Athletics/Sports Day – Scouts

The ‘Lane’ Challenge Shield

Following the creation of the Finchley Local Association at the end of 1920 a committee was established to deal with ‘General Sports and Social’. In February 1921 one of this committee’s first recommendations was to hold an Inter-Troop athletics competition. 

At the same meeting a member of the Wolf Cub Committee asked if it would be possible for Cubs to also participate. This was not approved but they were advised that there should be no reason why the Cubs could not hold their own sports competition.

Eight Groups took part in the competition that took place on the 18^th June at College Farm. The event started at 3.30pm and went on until 8.30pm with the 10^th Finchley being the winners. They amassed 91 points with the 2^nd Finchley in second place (40 points) and the 16^th Finchley in third (15 points).

Mr Ernest A Lane was the owner of the Manor Farm Dairy in East Finchley and had a shop in Church End, Finchley. He lived in Woodside Park and donated a shield which was awarded to the winners and held for one year. It was called The ‘Lane’ Challenge Shield.

The competition did not take place in 1922 as a suitable venue could not be found. It returned in 1923 although the only thing known is that the 16^th Finchley won the Shield by about 16 points.

To try to ensure that age did not create an advantage, for each event there were three Classes. Class A was for Scouts under the age of 14, Class B for those aged 14 and 15 with Class C being for those aged 16 and 17.

The 10^th Finchley won the Shield every year between 1924 and 1934, apart from 1930 when the event did not take place. They were able to field competitors in every event and they also held their own sports competition every year to ensure that their best athletes were selected.

Click here to view associated photographs.

Note: All the tables in this article have been compiled using the details found in the local press, District records and individual Group records. The gallery (click here) includes a number of associated press cuttings. If you are able to provide any further information or photographs, please let us know.

The Nellie Allen Lane Shield

Following the death of Ernest Lane in 1933, his widow Nellie Allen Lane presented the District with a new Shield in 1935 to replace the one that had been donated by her husband. 

In view of the number of times that the 10^th Finchley had won the old Trophy, it was presented to them to keep.

Seven Groups entered the 1935 competition which was at Woodhouse School and, not unexpectedly, it was won by the 10^th Finchley with 153 points, well ahead of the 2^nd Finchley who finished with 49 points.

More to follow – but:

• In 1941 it was decided to treat the three Scout Classes as separate competitions with the winners of each Class being able to hold the Nellie Allen Lane Shield for a period of three months.
• In 1948 a further change was made resulting in separate competitions for Scouts, Seniors Scouts and Rovers. Again, the winners of each Section held the Nellie Allen Lane Shield for a period of three months.
• We are currently unable to find details of any event after 1953.