Milton & Landbeach

Cambridge District Scout Archive

Much of the following in blue has been taken from a history compiled by David Waterson in the late 1970’s.  The original typewritten copy is held by Rob Farrington a later GSL of the group.  The history is as recalled by a number of the earliest Scouts then living in the village.  Many recorded incidents have been incorporated in the article on line.

13th Cambridge District (Milton)                        1922 – 1923                Open               10582

Registered 6th November 1922 with the IHQ number 10582, it was Open with 1 leader and 12 Scouts

  • SM B F W Levett (Bert)

It did not re register in October 1923.  Such hiatus are not unusual and may not imply more than poor communication or a hesitant return of paperwork whilst a new SM stepped up.

Founded in 1921 by Rector and Vicar Canon George Evans who started with 12 Scouts paying 2d. subs. a week.  He subsidised the uniform paying for the hats and staffs.  They met originally in the old School and adjacent Reading Room and later one of the three village halls.  During this time he was supported by Jack Mead, possibly the first Scout and Fred Pearson who were members of the 12th Milton School later known as the Gilbert Road Troop.  Badges were awarded during this first phase and Fred attended the opening of the Cenotaph as part of the Cambridge contingent.  George Wilson and Fred Pearson were also members of the Scout Rowing Club

Canon George Evans was later to provide an old leaky boat which was repaired and a Troop flag which was located many years later on the Rectory outhouse but was beyond repair.  He did, however, take away the Boer War era rifles donated to the troop and used only once as ‘the Scouts are not a military organisation’.

13th Cambridge District (Milton)                        1923 – 1925                Open               11968

Troop HQ was The School Milton

  • Act SM       Gerald C Pinney          45 Abbey Road
  •                      E B Moss                  39 Victoria Park

It opened 20th November 1923 with one leader and 9 scouts. Magenta and Green scarf

By 1926 Gerald Pinney was SM, recalled as being of St Giles, Cambridge and the troop ran until the late 1920’s when it ‘fizzled out’.

13th Cambridge District (Milton)                        1925 – 1925                Open               13721

Registered 4th May 1925, presumably a re-registration with a new IHQ number

  • SM             Miss Sue? Beecroft
  • ASM           Gerald C Pinney

With two officers and 16 Scouts.  Magenta and Green scarf Last known mention in records is in 1925 but it is recalled as ‘petering out’ in the late 1920’s. 

65th Cambridge (Milton) / Milton    1933 –1935 and 1935 – 1937

From 1933 the 65th Cambridge (Milton) was recorded as a Scout Troop.   An open troop, number 16458, it closed in 1937.   It, like Landbeach, had moved to Mid Cambridgeshire District in 1935 and changed its name to Milton, dropping the number 65th which was reused within Cambridge District.  No records remain from this period.

During the 1930’s what were in 1980 described as ‘scout events’ were organised by Alfred and Charles Butcher, brothers who were both to die in WW2.   It can only be assumed that this was the Mid Cambs. group.  Some even less clear occasional scout events are recalled as being held in the British Legion hall during WW2 by ‘an unidentified woman’.

During WW2 the new District ‘Mid Cambs’ was reabsorbed back into Cambridge District.  It was effectively part of Cambridge from about 1945 but the Groups only formally renumbered in 1948 when the move became permanent.

50th Cambridge (Milton and Landbeach)    7th October 1948 – 1953         26640              Sponsored

A Group was started in 1948.  Meeting at Milton Parochial School it was sponsored by the local church and listed both a pack and troop.  Briefly ahead of this formal opening date the 45th Cambridge (Landbeach) Cub pack was reported as participating with the 50th in the 40th anniversary of Scouting shortly ahead of the formal date of registration. This group was sponsored by Milton Church (All Saints) the Rector of which was Rev Jack Martin Plumley, later Professor Herbert Thompson Chair of Egyptology, was SM. He was known to be engaged in Rovers and running scout troops whilst a vicar in the East End of London during WW2. When he stepped away in 1953 the Group stuttered.  The 50th returned census figures

  • Scouts  1949 – 1950
  • Cubs    1949 – 1953

The CM was Mrs K M Langley and later briefly Miss Margaret Shipp.

They are reported as closing in 1953.

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45th Cambridge (Landbeach)

The 45th Cambridge (Landbeach),like Papworth, moved to a new District and became part of Mid Cambridgeshire District in 1935.  Mid Cambridgeshire struggled to retain its identity during the war and was re absorbed into Cambridge District in 1945.   Landbeach regained its old number, not all did.

It was sufficiently active to be re absorbed in 1945.  No census numbers for the returning group are recorded for this period. It gains a passing mention in 1947 and was clearly working with Milton in 1948.  The pack is recorded as closed in 1949, probably a late formal notification.  The original Lady Cub mistress, Mrs. Winifred M Denham wife of the Rector, left the living, if not the village, in 1948 when her husband died. 

I have not found any reference to the 45th Cambridge (Landbeach) pack formally joining the 50th Cambridge or to it being some or all of the opening 50th pack.  It would appear likely that if neither of these was the case then at least some of the Cubs from the closing 45th would have brought their experience of Scouting to the new group which was intended to cover the two villages. 

*****

The name Milton and Landbeach is often shortened to Milton. This shorting of names is not uncommon in records, but it can induce doubt as to the full name.   I have not come across any formal registration that suggests it was ever just Milton since it became the 50th Cambridge.

*****

50th Cambridge (Milton and Landbeach)                1964 – date               36932              Open

Reopening in 1964 and meeting at the British Legion Hall the group retained the scarf (see below for colour).  This final rebirth was under Michael Nurse and he was joined by Sally Summerfield as CM previously of the 54th.  It started as a pack.

By 1967 the scout Troop was run by George Mills with Bob Patman (also ex 54th), in 1968 by David Waterson and in 1973 David Tiplady (ex 14th). Tony Stubbings was CM and a second pack was opened in 1974 in Landbeach under Mrs Norah Fuller. Michael Nurse was GSL to be followed by Rob Farrington in 1974.  The Venture Scouts were initially part of the Cam Valley Unit, an amalgamation with the 12th and 54th, but later became a standalone unit.

David Waterson, the author of this piece, was SL from 1969 to 1974.  During his time the Troop engaged in joint meetings with the American Scouts at Mildenhall and with Milton Guides.  They moved to regular camping and built up their equipment base.   They dedicated their new flag in 1970 and gained their first Queens Scout in 1975.

For a time teh Group ran a Landbeach pack (c. 12 – 15, and a Milton pack c. 24 – 30, but numbers of available boys and leaders dropped in Landbeach and they pack was re amalgamated and run as Tiger and Panther packs.

The Group became part of North Cambridge District in the three way division of 1983, the two town sections, North and South Cambridge, reuniting in 2001.

Census figures available give:

  • Cubs                    1965 →
  • Scouts                  1966 – 1967, 1970 →
  • Ventures              1973 – 1975 , 1982 →                        Ventures re-opened in April 1981

The scouts did not report Air Scouts, Sea Scouts or Senior Scouts.

  • Beavers               1987 →
  • Explorers             2002 →

Leaders

Few records from the post war period to inform this very short Outline History which has now been greatly supplemented by David Waterson’s history from the late 1970’s .  Few records survive from the period when North and South Cambridge District sundered.  Much of what remains has been pieced together.

One significant name attached to the Group is that of Rob Farrington (silver wolf), a leader since 1959 and GSL at the 50th from 1976 his family several of whom have also been engaged for decades.

Activities

It is evident that the group plays an important part in the social life of the village.  More widely the group has been very active in the Cambridge Gang Show, camped at the Coronation Jamboree in 1953 and at many District events since.

Scarf

Scarf colours   The scarf, always with a boarder, has been described as

  • Red with orange                         1948
  • Red with gold                              1950
  • Crimson with a gold edge           1952
  • Scarlet and gold                          1968
  • Red and gold                               2002

This shift in description is not unusual; the core colour-way remains unchanged.

JWR Archivist  Jan & June 2023