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: 1st, 8th, 16th , 22nd, 23rd, 25th, 44th, 54th, 55th
Elsewhere: 5th,11th, 12th, 13th, 60th , W&D

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

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)

54th Cambridge Cub flag with location. The 54th ran two packs for a time Arbury and Chesterton and two sets of flags for each pack are held by the archive.
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
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
Held by 11th/9th

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.
County Pennant following HQ format. Held by county. This is a standard County pennant shape.

Cambridge Archives
c 1923

1922 7th Cambridge (County School) ‘2 Morse flags 2/6’ More were purchased over the next 20 years
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


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)
1967 Instructions for carrying the colours ar the St Georges Day parade – flags at Carry, Carry – Gather in, Carry – flying free
1969 13th presented with new standard
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
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.)

JWR Archivist Feb 2019