Scout Beacons

Cambridge District Scout Archive

Mafeking                    1901                Midsummer Common

Another on Market Hill was built to celebrate the relief of Ladysmith.

Jubilee Beacons                     1935

George V          Silver jubilee

In 1935 the Boy Scouts built a chain of 1775 Beacons running across the Country to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of King George V.  George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936.

1,775 beacons blazed in the UK and more throughout the Commonwealth.  B-P lit the beacon in Winnipeg.

Cambridge Archive

In Cambridge the Beacon at Madingley Hill was built by the 26^th Cambridge.  It was lighted on May 6^th at 10.00 pm along with all the others in the country (from 26^th Cambridge Wolf Cub log) 50 gallons of oil was poured on the beacon. It is also claimed by the 12th (see below)

Messer’s. Cadbury offered Cocoa to the those lighting the beacon              District Minutes

T H White, author of the Once and Future King – later the Disney film Sword in the Stone, studied ancient beacon sites and provided a list of 465 traditional locations to the Scouts.  Beacons were six to eight miles apart where the terrain allowed.

The King lit the first beacon in Hyde Park on 6^th May at 10 pm.  This started the chain of beacons across the country.  The 12th report is clear that all beacons were lit at 22.00, not as each sighted the previous beacon. Some reports suggest that as each beacon was lit rockets were discharged in the Scout colours, red, green and yellow. The newspaper report above suggest one was lit as local signal.

The 12th Cambridge Beacon was placed on Madingley Hill (see photo above). The faded map below also highlights other beacons around Cambridge.

The Grafton Street Gazette referred to ‘all Scouts should have the opportunity to do there bit building beacons’ but the locations were on ‘details previously circulated’ but are listed in the newspaper article above. Following the event C T Woods, CC was drawn to comment on the poor turnout of Scouts both in building the beacons, which was largely left to the Rovers.

The 7th Cambridge record purchasing ‘Fireworks for the Beacon – 2/6’

Coronation Fires                    1936/7                        Edward VIII    

It was anticipated that at the Coronation of King Edward VIII Scouts would hold rallies and listen to the event through loud speakers.  The plan was to broadcast camp fire songs to give the lead across the Empire.  He abdicated in Dec 1936.           Cambridgeshire County Gazette 1936

Victory Bonfire                      1945   

DC said he had received no communication from the Borough Authorities about Victory Day Bonfires.   25^th April 1945

Coronation Beacons             1953                Queen Elizabeth II Coronation

The Madingley site was reviewed and considered ‘hemmed in’.

The proposed sites for the Coronation Beacons in Cambridgeshire were:

• Cambridge District               Gog Magog Hills                     Madingley
• Newmarket District              Newmarket                             Dalham
• South Cambridgeshire         Stapleford                               Haslingfield
• Ely                                       Sutton                                     Little Downham
• March                                     March
• Wisbech                               Wisbech St Mary

Local Scouts erected and fired two beacons along with Shelford Scouts (then in another District).  It is not known where they were.

Letters also refer to the Norman Cement Company off Coldhams Lane, who agreed that a beacon could be built on their site.  They also offered junk cotton sacks for burning.

Sourcing fuel for the Coronation Beacons was difficult.  Mr Gingell gave permission for wood to be taken from Quy Fen.  Cambridgeshire is not heavily wooded and the country had depleted its woodland during two world wars.  The availability of small stuff may have been further depleted by a thrifty return to traditional fuels in this period of post war austerity.  Tyres and used engine oil was added to some beacons.

Cambridge Scouts were involved in selling Coronation programmes and some attended a Coronation camp at Sandringham.

The 1935 and 1953 beacons have references and records in the Cambridge District Archive. Scouts have participated in building Beacons at other events. 

Enterprise Neptune               1965                National Trust Scheme

1965    The National Trust Enterprise Neptune Scheme was launched on St. George’s Day, 23rd April, 1965 with the lighting of bonfires on the sites of the Armada Beacons.

Two beacons were allocated, one to the Scout and Guide Troop and one to District seniors.  Only one was completed at Castle Camps, the District Minutes calling it a spectacular success.

Jubilee Beacon                       1977                Queen Elizabeth   Silver jubilee

Lantern lit parade to Castle Hill headed by the 26^th Cambridge for lighting at 10 PM following the Queens lighting of the first at Snow Hill, Windsor.   Some hours later the last beacon was lit somewhere in Scotland.  A prize was awarded for the best lantern. 

The Silver Jubilee celebrates 25 years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign which predated the Coronation (see above)   She ascended to the throne: February 6, 1952 .

JWR Archivist July 2019