Scout Certificates

Cambridge District Scout Archive

Certificates have long been presented on both formal inspection and for sporting endeavour and success.

They replace, complement or extend solid trophies and, in archive terms, survive to give a fuller picture of involvement.  As has been noted under Sports for All, Scouting works to engage all in sporting activities; certificates can recognise this where trophies only praise the winner.  Further, trophies move on year by year, certificates stay with a group.

See Activities/ Sports/ Sports for All

The form of the certificates has altered over time becoming larger, less formal (simpler) and somewhat more colourful.  Those holding the (facsimile) Chief Scout signature are of great weight and lack pictorial ornamentation.

The following review of certificates is from the 13^th Cambridge Archive. Several certificates from Camps, completed by the DC of the District in which the camp is situated, have been retained.  These are generally ‘good reports’.  No damning reports remain. Some predate WW2.

1946                 ‘Bob a Job certificates from the 1940’s onwards records the money made.   

See Activities/ Bob – a – Job

1950’s              Involvement in the Query???/ Alert competitions is recognised by certificates.  Winning, placed in the top three or just competing is worthy of gaining recognition.  Most Patrols did not enter, many troops had no entries.  These continue throughout the existence of the trophy and some come ‘Highly Commended’.

1960’s              Certificates survive from District Events, Morley Trophy, Athletics competition, Alert competition. 

1970’s              Certificates increasingly survive, or more were issued.  A wider range of activities gain certificates both District events and Troop events. Swimming competition, Alert competitions, Assault Course competitions, First Aid, individual and cumulative Athletics events, Cub 5/ 6 a side football, Inter patrol fishing competition, Brain of Cyprus (inter patrol quiz), and a solitary ‘only helper after close of camp’ certificate.

1980’s              The high level of certificates continue, often for individuals Z won standing long jump for 8 year olds or occasionally pairs (X and Y in the 8 year old three legged race) which have been retained by the pack or troop.

1990’s              Few exist in this era from this source.

2000 +             A number of computer generated certificates are held in the 13^th records from this era, largely from the 7^th/23^rd.  They alter background regularly.

See also Home/ Archive/ Blank Certificates

JWR Archivist Feb 2020