Chums (paper)
| Company type | Weekly newspaper; later monthly and annual editions |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1892 |
| Founder | Cassell & Company |
| Defunct | 1941 |
| Fate | Ceased publication due to wartime paper shortages |
| Successor | None |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom |
| Products | Boys' weekly newspaper, monthly and annual editions |
| Parent | Amalgamated Press (from 1927) |
Chums was a British weekly newspaper for boys, first issued in 1892 by Cassell & Company, and later taken over by Amalgamated Press in 1927. Over time, the publication transitioned from a weekly to monthly and annual editions. Monthly copies, released on the 25th, initially duplicated the weekly content in full until November 1920. After that point, monthly editions contained all story material but excluded covers, instead offering unique short stories, articles, and serials unavailable in the weekly issues. The serial publication concluded in 1941.
In a strategic move to broaden its influence, Chums sponsored several youth groups including the Chums League, Chums Society of Stamp Collectors, Chums Scouts, the British Boy Scouts, and the British Boys Naval Brigade/National Naval Cadets. Known for its vivid red covers and detailed illustrations, Chums remains highly prized by collectors, highlighting its enduring appeal within boys’ periodicals.
History
Launched by Cassell & Company in 1892 as a weekly newspaper aimed at boys, Chums was designed to rival The Boy's Own Paper, featuring a variety of articles and stories. Its debut included the serial "For Glory and Renown" by D. H. Parry alongside pieces on football training, Harrow School, and Julius Caesar’s presence in Britain. Early readership was limited until two serials—1892’s "The Iron Pirate" by first editor Max Pemberton and 1894’s Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson—helped establish its popularity.
Amalgamated Press acquisition
In January 1927, Amalgamated Press purchased Chums, maintaining its weekly release schedule. On 2 July 1932, the title shifted to monthly publication; the final monthly issue appeared in July 1934 before transitioning to an annual edition issued every September. Production ended with the 9 September 1941 issue due to wartime shortages of paper.
Format
Chums was available as weekly, monthly, and annual editions. The monthly version compiled all weekly content under a color cover, though some material was exclusive to either format. Weekly issues featured eight-page article inserts numbered i–viii; monthly editions included color illustrations.
Chums Scouts & British Boy Scouts
On 11 September 1907, Chums' "On the Watch Tower" column reported on Baden-Powell’s proposal for a Brownsea Island Scout camp and his recommendation to form Boy Scout groups. By February 1908, readers suggested establishing a scout company named "Chum Scout," with negotiations underway with Baden-Powell regarding a Chums League of Scouts. However, coverage soon ceased and later issues mocked boy scouts, likely due to competition from C. Arthur Pearson Limited's The Scout, Baden-Powell’s official publication.
Boy scout stories returned to Chums in June 1909. The issue dated 30 June mentioned active Chum scout patrols considering unification efforts. On 21 July 1909, Chums announced the formation of the British Boy Scouts as a national body, dedicating a column that eventually expanded into a full page. By late December that year, BBS membership had extended internationally to Australia, Africa, and Canada. The magazine also contains some of the earliest references to "Sea Scouts". The BBS column discontinued in mid-1911 following the departure of leaders H. Moore and W.G. Whitby.
In March 1909, Chums backed The British Boys Naval Brigade—a uniformed youth organization for boys aged between 10 and 17 years old. Upon its national launch in May, it was renamed The National Naval Cadets. Coverage concentrated on training content rather than news updates; Chums also acted as an enrollment channel for new members. By June articles described the Cadets as "Scouts of the Sea" and later as "Sea Scouts of the Empire."
Both groups were based in Battersea, London, and collectively referred to within Chums as Chums United Service.
Writers
Prominent authors contributing to Chums included:
- L. J. Beeston
- Harry Blyth
- Herbert Eastwick Compton
- Arthur J. Daniels
- George Manville Fenn
- Henry Frith
- G. A. Henty
- Andrew Home
- Ascott R. Hope
- J. R. Hutchinson
- Warren Killingworth
- Robert Leighton
- John K. Leys
- John Mackie
- Standish O'Grady
- Barry Pain
- D. H. Parry
- Max Pemberton
- Arthur Rigby
- Robert Louis Stevenson
- S. Walkey
- Fred Whishaw
Artists
Noteworthy illustrators associated with Chums were:
- Stanley Berkeley
- Gordon Browne
- Tom Browne, R.I.
- J. Finnemore
- Paul Hardy
- Charles Harrison
- George Wylie Hutchinson
- Godfrey Merry
- A. Monro
- Harry Payne
- Alfred Pearce
- Charles L. Pott
- Richard Simkin
- C. J. Staniland, R.I.