56th Cambridge: Outline History

Cambridge District Scout Archive

• 56^th Cambridge           Haslingfield, Harston and Haslingfield           1933 –
• 56^th Cambridge           Impington                                            1948 – 1949
• 56^th Cambridge           Longstanton                                        1954 – 1965
• 56^th Cambridge           Longstanton                                        1967 – 1977
• 56^th Cambridge           Longstanton                                        1984 – 1988

56^th Cambridge          Haslingfield, Haslingfield and Harston         1933    14909

The local Parish Magazine for All Saints Haslingfield report a meeting of or about Scouts on 23rd Jan 1930,  but nothing clearly ahead of that time and although only one issue remains from the following year nothing afterwards.  The District registered the Group in 1933; Haslingfield was founded in 1933, Harston joined as a patrol in 1934. Names changed readily at this date with re registration each year.  The Group moved into South Cambridgeshire in the four way division of the very large Cambridge District in 1935.  A Gold scarf and a purple woggle

1933    Opening with six Scouts

• E G Cole                      SM
• H N Hefferman           ASM                 (1933 only)
• A J Welford                 ASM                 (later CC during WW2)

1935 also         with 20 Scouts

• J W Thomson               ASM                 Trinity Hall
• R S Sturdy                    ASM                 Trinity Hall

Census returns

• Scouts  1933 – 1934

Details of the new District are not retained in Cambridge District archives.  The Group dropped the 56^th Cambridge, as did other transferred Groups, and became Harston.

The Group had a marked patrol by village structure – see separate Outline History Structure/ Troops & Groups/ 51^st – 60^th/ 56^th / Harston.

56^th Cambridge          Impington Village College                            1948/49

Impington Village College was one of the Groups that were formed within Mid Cambridgeshire District, one of the four Districts formed in 1935 from the very large Cambridge District.  Mid Cambridgeshire struggled in WW2 and was temporarily adopted then formally re-absorbed into Cambridge District.  At this point it was given a new Cambridge number 56^th.

Census returns for Cambridge District from the old Mid Cambridgeshire Groups restart for one year.

• Scouts 1948

Census returns are found for one year as the 56th

• Scouts 1949

In 1949 56th Cambridge (Impington Village College) amalgamated with 51st Cambridge (Girton).

56^th Cambridge          Longstanton                                       1954 – 1965                31560

Royal Blue scarf and meeting at RAF Oakington, Longstanton Village Hall and School.

Census returns

• Cubs    1955 – 1965
• Scouts  1955 – 1965

56^th Cambridge          Longstanton                                       1967 – 1976/7                        38218 

This Group was based at ATC HQ RAF Oakington

Census returns

• Cubs    1968 – 1972 and 1975
• Scouts  1967 – 1970 and 1972

56^th Cambridge          Longstanton                                       1984 – 1988                44432

Census returns

• Cubs    1984   

Census returns end at this date with the division of Cambridge District into three.

JWR Archivist Sept 2022