36th Cambridge (St Andrew the Great): Outline History

Cambridge District Scout Archive

36^th Cambridge (St Andrew the Great)

St Andrew the Great is the only Group to use the name and number 36^th Cambridge.  It had three iterations, each with different IHQ numbers but, seemingly, the same scarf.  For difficulties in descriptions of scarves see General History/ Uniforms/ Scout Scarves

• 36^th Cambridge           1929 – 1930
• 36^th Cambridge (St Andrew the Great)           1932 – 1947
• 36^th Cambridge (St Andrew the Great)           1953 – 1958

No individual records or stories have been located from the Group. 

36^th Cambridge                                              1929 – 1930

At the first registration in 15^th June 1929 the name St Andrew the Great was not present.  The Group, IHQ number 9978, was registered at Grafton Street Head Quarters.  It was an Open group and the only name on the registration was

• Harold Edgar Forrest              GSM

The Group entered one set of Census returns

• Scouts              1929                It is not clear that this were the same as the numbers given on the registration document of one leader and fourteen Scouts.

During 1930 the Trinity Rovers supported the troop. It was suggested in early 1930 that the patrol ‘Uncle’ the 36th and Spong later became ASM. Nine Rovers were engaged in the spring , the troop being described as ‘somewhat unruly’. In October it is recorded ‘Spong attended 36th ‘during its last illness’.

36^th Cambridge (St Andrew the Great         1932 – 1947

The 36^th was formed as St Andrew the Great on 9^th February 1932 with the IHQ number 14621. It was a Controlled group and met at the Parish Rooms.

Census returns

• Cubs                1932 – 1938    and 1942 – 1946
• Scouts              1934 – 1938

At this point census returns stop for all groups for 1939 and 1940.  St Andrew the Great, however, only return numbers in 1942 and for the pack only. 

In 1935 the 10^th Cambridge (Christ’s College Choir) joined the 36^th and lost their identity. 

T R Isaacson joined the 1937 WSJ and was awarded a Gilt Cross in June 1937 for rescuing a woman who was in danger of drowning in the River Granta.  He was brother of F E Isaacson CM of 28^th Cambridge (St John’s) and later Silver Wolf.  The 28^th had no Scout troop at this date.

 In 1947 the 36^th pack joined the 9^th and lost their identity.   The group ends in 1947.

36^th Cambridge (St Andrew the Great)        1953 – 1958

The third iteration, again St Andrew the Great, was registered on 9^th February 1953 with a new IHQ number 30382.  They meet again at the Parish Room.

• Miss V L? Pratt            Scouter I/C     

This would suggest, as the census returns confirm a pack only for these years.

Census returns

• Cubs                1953 – 1958

It was listed as closed in 1959.

JWR Archivist July 2022