4th Worcester Park Scout Group

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NEWSLETTERS can be accessed using the links below. Please e-mail with contributions or news.

2007: FOTF News 20 FOTF News 19 2006: FOTF News 18 FOTF News 17 2005: FOTF News 16 FOTF News 15 
2004: FOTF News 14 FOTF News 13 2003: FOTF News 12 FOTF News 11 2002: FOTF News 10 FOTF News 09

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Summer Edition 2007 No. 19

Editorial

As we write, we're nearly half way through the Movement's Centenary year and the Group has taken part in several Centenary activities, including the Sutton District Centenary Camp at Walton Firs over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend. The camp was very wet, but the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts who took part enjoyed the activities which included Brian Yearley and his crew building and operating an aerial runway. We're looking forward to our centennial Summer Fair and our "Sunrise Ceremony" on 1st August on Malden Green with the other Groups in Worcester Park.

Again, we would encourage you to drop us a line, phone us, or e-mail with news or recounting stories from your time in the Fourth. Details of how to contact us are at the end of the newsletter.

Subscriptions

We have included reminders for those whose subscription is due. We have maintained the level at £2 per annum and those who wish to pay in advance are welcome to do so. If, however, you wish to make a donation in addition to your subscription, we'd be grateful if you can clearly specify your wishes. We are very grateful to those who have added a donation for the Group with their subscriptions - in some cases very generous donations. Be assured the money will be put to good use to further Scouting in Worcester Park.

Please continue to encourage former members of the group with whom you are still in touch to join the Friends - the £2 a year subscription is their only commitment.

Jubilee World Jamboree 1957 at Sutton Coldfield

As mentioned in our Christmas 2006 edition, the September 1957 edition of the Group Newsletter has reports of the Jubilee Jamboree from C.D. Fenner (Chief), Peter Kinton (Kim), S/S John Lamming, S/S Paul Dovey, P/L Barrie Spelling and Rover Brian Yearley. We reproduced Chief Fenner's report in the last edition and, as promised, are reproducing two more reports in this edition - from Kim and from Senior Scout John Lamming. Reports from Brian, Paul and Barrie will appear next time.

Jamboree Jottings of Kim

The numbers attending were enormous. Those resident were equal to the population of the Borough of Kingston. Those resident outside Sutton Park but visiting the Jamboree were about the same again, plus a daily invasion of dozens of coach loads and special trains from all parts of the country. There must have been more than a hundred thousand in the Park at times. The organisation was excellent, except the opening, when we queued for three hours to go into the arena and saw and heard nothing. The catering arrangements were second to none. At the same time everyday, everyone was eating the same food - in the Moot, Indaba or Jamboree or in a German, English or any other camp. The showers, lats and ablutions were first class although I did hear of one lady who had some difficulty with the seating accommodation.

I am not one to enthuse over Royal Visits, but the Queen's visit was a triumph appreciated by Commonwealth and foreign boys alike. Both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh obviously thoroughly enjoyed the informal proceedings as they toured the camps. My happiest moment was when I was informally introduced to the Chief Scout of Iran and given a first day cover of their National Jamboree. Our troop later had the pleasure of the company of an Iran troop to tea. Dates and nuts were on the menu. It was a grand do!

I was impressed by the fairness of the swapping I witnessed. I was delighted when a New Zealand boy gave a Yank boy a little gift after they had bartered badges and a multi-wood ruler. The Surrey Lion was a poor animal to swap but I now have Morocco, New Zealand, Finland, Ireland, Denmark, France, Norway, Sweden and South Africa to go on my camp blanket.

I was invited to lunch with troop 29 Arrowe Park where our Canadian boys were and later joined them at one of their campfires. Dale Emery (the boy who did the periscope sketch at our campfire) came to tea after the Jamboree and left a card thanking the 4th Worcester Park for their hospitality. The singing of the German boys to the accompaniment of the guitar was quite exceptional and I think we have a long way to go before our campfire and singing and sketches can compare with the rest of the Scouting world. We don't have enough campfires and our manners could be better when we do. The standard of campcraft varied greatly. The German woodcraft contrasted with the Yank metal and plastic but both were of a high standard. Some camps resembled gypsy encampments by comparison, but what was universal was the cheerful spirit everywhere.

The casual observer could not hope to capture the Jamboree/Indaba/Moot (J.I.M.) spirit. It was an experience which grew from the broken silence of the first reveille call to the pulsating excitement of about 9.30pm when the hundreds of campfires were ablaze and the noise of singing, weird instruments, bands and laughter rose to its climax. In the evening time J.I.M. became more than a city of tents and men and boys. It was a park mad with joy. During all the excitement of Arena Shows, of televising, parades, excursions and making friends, the ordinary camp life continued. The rains made no impression on the camp despite the newspaper reports. Some did get a little wet but they were all scouts and scouts can camp in all weathers. In any case the rain laid the dust.

My most cherished memory is the end of the Jamboree. Lady B-P had said "The End is the Beginning". The last firework had ceased to light the arena when the darkness was dispelled by every floodlight and the band played the Jamboree song. We "flowed" from the arena arm-in-arm. I was between an Australian and a Finn. We were all singing. I've never sung so loud or for so long before. It was the greatest moment of the Jamboree. Ten-to-twenty abreast up the wide roads to Moisson, Vogelenzang, Arrowe Park, Godollo and Copenhagen marched the whole Jamboree.

Peter Kinton ("Kim"), SM(S), September 1957

Jamboree Report from S/S John Lamming

Some of the things which will make the World Jamboree a memorable occasion for me were the very impressive Opening and Closing Ceremonies and the visit of Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip. Other memories were a Campfire with Scouts from Berlin where I met representatives from Malta, Canada, Holland and the Gold Coast; also a tea party which my Troop entertained Scouts from Thailand and France. I was very grateful for the visits arranged by the people of Bath and Stoke to their cities. To add to a very international Scout Gathering, the weatherman joined in with weather from many countries!

News from the Group

The Group has been busy with all the usual fund raising activities - Race Night, Auction and Jumble Sales. We've also held our annual B-P Supper organised this year by the Cub sections, and the St George's Day Supper organised by the Beaver and Scout sections. The District St George's Day Parade was held for the second year in central Sutton - this time in hot weather (last year it rained!) We assembled near the library, marched down the High Street, then assembled for a short service and promise renewal in Manor Park.

News from Members

We heard from Richard Duck who has moved to the Isle of Wight. His new address is available from . Richard writes:

"Who among you remember those marvellous outings to the Isle of Wight in the Fifties organised by CAWPRA (Cheam and Worcester Park Residents' Association) - [and also those organised by SP&CRA (Stoneleigh Park and Cuddington RA) - Ed]? Memories of joining the chartered train early on a Sunday morning at Worcester Park Station, catching the paddle steamer to the Island, the steam train from Ryde to Sandown, the seemingly endless day of sunshine, and the return trip back to Surrey with inevitable sunburn! Happy Days! We are going to catch up with our teenage memories and emigrate to the Isle of Wight."

We have another change of address from Mike Wellman who has moved with Sue to East Grinstead. Sue tells us that she has now retired from work but Mike is struggling on until January 2008, so they have to wait until then to be completely free to please themselves. Their move to East Grinstead did not go easily, as is the way with moves it seems, and finished up in moving three times in three months with rented accommodation needed!

Ellen Bolton (née Harbottle), formerly Akela of Anglia Pack, writes from Nailsea (Bristol) that she is still involved in Cub Scouting and her son has a place at the Jamboree.

We've also heard from Andrew Craton who recalls visiting the Jubilee Jamboree from Bournemouth:

"Having received the Christmas Edition of your newsletter, I was interested to read about the forthcoming Centenary Jamboree, with the added interest in the article about the Jubilee Jamboree in 1957 held in Sutton Coldfield, which I attended just for the day, along with several hundred assorted members of the movement from Bournemouth District where I was active at the time.

I was an A.S.M. with the 12th Bournemouth Troop and an Honorary "Kaa" at several Cub Packs. A special train was laid on by British Railways, (steam of course), complete with a sign across the front of the locomotive, "Jamboree Special". In those days we had two stations in Bournemouth, Central and West, and all lines to the Midlands originated from West Station. Stopping at stations along the route through Wi1tshire we ended up with a good contingent for the day out.

It was a wonderful experience. I particularly remember one of the camp entrances which represented an International Jamboree from the past and was a Viking long-boat. I also remember some of the scouts from America wearing Davy Crocket hats, which were all the rage at the time. The logistics of putting on an enterprise of that size was amazing, including, I remember, its own Fire Brigade, left over from the war I suppose, and run by a Rover Crew from London. The other thing was the mud of which there was a prodigious amount I seem to remember. That year we also went to the London Gang Show, and there was one joke about the mud. Someone picked up a hat, found that there was a Scoutmaster under it and said: "I didn't realise the mud was that deep!" The reply came back: "Deep nothing, I'm sitting on a horse!" I would like to take the opportunity to thank you all for the news1etters, which are very enjoyable to old fossils like me, and keep reminding me of happy days, when we were all younger and fitter."

Andrew continues his letter saying that after a bout of ill health he's now in reasonable shape, and hopes to be able to start going on holiday again. He recalls learning to type when doing National Service in the RAF, so now finds typing letters on his computer quite easy. Andrew has also joined a local choir.

Former Group member and now District Commissioner for Barnsley Pennine, Steve Western has written an article about girls in Scouting which we have to hold over through lack of space. Steve attended our B-P Supper earlier this year and it was good to catch up with him.

Former Rover Leader John Humberstone has written saying that he's now met a soul mate - Joan. To cut a long story short, Joan has sold her bungalow and has moved in with John. This story is not unfamiliar to those of us at the Fourth, as our Group Scout Leader Fred Fletcher who also lost his wife, has recently moved to a bungalow in Ashtead with his lifetime friend who is widowed. John writes that their biggest problem was where to put all the "stuff" they had both accumulated! Fred had the same problem. Unbelievably, John's got rid of the Jag which failed an MOT and the repair bill was high - we think he's still in mourning over the pittance he got for it from a dealer, but Joan's VW diesel does as many miles to the gallon as the Jag did gallons to the mile, it seems! John has written about an experience relating to our Gang Shows which we reproduce below.

Gang Shows

Following Alan Rush's memories of Treasure Island in last summer's Newsletter, we've heard more about the authentic weapons used from John Humberstone. John writes:

I would like to add a rather scary incident just prior to the early 60's Gang Show memory by Alan Rush of the Treasure Island scene in last summer's Newsletter.

In order to give the Stockade scene more authenticity, I arranged to borrow some 18th/19th century weapons from an old friend and ex-G.S.M. "Barrel" Prior who owned a pub called The Alexander in the area I was born and started scouting with - the 81st North London, 2nd Finchley Group. The Alexander was very small but had a big reputation, because its walls and ceilings were covered with old swords, pistols, knives, daggers, rifles, spears and the like. On one wall I remember was a glass show case containing a two-headed stuffed fox! We selected an odd assortment of weapons and loaded them into my Morris Minor Shooting Break, carefully wrapped and placed on top of a number of packing cases already in the car. I set off very late that night for my home in North Cheam.

Well after midnight, driving through Hyde Park I noticed headlights on full beam coming up very fast on my tail and stayed there for about two minutes. I checked my speed several times and then without warning the car overtook cutting across my bows forcing me to swerve violently and ended up in a flower bed badly shaken and very frightened. With the engine still running my car door was wrenched open I was hauled out and slapped up over the bonnet, legs apart and hands scrabbling all over my body with someone screaming "Police, don't move. Don't move!" I was paralysed! I could not have moved even if I had wanted to.

More cars arrived illuminating the scene with their headlamps, and I was swung round to face the two men holding me to see the entire contents of my car being off-loaded onto the grass. Suitcases, containing very expensive leather samples were being picked over while several men were carefully examining a large fearsome looking blunderbuss circa 1860's. One chap was brandishing a couple of naval cutlasses; another was barely able to stand convulsed with laughter as he waved a Zulu assegai. The tension by now had gone as another policeman picked up two 19th century pistols and came over pointing them at me and said: "this is a hold up - your money or your life"! Every one fell about laughing. He started apologising saying they had a 999 call from a motorist who thought I could be the I.R.A.

He had apparently seen me at traffic lights with the butts of several rifles sticking out of their wrappings! They all helped repack my travellers samples and weaponry and checked my car was not damaged. Some paper work followed and just when I thought I could leave, a PC came over with a rifle under his arm and asked me what I was doing with a World War I German Mauser, which he proceeded to work the bolt action loading mechanism, saying it was in "perfect" working order - did I or Mr. Prior have a licence? I had no idea who selected it at the pub and put it in the car but it seemed I was now in trouble until another officer came over and shone his touch down the barrel and found it plugged and also the firing pin had been filed down.

All smiles again, they helped me push the car back on the road - I was on my way home! However this was not quite the end as far as the police were concerned as for several weeks after the Gang Show I was stopped several times in the West End by Traffic Cops who wanted to know how Long John Silver was getting on (me) and where was my Parrot! They were very nice lads and seemed genuinely interested in knowing if the Gang Show went O.K!

Calling All Queen's Scouts

All former Queen's Scouts should be receiving an invitation to a Centennial "muster" shortly. Details are as follows: