Bye Laws

Cambridge District Scout Archives

The Bye Laws of the Scout Association detail the rules for running the governing bodies. These are now referred to as the Constitution and a proposed version is available in POR.

On formation or reformation of a District or Local Association a set of Bye Laws is drawn up to govern the running of the local Executive Committee.  The bulk of the local Bye Laws are taken from the Association pro forma.  They could be altered but local variations required ‘good reason’ to be sanctioned by IHQ.

Some local decisions were required.   The required form ‘B’ or combined form ‘A –B’ requested decisions on

• Number of Members required to request a special meeting
• Days notice required to notify members of meetings
• Numbers required in the Executive Committee
• Days notice required to notify members of Executive Committee meetings
• Number required for a meeting to be quorate

From ‘Form B’ Revised April 1968

The Bye Laws required adoption at a meeting of the District Scout Council.  These Bye Laws then required approval by the Imperial Headquarters.

Cambridge Archives

1913    The original Bye Laws (below) is a very local extension of the Bye Laws. ‘No Boy Scout is allowed to visit the college room of any Scoutmaster  who is a member of the University in statu pupillari (ie undergraduates), or go to any place of public entertainment with him unless leave has been granted by the College Authorities.’          

1935    On the separation of North and South Cambridge and the formation of West Cambridge in 1935,   Cambridge Town the Bye laws were reviewed by IHQ and found to be very out of date.  They were reviewed and alterations made.

From ‘1932 book’ in District archives.  These are local additional Bye laws to the Headquarters rules

Each revision replaces the previous version.

JWR Archivist Feb 2019