Silver Bugle

Cambridge District Scout Archive

The Silver Bugle was given in 1911 by Alderman Morley.  The winner was judged on general troop proficiency and largely based on 1st and 2nd class and Kings Scout tests.  The tests in 1912 involved ‘Swimming and Life-saving, Path-finding, Ambulance, Signalling skills, Relay race, Cooking, Bugling and Shooting.

  • 1911 1st Newmarket 6th Cambridge District
  • 1912 1st Newmarket 6th Cambridge District
  • 1913 1st Newmarket 6th Cambridge District
  • 1914 1st Cambridge
  • 1915
  • 1916
  • 1917 -18 6th Higher Grade
  • 1919 9th Cambridge (Queens’ Choir)
  • 1920
  • 1921 9th Cambridge (Queens’ Choir)
  • 1922
  • 1923 9th Cambridge (Queens’ Choir)
  • 1924 9th Cambridge (Queens’ Choir)
  • 1925 1st Cambridge District (Balsham)

The proposal for 1926 was that the Silver Bugle be awarded to the Troop with the greatest proportional number of 1st and 2nd Class Scouts.

Note – the records are from two sources which do not overlap – 9th Cambridge records in bold. Other winners are from the ‘Commenced – 1932’ book and appear to be a formal note of the end of the Bugle.  It looks like an attempt to complete a formal list of winners but the date of compilation is unknown.

The (first) Annual report from 1912 states that 1st Newmarket won the Silver Bugle ‘again’. They scored 538 points, 1st Cambridge were 2nd with 526 points and 13th St Philips 3rd with 260.

The format and future of the Silver Bugle were debated several times in the Executive Committee between 1917 – 1920 agreeing to not award it during the war and later debating the format. Votes on the proposals were not unanimous and several members did not vote. The format agree was of inspection at meetings, not a central competition, and included attendance at District events.

The reason for the hesitation and discussion in 1917 was not given, but the military connotations of a bugle may even then have been unacceptable.

It 1925 it was felt that a Bugle was not a suitable prize for Scouts and it was sold and a shield purchased.   In 1926 there was a debate about the nature of the Silver Bugle competition. Three options were proposed

  • Annual Scoutcraft Comp
  • Handicraft
  • Camping and woodcraft

It is possible that the new Trophy had not been named at this point.

The first known date of the new trophy was 1928.  The new trophy was called the Morley Trophy after the original donor of the bugle. 

1939 April       District Minutes          An old Scout of Newmarket had offered £1 for the Silver Bugle.  It was not accepted but should be hung in the Association room.

1950 The Silver Bugle was in use as a trophy – the note is not attached to a competition but rather asking ‘who has it?’

1954                The winner of the Senior Scout Patrols that participated in the Query Competition of that year was listed as ‘Silver Bugle’ winner. 

1978                The whereabouts of the Bugle is unknown but it was said to be in existence in 1978.

JWR Archivist Jan 2019