong.


click to enlarge Group
Scarf
Founded
Scouter In Charge in 1950's
Section
Meetings in 1950's Meetings now

1st CAMBRIDGE

Originally:
Light Blue

Now: Navy, Green/Purple border
1908
Reformed 2010
L . F. Hamilton,
St. Faith's School
Beavers
Orchard Park Community Centre,
5:30
Cubs
7 p.m.
Sea Scouts
St. Faith's School,
Friday, 7 p.m.

2nd CAMBRIDGE
(Newnham)

Brown
1908
Mrs. Woodward,
3 Malcolm Place
Cubs
St. Mark's Parish Room, Newnham, Tuesday 6.15 p.m.

3rd CAMBRIDGE
(Kings College)

Purple
1908
 
Scouts
Closed by the 1950's No

4th CAMBRIDGE
(Peterhouse)

Navy, Gold Border
1908
Reformed 1949
R. Henderson,
138 Coleridge Road
Cubs
Cherry Hinton Road Congregational Church Hall, Hartington Grove, Friday 6.0 p.m.

5th CAMBRIDGE
(Perse School)

Purple
1908
M. D. Brown,
35 Sedley Taylor Road
Cubs
Perse Prep. School, Wednesday. 2.0 p.m. No
Scouts
Perse School,
Friday, 6.15 p.m.
No
Seniors
Perse School, Wednesday, 7.0 p.m. No

7th CAMBRIDGE
(County School)

Blue and Green
about 1915
W. J. Lowey, 318 Cherry Hinton Road
Scouts
Cambs. High School for Boys, Hills Road, Friday 6.0 P.m.
Seniors
Friday 6.30 p.m.

8th CAMBRIDGE
(Hills Road Methodist Church)

Green/Orange Stripe
1950
F. H. Keating,
156 Hills Road
Cubs
Methodist Church Hall, Norwich Street, Monday, 6.0 p.m.

9th CAMBRIDGE
(Queens College)

Green
1910
Rev. C, T. Wood, Queens' College
Scouts
University Running Club. Granta Place, Wednesday, 6.0 p.m. Newnham School Scout Hut, jointly as the 11/9th from 1960 on

10th CAMBRIDGE
(Christs College)

Chocolate and White
about 1910
Rev. A. V. Valentine Richard, Christ's C
Scouts
Closed by the 1950's No

11th CAMBRIDGE

Orange
about 1910
F. A. J. McKenzie, 44 Rathmore Road
Scouts
11 West Road, Friday 7.0 p.m. Newnham School Scout Hut, jointly as the 11/9th from 1960 on
Seniors
Friday, 8.30 p.m.

12th CAMBRIDGE
(Viscount Clifdon's Own)

Royal/Sky Border
with Gold Fleur-de-lis
1912
W. A. Mackrow, 21 Holland Street
Cubs
Milton Road School: Winter Saturday 2:30pm Summer, Friday 6.30 Yes
Scouts
129, Chesterton Road, Thursday. 7.30 p.m. Yes
Seniors and Rovers
129 Chesterton Road, Friday 7.30p.m. (or Boathouse)

13th CAMBRIDGE
(St. Philip's: The Nott's Own)

Scarlet/Grey
1910
Scout hut built in 1930, paid for by the Nott brothers
Since rebuilt
C. E. Palmer, 90 Cavendish Road
Cubs
Marmora Road, Monday. 6.30 p.m. Monday
Scouts
Tuesday 7.15 p.m. Monday
Rovers
alt Thursday, 8.0 p.m. Explorers, Thursday

14th CAMBRIDGE
(St. Luke's)

Black/Red Border
About 1910 as St Columba's
Reformed as St Luke's 1953
Rev. G. K. Tibbatts, St. Luke's Vicarage
Cubs
St. Augustine's, Richmond Road, Tuesday, 6.30p.m. Yes
Scouts
St. Luke's Infants' School. Victoria Road. Monday. 6.0 p.m. Yes

15th CAMBRIDGE
(St. Giles)

Light Grey
About 1920
J. Norris, Rolyat Hale Avenue
Scounts & Cubs
Closed by the 1950's No

16th CAMBRIDGE
(St. James)

Originally
Green

Now
Scarlet/Sky Border
1956
Rev. N. J. Cotgrove, 49 Godwin Way
Cubs
St. James' Church. Wulfstan Way, Monday, 6.30p.m. Yes

17th CAMBRIDGE
(Catholic Church)

Navy/Scarlet Border
1953
P. A. Marsh, King's College. (Vacations: A. W. O. Page, Westacre. Barton, Cambridge)
Cubs
The School, Haslingfield, Monday, 6.0 U. Yes
Scouts
The School, Haslingfield, Wednesday, 7.15 p.m. Yes

18th CAMBRIDGE
(Catholic Church)

Sky/Navy Border
 
Cubs
  Good Shepherd Church
Yes
Scouts
  Yes

19th CAMBRIDGE
(Wesley)

Maroon
1914; Reformed 1944
I. K. Drake, 32 Lovell Road
Cubs
Wesley Schoolroom. Christ's Pieces, Thursday, 5.30 p.m.
Scouts
Wesley Schoolroom, Christ's Pieces, Wednesday. 7.0 p.m.

22nd CAMBRIDGE
(Holy Trinity)

Maroon
About 1915
C. J. Walker, Quintin Green End Road
Closed by the 1950's No

23rd CAMBRIDGE
(St. Matthew's)

Purple/White Stripe
1917
F. W. T. Feary, 13 Milford Street
Cubs
St. Matthew's Institute, Tuesday. 6.00 P.M.
Scouts
St. Matthew's Institute, Monday, 7.10 p.m.
Seniors
St. Matthew's Institute, Friday, 7,30 p.m.

26th CAMBRIDGE

Royal Blue
1928
H. G. Cann, 8 Elm Street
Cubs
Brunswick School, Monday 6.0 p.m. Yes
Scouts
Brunswick School, Tuesday and Thursday 7p.m. Yes

27th CAMBRIDGE
(Cherry Hinton School)

Scarlet
1948
W. C. Ward 71 Braybrook Road
Cubs
School Hall, Cherry Hinton, Monday and Thursday, 6.0 p.m. Yes
Scouts
School Hall, Cherry Hinton, Thursday, 7.15 p.m. Yes

28th CAMBRIDGE
(St. John's)

Black/Green
1928
A. R. McGlashan, 133 Perne Road
Cubs
St. John's Parish Hall, Blinco Grove, Monday, 6.0 P.M. Scout Hut, Flamsteed Road, Tuesday 6:10pm
Scouts
St. John's Parish Hall, Blinco Grove, Tuesday, 7.15 p.m. Tuesday 7:40pm

29th CAMBRIDGE
(East Barnwell)

Royal/Grey Border
1928
R. F. Robinson, 49 Keynes Road
Cubs
East Barnwell Community Centre, Wednesday, 6:00 p.m. Yes
Scouts
Friday, 6.00 p.m. Yes
Seniors
Friday, 6:30 p.m.

31st CAMBRIDGE
(Cambridge Universiy Scout Group)

Cambridge Blue/Leopard Emblem
1920
A. L. Percival Jesus College and 5 Howes Place
For Meetings see fixture card

32nd CAMBRIDGE
(Waterbeach)

Green
1928
E. Lord, Sandbank. Waterbeach Road, Landbeach
Beavers
Monday
Cubs
R.A.F. Gymnasium, Waterbeach, Friday 6.30 p.m. Thursday
Scouts
R.A.F. Gymnasium. Waterbeach, Thursday, 7.0 p.m. Tuesday
Explorers
Tuesday

36th CAMBRIDGE

Navy/White Border
1929
Miss V. IL Pratt, 12 Park Terrace
Cubs
St. Andrew's the Great Parish Hall, .4 Emmanuel Road, Thursday. 5.45 p.m.

37th CAMBRIDGE
(Swavesey)

Orange
1956
A. L. Lee, Post Office, Swavesey.
Cubs
Taylors Lane, Swavesey. Cambs. Monday. 6.30
Scouts
Taylors Lane, Swavesey, Cambs. Wednesday. 7:30 p.m.

42nd CAMBRIDGE
(Holy Trinity)

Royal/ Gold Border
1930
Miss L. G. Long. 10 Gwydir Street
Cubs
Trinity Church Hall, King Street, Saturday, 2.30 p.m.

44th CAMBRIDGE
(Trumpington)

Sky Blue/Gold
1930; Reformed 1945
Reformed 2005
A. J. Carter, 64 Bishops Road, Trumpington
Cubs
Rear of Village Hall, Trumpington. Friday, 6.45 p.m. Not any more
Scouts
Tuesday,.7.0 p.m., Thursday, 7.30 p.m.
Seniors
Monday, 7 p.m.

50th CAMBRIDGE
(Milton)

Red/Gold Border
Beavers
Monday. 6.15 p.m.
Cubs
Friday.
6.15 p.m.
Scouts
Friday.
7.45 p.m.
Explorers
Friday.
7.45 p.m.

51st CAMBRIDGE
(Histon)

Green/Gold Border
1948
Cubs
Village College Grounds, New Road, Histon. Thursday. 6.45 p.m.
Scouts
Friday. 7.0 p.m.

52nd CAMBRIDGE
(Littleton House School)

Green
1918
T J, Corkill, Corpus Christi College
Special Pack
For Meetings consult Mr. Corkill

54th CAMBRIDGE
(St. George's)

Red/White Border
1932
W. K. Ferguson, 289 Milton Road
Cubs
St. George's Church Hall, Tuesday, 6.0 p.m. Yes
Scouts
St. George's Church Hall, Thursday, 7.0 p.m. Yes

56th CAMBRIDGE
(Longstanton)

Royal Blue
1954
Cubs
Longstanton School Hall, Wednesday 5.30 p.m.
Scouts
Wednesday. 7.0 p.m.

57th CAMBRIDGE
(Fulbourn)

Emerald
1956
L. Pearce, Fleam Dyke Pumping Station, Fulbourn
Cubs
Church Room, School Lane, Fulbourn, Thursday, 6.30 p.m. Yes
Scouts
Church Room School Lane, Fulbourn, Thursday, 7.30 p.m. Yes

60th CAMBRIDGE
(Leys School)

Royal/Light Blue
1933
Scouts
Leys School Grounds, Wednesday, 2.0 p.m.
Seniors
Friday, 8.30 p.m.
Rovers
Thursday, 8,30 p.m.

68th CAMBRIDGE
(Byron House School)

Green
About 1933
Closed by 1934 No

The 28th have a Cub Scout Standard dating from just one year after cub scouting begin in 1916, making it around a hundred years old. It has the outline of a wolf, as Cub Scouts were originally known as Wolf Cubs, with wooden discs hanging from it that mark the winning pack, one for each year (although some are now missing). The first holders of the Standard were the 14th Cambridge, in 1917. The last name on it is the 28th in 1950, which is presumably why it is still in the 28th's posession.

Wolf Cub standard showing the winning Cambridge cub pack, from 1917 to 1950

1st Place

1917 14th Cambridge Wolf Cub Pack
1920 St Columba's (14th)
1921 'A' Pack

1923 14th pack
1924 'C' Pack
1926 14th pack
1927 5th pack
1928 14th pack
1929 8th Harvey Goodwin pack

1932 15th Camb. pack
1933 14th pack
1934 [faded]
1935 53rd St Clements
1945 12th
1949 44th Camb. (Trumpington)
1950 28th

Second place
1936 42nd
1938 2nd pack
1941 2nd pack
1943 29th pack 'again'
1944 27th pack Cherry Hinton Hall
1947 25th

The District opened Abington Campsite on the 4th of June 1932. New buildings were erected in 1976 and Sir WIlliam Gladstone officially opened them in June 1976. Somewhere along the line, possibly when the district was split into seperate North and South Cambridge, County took control of this much loved campsite from the District and decided ultimately to sell it as they felt it didn't fit with the County's needs. Many scouters from the District were very sorry to see it go.