Cambridge District Scout Archive
Before mobile phones and email, before cheap and easy copying, before an affluence that can ignore the cumulative costs, Noticeboards were a cheap way of spreading information and advertising the presence of an organisation.
The three sites identified in town were the Train station, The Police Station in St Andrew’s Street and the Post Office in Petty Curry. They had a cost to erect and maintain and to hire each year.
The 1924 noticeboard by the Police Station would be seen as a form of approval, however indirect. It is of note that the Chief Constable,a friend of Scouting in Cambridge, was ready to facilitate the renewal of a noticeboard in 1949.
During the early years of WW2 they appear to have fallen into disuse, possibly as a consequence of the black out or to limit information to invaders; possibly because so many leaders were on active service. During this time Howard Mallett circulated a newsletter to maintain communication links.
District Minutes & elsewhere
1920 District Minutes The Commissioners action in applying for advertising space at Cambridge Station was approved. The DSM was to organise a frame to be constructed. Yearly rent 7/-.
1924 Association Notice board at the Police station
1925 ‘These proposals are displayed in the Official Notice Board at the Police Station’ Notification of AGM
1925 A letter terminating contract for display at notice board at the (train?) station
1926 Notice board Police Station St Andrews Street
1933 Of ‘Stupendous proportions and Rustic design’ the Rovers built a notice board at Abington
1935 H Cann quietly repaired the Old Association Noticeboard
1943 ‘LNER unable to permit the erection of a noticeboard at the railway station. The Borough Surveyor would permit the erection of a board at the old Post Office.’
1946 University Scouts proposed to erect a noticeboard outside St Edward’s Church.
1949 To arrange for noticeboard at front of stores. All notices to be signed by appropriate Association Officer.
To enquire about noticeboard that formally stood outside the Police station. The Chief Constable was unable to trace the noticeboard formerly outside the Police Station. He was ready to permit erection of another if desired.
1958 Attention is drawn to the Association Notice Board by the old Post Office in Petty Curry by Cambridge Scout News (was GSG)
1975 District discussed ways of reaching newcomers to the city as potential leaders. The use of notice boards in the library, YMCA and Perne Road was planned.
Notice Boards on Camp
These temporary Notice boards were used to post camp rules, programmes and duty rotas. They were occasionally a centre piece of pioneering work. The example below from 1936 Ely Rally is a leather hide and the notices attached, apparently, by pins.
Pre WW2
JWR Archivist 2019 & 2021
Cambridge District Scout Archive 