The Lord Mayors Own Scout Troop is made up of Scouts from the Area who had achieved the highest awards for their section. Which until 2003 was the Queen's Scout Award and the Chief Scout's Award. In 2003 the progressive training programme for the Scout movement was modified and a new training section added, this has changed the awards scheme by adding new levels of achievement. The Lord Mayor's Troop is now made up of young people who have reached the Chief Scout's Award at GOLD, PLATINUM and DIAMOND levels. With the highest award remaining as the QUEEN'S SCOUT AWARD.

Members of the troop are presented with a white Scout neckerchief which has the City Crest embroidered on the point and presentations take place on an annual basis. Those who achieve the Queen Scout Award have an additional gold bar above the City Crest.

These presentations have taken place annually for over 10 years and to-date over 350 young people have had the honour of joining this unique troop.

Troop Duties

The Troop is available to support the Lord Mayor when ever they are requested to assist. There are some standard dates, which include Remembrance Day parade, Civic Carol service, Holocaust Remembrance service. The Troop has been on duty for Royal occasions and freedom ceremonies and other anniversary parade.

Being part of the Lord Mayor's Own has allowed young people to be part of the history of the history of not only the City of Cardiff but the Capital city of Wales. The Troop have been on duty for some memorable occasions, even historic. The Troop in 1995 lead the Miners Freedom Parade from Cardiff Castle to the City Hall and provided the guard of honour for the Lord Mayor at the ceremony, later that year we were on duty for the VE anniversary celebrations. The Lord Mayors Own were presented to the Queen at Cardiff Castle on the opening of the Welsh Assembly on 26th May 1999. Members of the troop were able to assist the Lord Mayor with his duties on the first National Welsh Holocaust Remembrance Service in Jan 2001 at the City Hall. To name but a few of the more historic duties and the troop has turned out for the annual Remembrance Service each November since 1994.



History of the Lord Mayors Own

The following extract is from Michael Lieven's book "Senghennydd the Universal Pit Village 1890 - 1930. Published by Gomer Press 1994. The Universal Mine was a gassy mine, it was also a dry and dusty mine and there had been accidents there previously. In 1901 there is recorded a previous explosion in the mine.

The Senghenydd Pit after the explosion

Chapter 10 - 'On the 14th Oct 1913 very early in the morning fireman (safety man William Chidsey went down the pit to carry out his duty as a fireman for the MAFEKING district in the west side of the underground workings, other districts were named, Kimberly, Pretoria, and Ladysmith. The mine owner Sir William Lewis - Lord Merthyr was very patriotic person.

It took William Chidsey about 40 minutes to walk to the Mafeking district, he then had to inspect all the workings and return to the surface before the miners were able to go underground. The miners, both men and boys, started work at 6.00am and on the 14th Oct 1913, by 7.00am some 500 miners were in the West side of the Universal Pit. They were working at full strength because they were paid by how much coal was dug during the shift. At 8.00am there was an explosion, followed minutes later by an other one and a fireball which ripped through the underground mine workings. Over 300 miners from the Mafeking region died and rescuers were still removing bodies weeks later, some even discovered a year later. '

Scene at Senghenydd after the second fire broke out at the “Universal” mine

The 14th Cardiff Scouts were involved in helping at the scene by running messages, serving in the soup kitchens etc, and when their exploits came to the notice of the Lord Mayor of Cardiff, who was heading the Disaster Fund (so I understand), he recognised their service to others by adopting them and they became known as the 14th Cardiff Lord Mayor's Own. When the Group was disbanded in 1954 their Colours, that had been presented to the Group by the Lord Mayor were returned to the City Council and put into storage in the City Hall.

In 1994, the then Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Councilor Ricky Ormand came across the Colours and he asked for some background. The then Scout County Commissioner Philip Nicholls and the Lord Mayor, Councilor Ormand agreed that the Troop should be reformed as the Lord Mayors personal guard of honour for ceremonial occasions.

Those Scouts invested into this special troop have reached their highest sectional awards, and as a sign of their achievements they all were the now distinctive White Neckerchief (scarf) which has the City Crest embroidered on the point. Since the reformation of the Troop in 1994 the Troop has grown each year with the Annual Awards evening hosted by the Lord Mayor and the City Council.

The Standard presented to the original 14th Cardiff can be dated back to 1921 as we have a photograph of the Troop and their flag with the Lord Mayor and the Founder of Scouting Lord Baden-Powell taken on the City Hall steps. We believe that the flag dates back to 1913 and is still used for all occasions, it is on permanent display in the sitting room of the Mansion House.

Troop Membership

Honary Troop membership since re-formation is as follows:-

 

Year	Awards
1994	39 Chief Scouts Awards - 11 Queen's Scout Awards
1995	28 Chief Scouts Awards - 14 Queen's Scout Awards
1996	47 Chief Scouts Awards - 18 Queen's Scout Awards
1997	33 Chief Scouts Awards - 16 Queen's Scout Awards
1998	16 Chief Scouts Awards - 5 Queen's Scout Awards
1999	23 Chief Scouts Awards - 8 Queen's Scout Awards
2000	25 Chief Scouts Awards - 1 Queen's Scout Awards
2001	19 Chief Scouts Awards - 3 Queen's Scout Awards
2002	50 Chief Scouts Awards - 2 Queen's Scout Awards
2003	2 Chief Scouts Award (Old Scheme) - 13 Chief Scouts Gold Awards (New Scheme) - 3 Queen's Scouts Awards
2004	23 Chief Scouts Gold Awards - 13 Chief Scouts Platinum Awards - 2 Chief Scouts Diamond Awards - 1 Queen's Scouts Awards
2005	18 Chief Scouts Gold Awards - 8 Chief Scouts Platinum Awards - 10 Chief Scouts Diamond Awards - 4 Queen's Scouts Awards
2006	17 Chief Scouts Gold Awards - 12 Chief Scouts Platinum Awards - 2 Chief Scouts Diamond Awards - 5 Queen's Scouts Awards
2007	19 Chief Scouts Gold Awards - 17 Chief Scouts Platinum Awards - 2 Chief Scouts Diamond Awards - 1 Queen's Scouts Awards
2008	15 Chief Scouts Gold Awards - 21 Chief Scouts Platinum Awards - 5 Chief Scouts Diamond Awards - 2 Queen's Scouts Awards
2009	17 Chief Scouts Gold Awards - 19 Chief Scouts Platinum Awards - 24 Chief Scouts Diamond Awards - 3 Queen's Scouts Awards

Dave Gerrard
My history in Scouting began when I started helping a Cub Pack Leader with her cub football team and things developed from that couple of hours on a Saturday morning to eventually running that pack (I married the CSL and only took over when we started our own family). This is my forty year in Scouting and I would not change a thing. I have enjoyed working with all the people that I have met over the years, from the not so old to the not so young and the experiences that they have given me.

As I got more and more involved in the spirit of Scouting and the friendships I made I began to get more involved in the system. I have held quite a few Scout appointments including those of CSL, GSL, ADC (CS), Deputy District Commissioner, DC, ACC (Assistant County Commissioner) Development, Deputy CC and currently I am an Assistant Area Commissioner for Relationships with responsibility for running the Lord Mayor’s Own Scout Troop. I have also, whilst wearing the AAC hat, run two different Districts while DC’s were found for them.

The Lord Mayor’s Own, in its present format began in 1994, so this will be my 12th year of being the troop leader, which has been an interesting and rewarding duty for me, being able to introduce the best young people from the Area to many opportunities in the community has been hard work but great fun also.

I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone in the Area who I’ve had contact with over the years, all the very best for the coming centenary.