1st Great Sutton Scout Group – The Early Years – 1945 to 1967
Our Group, it’s traditions and activities started around 1945 when Wolf Cubs met at the Reading Room, Church Lane next to St. John’s Church and also at the Village Hall.The Scout Troop, formed in 1959, also met in the Village Hall and at Scout Master Frank Drake’s (Skip) home which is now TE Hughes. The new Headquarters building was opened on Saturday 22nd July, 1967, at 2.30pm. How we arrived to the opening of the first HQ is the subject of this short (there are many other stories to tell) article. Of course our Group is not about the buildings and equipment it’s about the people who made it happen.
It is worthwhile noting, however, that before having our own HQ there was no room to store much equipment. Everything we had was in a green metal box (30”x18”x12” approx) ex-army issue or in Leaders’ own homes. In those early days we purchased army surplus e.g. dixies, canvas water buckets from Ledsham Hall in Badgers Rake. Other equipment for camps etc. was either hired or borrowed from other Scout Groups such as 1st Sutton (Wirral).
Mrs Georgina Povey (Pov to Leaders’, Akala to the Wolf Cubs), her sons and Ida Haddock helped her with the running of the Pack. The Reading Room, located at the top of the surfaced lane, which soon petered out into a grassy track, was ideal in summer months for adventures and sausage sizzles. During this time it was part of Scout uniform to wear shorts, by both boys and Leaders (Scout Masters) and the wearing of a Scout Knife was most common for Scouts. This was checked to ensure it was sharp enough to cut rope and whittle. It was not uncommon for boys from the village to walk alone to weekly meetings. Things have changed a bit!
In the late 1950’s David Sydney Evans (Leading Aircraftman Evans served in the North African Desert during WW2) moved to Heywood Road, Great Sutton from Bebington where he was significantly involved with Scouting. He obviously thought that Great Sutton needed a Scout Troop so that boys from Cubs did not have to travel to Little Sutton when they became old enough to join a Troop. He became Group Scout Master of the 1st Great Sutton Scout Group. He was known as‘Monty’ to fellow Leaders and ‘No.1’ to the boys (there were no girls in Scouting until later).
One of our first Queen Scouts (Alan Hughes) was a Cub at this time and his move to Scouts was delayed so that he could join the new Troop. Monty’s vision was to facilitate the establishment of our Group based on Scouting values: honour; honesty; respect; friendship; teamwork (outlined in Scouting for Boys by Baden-Powell). Values that are still evident today at 1st Great Sutton during weekly meetings, camps and skill development sessions. During these early years older Scouts might meet at a Leader’s home for skills training. Extra learning was deemed necessary with the new Troop as Scouting skills were embryonic and Monty’s mind was set on ‘his lads’ gaining the Queens Scout award, something he felt every Scout should aim for. In 1965 the first Queens Scout awards were gained by three of the original Wolf Cubs, who travelled to Gilwell Park to receive the award from Sir Charles Maclean, Chief Scout. The first camp was organised in summer 1959 at Walesby Forest attended by a good number from the newly formed Troop. Camping, being the essence of Scouting, develops friendships, self reliance, knowledge and skills, preparation for adulthood and love of the natural world.
Monty’s goals driven by his infectious enthusiasm and clear ideals got the best out of everyone in this endeavour. He built a team of dedicated Leaders and Group Committee to support his Scouting vision. Having our own Headquarters was to be the physical base to operate from and it took him about eight years from vision to stepping inside. Finance was obviously a major factor and applications for all the grants that were available were made. The remainder of the money, which was more than the grants, had to be raised by a wide range of activities; it is remembered his front room from September to December being ceiling high with Webb Ivory Christmas cards. When the fundraising was complete an off-the-shelf designed building was purchased for our new home and we would no longer upset the caretaker at the Village Hall by leaving footprints on the highly polished floor!
The interior was completed by the Group Committee, supporters, Leaders and Senior Scouts supervised by Arthur Davies (Joiner/Carpenter) known as ‘Chippy’ and Jack Knight (Engineer) who made the metal Scout sign and the Scout fleur de lys. These are now awaiting the completion of the new HQ.
