Cambridge District Scout Archive
The 42nd goes under a number of names but retains a core identity, perhaps largely centred on Miss Long.
- 42nd Cambridge (St Barnabas) 1930 – 1936 11078
- 42nd Cambridge (Grafton Street) 1936 11078
- 42nd Cambridge (Holy Trinity) pack 1941 – 1946 11078
- 29th/42nd Cambridge (Holy Trinity) troop 1941 – 1946 (11078 cancelled)
- 29th/42nd Cambridge (Holy Trinity) 1946 – 1950
- 42nd Cambridge (Holy Trinity) 1951 – 1978 11078 (restored)
This is one Group but with an interesting WW2 amalgamation. The history of the Group is not documented from original 42nd documentation, these did not survive, but has been pieced together.
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42nd Cambridge (St Barnabas) 1930 – 1936 11078
Founded at St Barnabas Church in Mill Road on 21st Match 1930 it was alongside a Boys Brigade based in the same church. The competition at Scout age resulted in the troop failing after two years. The Cub pack went on for many years.
- Cubs 1931 – 1936
- Scouts 1930 – 1931
The Cub leader was Irene Golden Long, Longy to other leaders or Miss Akela to her cubs. New to scouting aged 38 she was the core of the pack and later the Group.
- GSM Rev E F Goodchild
- SM H R Haworth
- CM Miss I G Long
- ASM C E Hood
- ASM B Parr
- Ken North , Silver Wolf and longtime Scout Shop stalwart, was a young ASM, moving on as the troop failed.
On opening it recorded five leaders and eight Scouts. The Group was controlled and met at St Barnabas’ Institute on Mill Road. The original scarf was khaki, possibly an easy colour to obtain or from an existing stock. It was changed to be Scout Green with a 1” gold border in 1931.
In 1935/6 the pack had 27 Cubs
- CM Miss I G Long
- ACM W T Sugg Emmanuel College
- ACM Miss J G Hall
- Hon SM Rev H C Haworth (Otley, Yorkshire)
The scarf was now described as Emerald Green and Gold.
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42nd Cambridge (Grafton Street) 1936 11078
The Group (pack) moved Grafton Street, the District HQ, changing its name but not IHQ number. It was permitted to use the name Grafton Street in its new title, but, it was noted, did not hold the title exclusively. The 9th and District were also meeting there at this date. The reason for the move from St Barnabas is not recorded. The Group became open at this point. The scarf colour did not change.
- Cubs 1936 – 1939
- Scouts 1937 – 1938
The Cubs won the District Totem in 1934
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42nd Cambridge (Holy Trinity) pack 1941 – 1946
The move from Grafton Street to Holy Trinity is not documented. Grafton Street was in part requisitioned during WW2 which may have occasioned the move. Holy Trinity had hosted the 22nd until 1935. The 22nd had a good reputation and the Church may have been willing to act again as hosts. In 1941 the troop joined the 29th.
The 42nd was pack only from amalgamation to 1946 when it joined the 29th/42nd as pack B.
- Cubs 1938 (presumably)– 1946
The Cubs won the District Totem in 1944.
The Cubs won the athletics in 1946.
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29th/42nd Cambridge (Holy Trinity) 1941 – 1950 (11078 cancelled)
29th/42nd Cambridge (East Barnwell) 1941 – 1950 1991
Both names have been seen. The date of the link remains unclear. There were few returns in 1939 or 1940 for any groups. The 42nd Cubs remained as a Pack and the 42nd Scouts amalgamated on a war time basis with the 29th. The 42nd troop was losing leaders, the pack remained a going concern. The new group pack became known as 29th/42nd pack but probably did not involve a movement of Cubs.
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42nd + 29th/42nd 1946 – 1950 1991
In 1946 when the 42nd pack joined the 29th/42nd the 42nd became 29th/42nd Pack B and the original 29th/42nd Pack A.
No census returns are recorded under the 42nd between 1947 and 1950.
The 29th/42nd reported
- Sea Scouts 1948 – 1950
- War Service Scouts 1943 – 1944
- Cubs throughout
- Scouts throughout
The Cubs won the District Totem in 1947 (Pack B) and in 1948 (Pack unspecified).
In the 1949 District report Miss Long was labelled as ‘Holy Trinity’. This may have been in recognition of her former affiliation, in error or in anticipation of a return to Holy Trinity.
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42nd Cambridge (Holy Trinity) 1951 – 1978 11078 restored
A major rearrangement of the 29th/42nd and also 25th, not amalgamated but in need of restructuring, occurred in 1951.
- 25th Pack became the 25th Victoria Congregational Church (the Group had been associated with the church; it was the Troop that had lost leaders and from whom the Church wished to disassociate. The new 25th opened in 1950, lasted a year and was amalgamated into the 12th Cambridge.
- 29th/42nd and 25th Troops and the 29th/42nd B Pack became 42nd Cambridge and whilst re registering in 1953 was active until 1978.
- 29th/42nd A Pack became 29th Cambridge (East Barnwell) and retained the original IHQ number 1991.
For a review of the scarf changes at this time see 29th Cambridge page, but the 42nd came out with a scarf of Royal blue with a Gold border. Later the colours were named Dark blue and Gold or just blue and yellow.
- Cubs 1951 – 1972 (end of records)
- Scouts 1951 – 1953
The won the District Totem in 1956.
The new group met at Henry Martin House, Market Street, a fine hall behind Holy Trinity Church. Longy retired apparently in the 1960’s, at the latest with the Advance Party report when the 65 year retirement age was introduced. She would be 74 years old by this date. Rene Golden Long received a Medal of Merit in 1944, a Silver Acorn in 1968 and died in 1979.
The pack fell dormant in 1978 and was closed in that year.
JWR Archivist Jan 2023
Cambridge District Scout Archive 