Juniors and Seniors

The archives of the 13th Cambridge St Philips Notts’ Own give instances of both Junior and Senior patrols.

The Junior patrols were formed in 1913 on the large second intake of recruits. Described as ‘Much criticised‘ in DC Malletts summary of the early records ‘it has proved to be very advantageous to both them and senior patrols.‘ This was ‘not for boys under the unofficial age but the smaller and younger Scouts of the troop.’

This was not a standard step but one selected to cope with the situation in which the original scouts, who were significantly older and well established, were joined not by a steady trickle of recruits but by a block intake. This junior patrol dispersed into standard patrols well within two years. The average age at the original intake, over two years before, was 13.7. The very large age spread of 11 to a nominal 18 (but no clear upper age was yet set) generated difficulties – if only in the playing of British Bulldog.

Such intakes have occured elsewhere; the 7th lowered the age of entry from 12 in the 1930’s and appear to have experienced a block influx.

The 13th ‘seniors’ were not labeled as a Senior patrol, they retained their patrol names.

The 13th Cambridge Senior Scouts was first started in 1944. This was ahead of the transition of War Service Scouts (WSS) into Senior Scouts and ahead of the offical start date of 1946. A formal switch from WSS to Senior Scouts has not identified in Cambridge District archives. Discussion on Senior Scouts had been going on during 1943 and information leaflets were available. Despite the rationing uniform changes had been planned.

The DC, Howard Mallett, was aware and indeed started Senior Scouts at the same time. Three Senior Scout Patrols were listed ahead of the fomal census returns in 1947; 13th, 25th, and one other, unidentifed in this document but possibly the 60th, returning from teh evacuation to Scotland and not always included in the Cennsus returns.

The 60th had a Senior Patrol ahead of the idea or formation of offical Senior Patrols. Originally it the troop had only accepted entrants at an older satrting date than the normal. On extending this to the full Scouting range the new troop was known as Junior. This continued until 1947 when the Juniro became the Troop and the Senior retained the name Senior Scouts. The age at the switch became the stndard 15 at this point.

See Structure/ Sections/Senior Scouts in Cambridge

See Structure/ Sections/War Service Scouts in Cambridge

See Activities/ Games/ British Bulldog

JWR