17th Finchley (Methodist)
The 17th Finchley existed twice over the years, the first time as a Group in East Finchley who met at the Primitive Methodist Church and the second time as a Roman Catholic Group that met at St Philip’s in Church End, Finchley.
This article relates to the Methodist Group, while information about the Catholic Group can be found here.
Note: This Group should not be confused with the 16th Finchley who met at the Methodist Church in East Finchley.
On the 29th April 1929 the District Executive approved the registration of the 17th Finchley Scout Group, which coincidentally was at the same time as approval was given to start the 7th Finchley at St Philip’s, where in 1944 the new 17th Finchley Roman Catholic Group was to start.
Unfortunately we have found very little about this Group with the information below being taken from the District records.
In July 1929, shortly after the Group started the Cub Pack took part in the District Sports. Although they did not feature, the name of the Cubmaster (CM) is given as H C West.
The census figures at the end of September state that there were 18 Cubs with 2 leaders, 9 Scouts with 2 leaders and 4 Rovers with one leader, as well as there being a Group Scout Master (GSM). Apart from H C West the names of the other leaders are not known.
A brief note in the District’s AGM report states ‘The Troop only started a few months ago but in spite of difficulties owing to officers leaving the district, the progress made is very encouraging. A Rover Crew has just been started.’
The next piece of information found about the Group is from the following September with the announcement that Mr W H Toplin had become the GSM. The census reports that there were then 18 Cubs with 2 leaders but only 4 Scouts with one leader. The Rover Crew no longer existed.
Early in 1931 Miss J Pankhurst became an ACM but around the same time the District Executive were advised that the Scout Troop would be closed down. It is not known if this actually happened, as a Troop with 7 Scouts and one leader is recorded on the census for that year, along with a Cub Pack with 12 Cubs and 2 leaders.
For 1932 there are again only two pieces of information. In January, Mr G Ardley was appointed CM and at the end of September the census figures show 11 Cubs with 2 Leaders and 11 Scouts with 1 leader.
According to the census returns for 1933 and 1934 there was no GSM or SM and the number of Scouts had dropped to 9 and then to 6. However, the number of Cubs had remained steady and during that time they won the Inter Pack Competition.
In June 1935 Mr R Davey was appointed the SM and the AGM report for that year states that ‘The Group has had a difficult year. There has been a change of Scoutmaster during the year, but both Troop and Pack look forward to the future with confidence.’
It is not known for how long Mr Davey was the SM as in the programme for the official opening of the Camping Ground in May 1936, Mr Ardley the CM is noted as being the a/SM. Their Headquarters is also recorded as being the Trinity Methodist Church. It should also be recorded that as part of the Group’s contribution to the event they were one of the 6 Troops that took part in the ‘Flag Pole Race’.
By September the number of Scouts had increased to 15 with 2 (unknown) leaders being recorded and, the AGM report stating – ‘The Group have passed through a difficult year but are making steady progress, and look with confidence to the future’.
It is thought that Mr Ardley left the Group before the end of the year. There is no record of him attending leaders’ meetings although Miss Pankhurst did.
There is no copy of the census for 1937 but another District record states that there were 12 Cubs and 16 Scouts in September. A further record, a month later, notes that the Group had officially changed its name to ‘17th Finchley Trinity Methodist Group’.
In April 1938 a warrant for Mr Sizeland as the CM was approved, and in June the Cub Pack came second behind the 4th Finchley at the Cub Sports.
The 1938 census revealed that the Scout Troop had closed. The Cubs were still going with 12 boys and 2 leaders.
Although Mr Sizeland is recorded as attending a District Cub Leaders’ meeting in April 1939 the Group do not appear on the 1939 Census.
No further mention of the Group has currently been found or that it officially closed. However, the advent of the war probably played a significant role in its demise.
