The de Beaumont family

Cambridge District Scout Archive

Hon Mrs. de Beaumont          Kathleen Mary                                      1876 – 1974

Elise de Beaumont                  Elizabeth Vera Catherine Alice          1898 – 1988

Marguerite de Beaumont       Marguerite Julia Caroline Jeanne       1899 – 1989

Charles de Beaumont             Charles-Louis Leopold Alfred             1902 – 1978

In 1909 Kathleen de Beaumont – Klein and her two daughters had attended the first Scout rally at Crystal Palace, a Patrol of nine and one of three groups of girls. (The – Klein was dropped or altered for de Beaumont in the Great War.) BP met the girls present and when it was decided to set up Girl Guides BP asked the Hon. Mrs. de Beaumont to become County Commissioner for Cambridgeshire.

Hon Mrs. de Beaumont       County Commissioner for Girl Guides 1916 – 1945

Elise de Beaumont               First County Secretary, first camp adviser

Marguerite de Beaumont   Trainer and ran the first county camp           Lady Cubmaster. Marguerite became personal friends with the Baden-Powell family and Girl Guide Commissioner.  She wrote a biography of Baden-Powell The Wolf That Never Sleeps.

Charles de Beaumont           A ‘de Beaumont’ is pictured in Scout rather than Scouter uniform in July 1918 Flax picking camp. He is tending to the Influenza patients.

A ‘C de Beaumont’ is recorded as ASM with Dry Drayton 1920 and C L de Beaumont clearly in 1921. He is present at the very first meeting proposing the formation of the Cambridge University Rover crew on 30th November 1920. C L de Beaumont donated the Wolf Cub Boxing Trophy in 1922 when he is listed as DSM. The role lasted no later than 1923 when he was organizing the Wolf Cub athletics. A Mr de Beaumont is recorded in Reveille as having’ a very happy season despite measles and microbes’ with Dry Drayton. Reveille was published in 1920. He is a Troop Leader in the Cambridge University Rovers in 1920 at Trinity College. In 1923 he rowed, for one year, with the first Cambridge Scouts’ Boat Club crew in the Town Bumps.

In 1974 Alert competition Q 5 describes him as a ‘famous fencer’ and after whom the de Beaumont Centre in London is named.

Cambridge Archive

1915 A ‘L Beaumont’ of the 6th Cambridge (Higher Grade School) sang Land of Hope and Glory at a Scout concert. There is no clear link and a Beaumont family is recorded in Cambridge at this time.

1918 The Exec ‘Agreed to recommend for registration A wolf cub pack with Cubmaster: Miss de Beaumont’ This was later listed as Newnham. Miss de Beaumont was later present at a General Meeting in 1919

1918/ Nov Miss E de Beaumont CM of newly founded 5th Cambridge

1920 L de Beaumont warranted as ASM Dry Drayton

1923 Swimming Sports organised by C L de Beaumont

1932 Hon Mrs and Miss de Beaumont were both involved in the United Council of Christian Witness for Cambridge when it held a ‘Week of Youth’. This event was heavily focussed on engaging the ‘young’ of Cambridge in youth organisations and both Guides and scout leaders were heavily involved.

1932 Miss M de Beaumont involved in First Aid and refreshments for the joint Scout and Guide Stourbridge Fair (Jamboree) ‘the first outside for many years’.

1934 Miss de Beaumont part of Bottisham ‘Scout entertainment’ where her campfire turn caused ‘much amusement’.

1936 Miss de Beaumont was given credit for the Ely Rally. This was Marguerite, Elise was married in 1932. ‘Behind the scenes was Miss de Beaumont, the able organiser to whom, with others, much of the success of the rally is due. She was entirely responsible for the concept of the rally and used her every effort to see that it was carried through with success.’ Miss de Beaumont also led the Een Gonyama yell ‘performed with great effect’

1936                            Miss Marguerite de Beaumont gave permission for the use of Uplands, Gt. Shelford for an event.  She was Akela 61^st Cambridge Great Shelford pack at that time.

No other information has come to light concerning Scout roles. Details concerning Marguerite’s role as Scoutmaster as quoted in Wikipedia are not expanded. In The Wolf that Never Sleeps’ she describes herself as a Scoutmaster in a Wiltshire village, possibly during or after WW2.

Charles became a Pilot in the Second World War becoming a Wing Commander, and was an Olympic Fencer, competing in the 1936, 1948 and 1952 Olympics. Few picture remain of him in a Scout role – one is above.

A number of pictures of Hon Mrs de Beaumont and one or both daughters exist in C T Wood’s album (below).  In his role as Scout CCs and hers as Girl Guide CC they were both present at Official events.

Papworth June 1927

JWR Archivist Feb 2019