Chums (paper)

Amalgamated Press bought Chums in January 1927 and continued as a weekly. With the 2 July 1932 issue, its publishing schedule was reduced to a monthly issue. The last monthly issue was in July 1934 and became an annual publication issued in September. The serial ceased publication with its 9 September 1941 issue due to wartime paper shortages.[1]

Chums' "On the Watch Tower" news column reported on 11 September 1907 that Robert Baden-Powell's Brownsea Island Scout camp was proposed and his recommendation that Boy Scout groups should be formed. In the 12 February 1908 issue, the editor indicated there was a reader proposing to start a scout company under the "Chum Scout" name and suggested that they wear the 'Chums' League badge. In the next issue, the editor indicated more readers had written in about starting a League of Chums Scouts with a reply that they were in discussions with Baden-Powell. The following issue had an article on the Brownsea Island Camp by Baden-Powell and indicated future news on the proposed 'Chums' League of Scouts. However, the publication then fell silent on the 'Chum' Scouts. In October 1908, a recurring character, Waggles, made fun of boy scouts. The silence, then the turnabout to being negative may have stemmed from C. Arthur Pearson Limited launching "The Scout" paper which was denoted as 'Founded by" Baden-Powell and the "Official Journal" of Baden-Powell's own Boy Scout organization.[4]

In June 1909, Chums started including boy scout stories. In the 30 June issue, the editor's column indicated that the Chum scouts patrols were still going "strong" and that a union of the various patrols was being considered. Chums announced the launch of the British Boy Scouts as a national organisation in the 21 July 1909 issue. A British Boy Scout column was included in future issues, later becoming a full page.[4] Chums indicated in late December that the BBS had gained members in Australia, Africa, and Canada. Chums also includes some of the earliest references to "Sea Scouts".[5] In mid-1911, the BBS column ended when the original BBS leaders, H. Moore and W.G. Whitby, left the BBS.[6]

In March 1909, Chums sponsored The British Boys Naval Brigade, a uniformed youth organization for boys ages 10 to 17. With the Brigade's launch in May as a national organization, it changed its name to The National Naval Cadets. The organization's columns in Chums were of an instructional nature rather than a news journal. Chums was also used as an enrolment tool. By June articles on the National Naval Cadets subtitled it, first as "Scouts of the Sea" then later "Sea Scouts of the Empire".[4]

The British Boy Scouts and National Naval Cadets were both headquartered in Battersea, London. Chums referred to them together as Chums United Service.[4]