Cambridge District Scout Archive
The following flags are held in the Cambridge District Scout Archive Collection. Not all flags are shown here nor are they presented in date order. A selection of the different styles and layouts are covered.
Archive: 1stfinial, 8th, 16th , 19th, 22nd, 23rd, 25th, 29th, 44th, 54th, 55th
Elsewhere: 5th,11th, 12th, 13th, 57th, 60th , W&D
Missing and gone: flags of the 1st, 2nd
22nd Cambridge troop flag early narrow Fleur de lis finial: Brass push joint no bayonet
St Georges flag Spear head finial: Brass bayonet twist joint
Dedication: This flag is / dedicated to / the Glory of God / and in Honoured / memory of all those / Scouts who gave / their lives for / their Country in / the 1939 1945 war / 24 – 2 – 57
55th CambridgeTroop flag early narrow Fleur de lis finial: Brass bayonet twist joint
Cub Scout jubilee flag leaping wolf finial: Brass bayonet twist joint
Venture Scout flag wide fleur de lis, Finial: White metal screw joint
25th Cambridge Sea Scout troop flag. The pole socket is behind the brass fleur de lis on this finial, the twist projecting at the bottom of the finial traps the flag The pole is one piece
Cambridge Boy Scouts Association flag No flag pole or finial
44th Cambridge No flag pole or finial
1st Cambridge Sea Scout Troop No flag pole or finial
A flag of the 1st is said to have been placed in storage in a hired space under Elizabeth Way bridge at during a gap in the existence of the troop. Tony Clayton recalled in 2022 that it was significantly damaged by water and thrown away. It is not clear which flag was rescued and water damaged, that above or the early one pictured below. As yet no clear picture of the early flag has been unearthed
This 1st Cambridge non-standard finial is seen in a 1940’s photograph, but the wide base plate is mismatched with a thinner pole. It presumably predates the ensemble.
Moth eaten
No flag pole or finial
19th Cambridge Wolf Cub with affiliation (Wesley) The Sawston Wolf Cub flag (below) had a different layout.
54th Cambridge Cub flag with location. The 54th ran two packs for a time Arbury and Chesterton and sets of flags for each pack are held by the archive.
29th
The top two 29th flags are hand made and date from between 1946 and 1966. The bottom is a made non standard flag from post 1967 with a reused leaping wolf finial. The metal fleur de lys finial on the Senior Scout flag is badly broken and bent. This 29th was formed in 1928 but a previous 29th existed between 1921 and 1934 and the flag style suggests an early date. The 29th was originally formed as a new ‘All Saints’ the original troop based at the church having been the 8th and in existence from 1909 and their colours were being made by ‘some lady well wishers’ in 1910. The square union flag which is clearly reused is a very early form.
The fringed edge, tassel at the base of the motto, loops rather than a sleeve for the pole, the shape of the letters and the inclusion of the C are all elements found in very early idiosyncratic troop flags. It is a reasonable hypothesis that the flag was transferred and falling into disrepair a new version made. It may be a 29th version of the original flag from the 8ht or any other troop.
The material man made, the stitching in a double row and the skill in making the two identical all suggest a skilled hand, possibly that of Lady CM Irene Long of the 42nd. She was listed as a Master Dressmaker in the 1939 census. The two groups were amalgamated in stages in WW2 as 29th/42nd and separated in 1951. The red Senior Scout flag might suggest a date of 1947/8 when the groups were together and the 29th recorded Senior Scouts for a year. They also recorded numbers from 1956 – 1965. The 29th and 42nd probably considered the amalgamation to be temporary, particularly the later union with the Cubs.
The non standard 12th Cambridge Air Scouts flag of WW2 (below) which clearly did not replicate an early flag is also fringed.
1st Cambridge
June 1913 1st Cambridge flag described as being worked in green and gold silk ‘1st Cambridge Sea Scouts’. Honour, Courtesy, Obedience, Gentlemanliness, Loyalty, Thrift, Brotherhood, Cheerfulness and Be Prepared.
The picture below is of the 1st Cambridge Sea Scouts flag. The detail is unclear and the whereabouts of the flag were unknown until 2025. It is water damaged, probably from storage rather than water based activities, and lost all its applied green infill and gold lettering. The 1947 World Scout Jamboree badge is top left. A top quality piece of silk. The tasseled fringe may have been replaced, the current form is lighter in tone and both thicker and longer than the original
Flags of note held elsewhere within the District
‘The new troop colours kindly presented by Miss Davis, headmistress…’ ‘The colours were worked in light blue on dark blue background and… They take the form of the Chesterton coat of arms surmounted by the fleur de lys and bearing underneath the official Be Prepared scroll.’
April 1913 concert report CC 12th Cambridge Box 2
Viscount(ess) Clifden’s Own
MRCS
Milton Road Council School 12th Camb’s BP Boy Scouts
Flag with the three Nunn brothers 1914.
The 12th scarf was and is variations on light and dark blue. Note the gaps and the unstitched ‘ESS’ as the name changed to Viscount from Viscountess.
The three badges on the top left are:
- 1937 5th International Scout Jamboree Nederland
- 1956 Sandringham camp
- 1957 50th Anniversary
The faded colours are the result of being on display in front of a small window at the level of the finial.
Perse School 5th Cambridge
Held at Perse School, intertwined PS and V (5th) inside C (Cambridge). Perse Pelican top right Photo from Perse The First 400 years. The flag is curiously mounted upside down on an untrimmed staff from a hedgerow and despite the old form of fleur de lys was made in 1990 by the parent of members of the troop. It strongly resembles the Perse flag in pictures from 1911 and later. The Union flag is a separate piece sewn on to the artificial material of the backdrop and the probably reused insignia are also appliquéd. The flag, with the slightly misjudged proportions of stripes, suggests an old manufacture and it too may be reused from a previous flag. It is signed and dated. The brass fleur de lys on this finial is similar to that of the 23rd, above.
9th Cambridge flag held by 11th/9th
The 11th Cambridge record a flag made by Alan McKenzie in the late 1930’s. What it replaced, if anything, is unclear.
13th Cambridge A poor photograph of a very faded brown flag which is 100 years old. It is the original colours of the 13th, in the original colour brown as was the scarf. The colours were changed around 1916, the flag had the title Notts’ Own added and was in use for many years, being replaced ‘some years before 1975’ (1969 as quoted below) and finally placed on the wall at some point after 1975 (Ken North addendum to Hutch ‘s 60 year history See 13th Cambridge) It is fringed, as are the 5th and Duxford flags.
The 13th also retain this brass standard holder on a brown webbing belt. It bears no date.
Duxford flag and hand carved flag pole
The flag pole is full length, the top only shown here. Held at Duxford Scout Centre
A printed flag having unclear edges to the letters, scroll and fleur de lys. Held by the Leys School Archive. The White bands are archival weighted ropes. Much damaged and repaired.
23rd flag or flags are retained by an ex member of the Group. They had been unceremoniously placed in the bottom of the Vestry cupboard by a new incumbent despite being dedicated.
18th Cambridge District (1st Fulbourn)
Held in St Vigor’s with All Saints, Fulbourn, the ‘old flag’ laid up in 1957 at the dedication of the new. It has a non standard finial and a robust two part oak shaft. Green and Yellow cord. The Ickleston Group flag survived the arson attack at the church and remains in their safekeeping. Undated it is likely to be the 1959 incarnation in South Cambridgeshire not the 1913/14 3rd Cambridge District Troop. It is similar to the 44th flag above and has a narrow fleur de lis finial.
County Pennant following HQ format. Held by county. This is a standard County pennant shape. A similar flag is known from Friern Barent/ Southgate/ Woodgreen in a photograph dated 1933.
It is recorded in County Gazette Vol. 1 No. 1 of late 1935 that the county Executive accepted the County flag from Mr. Room (later Professor Room and long term Scouter). He left for Australia in this year.
A poor photograph of the University Rover scout flag c 2019 shows a standard green rover flag, apparently printed not embroidered or appliqued. It was taken to a CUSAGC meeting but whereabouts now unknown.
Cambridge Archives
1911 Howard Mallett’s notes of a parade give the 1st, 2nd, 5th, and 1st CD as having flags. The 10th, 13th, 5th CD and 6th CD did not parade with a ‘colour’.
1912 6th Cambridge (Higher Grade School) had a flag presented by a fellow schoolmaster, not seemingly connected to the troop, J A Peart ‘designed and embroidered by himself’.
1913 12th Cambridge had a specified Colour Bearer pre WW1. The only known holder of this role was Len Freeman.
1921 Cambridge University Rovers considered a flag of ‘Blue with a silver Fleur de Lys and the name of the troop‘ but opted for green and yellow as a usual troop. The move to a uniform style is in marked contrast to pre war flags.
1921 7th Cambridge County School had a Troop banner which was held by the leading patrol, from context awarded termly. It appears to have taken over from a shield and to have existed before this role.
1921 Milton Scouts, then 3rd Cambridge District, was initiated by Canon George Evans who at some point between 1921 an d1926 provided a flag. It was found by Michael Nurse in the Old Rectory out house sometime in the 1960’s but was beyond repair.
c 1923
1922 7th Cambridge (County School) ‘2 Morse flags 2/6’ More were purchased over the next 20 years
1922 University Rover flag presented by Hon. Instructor Chapman
1924 7th Cambridge (County School) ‘Patrol flags 1/-‘
1927 7th Cambridge (County School) ‘Gamages flag 7/6′ (Gamages was a department store with a mail order service)
1928 23rd Cambridge Wolf Cub flag with squatting wolf rather than a wolf head. Photos from Cambridgeshire Collection
See below for an extant example from Cardiff
>1928 26th Cambridge are recalled by Barrie Sheehan as having a blue flag. Blue is the colour of their scarves and it might date from the earliest part of their history.
1932 13th Cambridge New Patrol flags for Owls, Peewits, Woodpeckers and Bulldogs
1934 55th Cambridge Troop flag for ₤1/14/-. A ‘Union Jack’ cost 6/6 and a patrol flag 1/-.
1941 – 46 The 12th Cambridge Air Scouts existed from 1941 to 1946. Someone found the material from somewhere in this time of rationing.
1949 District agreed to purchase colours St George’s flag, and District Flag. To consult the District and then IHQ on design. No designs were received and DC then P R Arthur put forward designs which were moderated by IHQ.
The note on this sketch states that the fleur de lys on the shield should be gold not silver as painted. Compare with the flag above.
1950 Three stands for colours to be made District Minutes
1950 26th Cambridge received their new colours.
1951 District Colours received ₤7/7/9 To be dedicated 1951 St Georges Day.
1952 In Mourning for King George VI ‘Flags carried in public should be draped’
1946 – 1956 Flags as flown on 12th Cambridge M B. ‘Adventurer’
1963 The 12th Cambridge purchased new ceremonial flags for £14/4/0
1964 A flag was ordered for the Cambridge Scouts’ Boat Club by W A Mackrow and once delivered returned for the addition of the dates of going head. The costs quoted were between 41/3d and 194/3d, depending on material, bespoke lettering and work done and one side or both decorated. Before the additional dates he paid 119/3d nett. A short description being:
4′ x 3’… heavy yacht quality all wool bunting. The design… usual Scout green ground having the Boy Scout Fleur de lys only (no motto or scroll) and underneath gold crossed oars and to be lettered between the handles CSBC (on separate panels sewn back to back)
1966 New flags for the Cubs dropped the ‘Wolf’ following the Advance party Report.. No immediate District wide change was recorded and in some packs flags were used for at least 50 years after the event.
1967 Instructions for carrying the colours at the St Georges Day parade – flags at Carry, Carry – Gather in, Carry – flying free
1969 13th presented with new standard
1969 29th presented with new Cub Scout flag made by the previous Akela Mrs. Doris Robinson
1970 50th record the dedication of a new flag.
1975 A special commemorative flag has been presented to the Cub section by John Chambers, available to all District and County events for next year. (See Diamond Jubilee flag above) CSG
1983 At the division of the District North Cambridge had the Union Flag. G Smith, Vice Chair, volunteered to make a St George flag ‘an exact replica of District St George’ A District Flag was ordered.
1985 John Chambers presented Cambridge North with new District Colours in memory of his late father.
Geoffrey Smith Cambridge North Vice Chairman, made and presented a St George’s Flag
A notable flag from Cardiff
When Captain Scott’s Antarctic Expedition ship, the Terra Nova, sailed into her home port of Cardiff on 14 June 1913, she …(was) …bearing the colour of the 4th Cardiff Scout Troop, this little green flag had accompanied the expedition to the Antarctic and back.
https://museum.wales/articles/2013-06-14/The-scout-flag-that-we
H Q descriptions of flags
4’ x 3’ Rifle Green with Scout Badge and motto in the centre of the flag in yellow (Rifle Green –the Colour of the uniform of The Rifles as currently worn by the Gurkha’s.)
Missing and reportedly gone
1st Cambridge Sea Scouts from Ivor Meadows collection. Reported to have been found water damaged and beyond repair.
2nd Cambridge c 1930 taken from T G Room photographs of the troop outside the parish rooms.
Fringed with a narrow fleur de lys finial and apparently standard fleur de lys on the flag. None of the pictures show a more distinct colour contrast on the flag.
Below flag of 3rd Cambridge British Boy Scouts 1911 before they became 15th Cambridge B P Scouts in 1912 and their flag in 1914 once they became the 15th.
JWR Archivist Feb 2019
Cambridge District Scout Archive 