Cambridge District Scout Archive
1953 05 27
Known as the Coronation Jamboree or Sandringham Rally the event was for Scouts from Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. Groups from seven other countries also attended, Australian Scouts were guests of the 23rd Cambridge. 3000 attended in total of which 700 were from Cambridgeshire.
Lord Rowallan attended and photographs of him with the 12th remain. The event is detailed in the 13th Rovers log.
‘The 700 scouts from Cambridgeshire who travelled by train to the Queen’s estate at Sandringham for the Coronation Jamboree experienced one of the finest Scout camps that has ever been held in this country, with bright sunny weather which seemed to arrive just when it was wanted. There were shops, a tuck shop, ice cream and mineral stands. Many of the gateways were gaily decorated and flags of many nations were flying. The 7th (Cambridgeshire High School) troop erected a gateway representing their school crest whilst the 26th Cambridge made their gateway from the detachable handle of their trek-cart and made a two-tier table of the wheels.‘
From the 44th Cambridge (Trumpington) we have a notion of just how small the pitches were, and the ‘successive positions of corner posts’ suggests that it was worse. They record their neighbours as 26th and 27th.
The following Cambridge Troops camped 1st, 2nd, 4th,5th,7th, 8th, 9th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 17th, 19th, 23rd, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th, 31st, 42nd, 44th, 50th, 51st, 52nd, 53rd, 54th, 60th, Shelford & Stapleford (then in Granta District).
From Mike Petty Collection
Cambridge District Scout Archive 