18th Hendon

Note: The following has been prepared from an article that appeared in the 1957 Hendon Local Association booklet that marked 50 years of Scouting. It was prepared at their invitation by Frank Griffiths, assisted by Lionel Siret and Jack Le Fort.

Early records of the 18th Hendon Troop show that it was formed in 1926 and became known in that year as the 4th Golders Green. In 1931 a new 18th was formed at Merton House School, Station Road, Hendon, and remained in existence until 1936. A new Group was registered in 1945 which bore the sub title 5th Mill Hill. This ceased to function in March 1948. Recently at the Methodist Church, The Burroughs, Hendon, a new Group has been formed with the title of the 18th and we feel that all will wish the new venture every success.

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Note: In addition to the above the following letter from The Scout Association, dated October 1967, provides additional information and confirms the above with precise dates.

The registration and recording of Groups did not start at these headquarters until October 1919 prior to which all such action was taken at Local Association level. These registrations from 1919 until 1928 were dealt with separately for Cub Packs and Scout Troops, with Group registrations coming into being in 1928. I mention this since it will explain some of the following points regarding the registration of this Group at these Headquarters.

When first registered here the Troop and Pack had the title 18th Hendon (1st Temple Fortune). The Pack was registered on the 24th November 1923 and the Troop on the 15th April 1926. On the 23rd July 1926 they were both transferred to Golders Green taking the title 4th Golders Green (Temple Fortune) and this Group was subsequently cancelled on the 1930 Census.

The next registrations were as 18th Hendon (Merton House School) from 11th March 1931 until the 1936 Census and as the 18th Hendon (5th Mill Hill) from the 21st December 1945 until 31st March 1948.

The present registration came next on the 5th May 1954.

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Memories

The 18th Hendon (the one I was a member of) was formed in 1954, I joined later that year as a Cub, so I was not a founder member, but I think I was the longest serving member having been a Wolf Cub, Scout, Senior Scout, Rover Scout, Cub Instructor, ASM (later ASL) from 1954 to 1970. 

The reason why the 18th formed in 1954 was purely by chance.   A couple from Kenton were visiting friends in Hendon one Sunday, their names…Vic and Jean Howard.  They were Methodists and their visit to Hendon overran, so that when they left to get to their church that evening they realised they would be too late.  Travelling along The Burroughs in Hendon they saw people going into the Methodist Church there, so they parked up and joined them.   At the end of the service they were chatting to the Minister (Rev Clayton), who saw Vic had a Scout badge on his lapel, and the Rev asked them if they would start a Scout Group in the Methodist Church Halls.  And so they did, it was an open Group and we had lads who were Methodist, C of E, RCs and Jews (all reformed Jews), and we all got on fine. The scarf Vic and Jean wanted was white and yellow, but the DC was keeping those colours for any RC Group so they decided to use the colours of the Group Baloo (a leader in the Cubs) had belonged to….I think in Finchley….black and gold!

Mike Hurlstone

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