Chief Scouts in Cambridge(shire)

Cambridge District Scout Archives

This is a growing list of Chief Scout visits to Cambridge and Cambridgeshire. 

The Boy Scouts Association’s Chief Scouts of the British Empire and Commonwealth

• Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, died 8 January 1941
• Arthur Somers-Cocks, 6th Baron Somers,           March 1942,    d 1944
• Thomas Corbett, 2nd Baron Rowallan,                April 1945,    – 1959 
• Sir Charles Maclean, later Lord Maclean,          September 1959, 1971 

The Scout Association’s Chief Scouts of the United Kingdom and Overseas Territories

• Sir William Gladstone,                                     July 1972         – 1982
• Major-General Michael J. H. Walsh,              February 1982     – 1988
• Sir Garth Morrison,                                           May 1988                – 1996
• George Purdy,                                                     March 1996            – 2004
• Peter Duncan,                                                     5 September 2004 – 2009
• Bear Grylls,                                                          11 July 2009            – 2020

Cambridge Archives

Baden Powell See separate page      d 1941

Lord Somers                                       d 1944

1941/42 AGM Plans had been made for Lord Somers to visit Cambridge on the 1^st and 2^nd of May 1942, to have a communal meal in the Dorothy cafe and review a County Rally in Cambridge on the 2^nd. It was cancelled in April due to his illness.

(1943               ‘Several Cubs and Scouts from Cambridge had attended a meeting in Haverhill at which the Chief Scout was present.’  District Minutes)

1944                Proposed visit of Chief Scout 13/5/1944        Cancelled Ill health

1944                Deputy Chief Scout Sir Percy Everett attended Perse Field Day

Lord Rowallan

28/2/1946       60^th Crew were guests of the University Rover Scout Club at a meeting in Trinity Old Combination Room where they met the Chief Scout.  Scouters welcome.

23/03/1946     Lord Rowallan, Chief Scout, at Guildhall Cambridge rally

23/3/1946           5^th records       ‘Three Counties Rally’            Cambridgeshire Rally  23/3/46 Guildhall, 24/3/46  Drill Hall East Road

Professor Duff ‘won a stuffed elephant (the word toy inserted) at the 11^th/9^th Group Fair and it had been presented to the Chief Scout for his daughter’.

And Drill Hall East Road? 5/46

1948    40^th Anniversary rally and Camp on Midsummer Common (plus Chief? Check

Mike Petty

1952    Degree of Doctorate of Scouting bestowed on Lord Rowallan by University RSL  10^th November following his appearance at Union.                                                 Sky blue

 Lord Maclean

Sir William Gladstone                      

1976    ‘Spent a weekend here (in June), the Sunday Morning with scouts camped at Longstowe and in the afternoon going on to Abington Campsite to open the new buildings and improvements’              70 years of scouting Ken North     County Scout camp

1976    On the occasion of the Chief Scout visiting Abington the District occupied the campsite and the adjacent playing field.  20/6/1976

‘First visit by a Chief Scout for many years’   CC

Major-General Michael J. H. Walsh

1989    Michael Walsh                        County visit 1986

Sir Garth Morrison             

1989    Garth Morrison           County visit 1989

George Purdy         

Peter Duncan          

Bear Grylls

JWR Archivist Feb 2019