24th Cambridge: Outline History

Cambridge District Scout Archive

The 24^th Cambridge has three iterations

• 24^th Cambridge Caius College Choir              1916 – 1924                9503
• 24^th Cambridge St Collette’s Prep School       1928 – 1929                18015 / 7568
• 24^th Cambridge Caius College Choir              1932 – 1935/6             14617

24^th Cambridge Caius College Choir             1916 – 1924                            9503

The troop was first registered in 1918 but active by 1916.  During the Great War registration was delayed, sometimes for years.  It met at St Michaels Parish rooms.

From Reveille! a single issue magazine of early 1920 we have ‘24th (Caius Choir). For a time they were an unknown quantity, as they never turned up in Association events. But they did good work at the 3-Troop Camp at Haslingfield last August: and Mr. Armstrong ought to make something of them, with a T.L. like Shaw.’

They do not appear to be present at BP rally of 1917.

We have registration details of 14^th February 1922 when it was ‘Closed’, ‘for boys in the College Chapel Choir’ and controlled by the Dean, Rev J W Hunkin.

• A H Warr                     ASM
• A B B Simpson             SM
• E Mainsfield?              ASM
• R V Jackson                 ASM
• W E Tucker                  ASM

They returned Scout Census figures for 1922 – 1924 (usually a year in arrears) but were not listed in the AGM report of 1924/25.

24^th Cambridge St Collette’s Prep School   1928 -1929                              18015 / 7568

Initially registered on 20^th January 1928 the two IHQ numbers suggest that it was re registered within the year as a Group.  Cambridge numbers for the new Group system start at 7500 and re-registration started later in1928.  The Group was ‘Controlled’ by the headmistress Beryl A Burr.  They only returned census figures for one year 1928, and were listed without any details in the 1928/29 AGM report (printed 1930).  On opening the recorded 1 leader and 10 Cubs.

• Miss W F Heeps                      CM

Saxe blue scarf.  The met at St Collette’s in Tenison Road.

Miss Heeps was CM of the 5th and 26^th at the same time.

24^th Cambridge Caius College Choir             1932 – 1935                           14617

Opened late 1932 they were presumably active earlier giving Census figures

• Scouts              1932 – 1934
• Cubs                1935?

They also appear in AGM/ County lists for 1933 (15 Scouts), 1934 (13), 1935 (12) and 1936 (14).  The 1936 list has corrections and the group is crossed through.  From the AGM reports we have, presumably also a year in arrears,

• Rev H C L Heywood     GSM                                        1933 – 1936
• C V Porter                   ASM                 Caius               1933
• T J Eastwood               ASM                 Caius               1933   
• K M M Sheldon           ASM                 Caius               1934   
• F J M Bennett             ASM                 Caius               1935 – 1936    
• E D Ward                     ASM                 Caius               1936   

The scarf, black and light blue.

JWR Archivist Aug 2022