19th Finchley
Note: This Group has no connection with the 19th Finchley Rover Crew that was in existence between 1931 and 1934, for which there is a separate article.
It should also be noted that despite the Group operating during several different time periods they have, apart from during 1959 and 1960, always been sponsored by The Finchley United Synagogue at Kinloss Gardens and, when part of the District, always been called the 19th Finchley. For simplicity the 19th Finchley’s brief life at the end of the 1950s is included in this article.
At the District Executive Committee meeting on the 30th March 1938 formal agreement
was given to the registration of the 19th Finchley who were meeting at the Finchley Synagogue. Approval was also given to the uniform that consisted of a dark green scarf, khaki jersey and navy blue shorts.
Having started with 11 boys the census figures recorded at the end of March stated that there were 25 Scouts with 2 leaders, namely Mr J Alvarez as the Group Scout Master/Scout Master and Philip Alexander as the Assistant Scout Master.
A couple of months later a special investiture ceremony took place when the Rev. Dr. I. Porusch, Minister of the Synagogue was invested into the Movement by the District Commissioner Eric Whittlestone and then inducted as Chaplain of the Group by Rev. Eric Lipson, Assistant District Commissioner for Stepney and Co-Treasurer of the Council of Jewish Scouters.
The District AGM report in September confirmed that the Group was doing well. Numbers had remained constant with there being 27 Scouts, 8 of whom had gained their second class badge, 11 proficiency badges had also been gained during the first 6 months.
There are no census figures available for 1939 but it is known that during the District Executive meeting on the 14th April formal agreement was given for the Group to start a Cub Pack.
The only other information known about the Group that relates to 1939 is from the District AGM report. 
Firstly it states that the Troop used the District Camping Ground for camps on six separate occasions. And, secondly, while the Cubs gained only 4 proficiency badges the Scouts gained an impressive 49, the second highest of all the Troops in the District.
It did not take Mr Alvarez long to establish a good relationship within the District as he regularly attended meetings and made valuable contributions to important decisions. In October 1941 he took over as the District Badge Secretary.
The next piece of news we have about the Group is sad news and comes from November 1941. Philip Alexander the ASM, who was a fireman, was injured on the 8th and died at the Royal Northern Hospital on the 21st. Aged 34 and married he was officially listed as a civilian war casualty.
The lack of census returns during some of the war years means that we are unable to provide any Group numbers and in particular details of what happened with regard to the newly formed Cub Pack, although we know they had closed by 1943. At that time the Group consisted of only 13 Scouts and 2 leaders, one of whom was away on National Service.
In May 1943 the District held a Rally at Victoria Park, as part of the Borough’s Holiday-at-Home Programme and took the form of an inter-patrol competition. 30 patrols from every Group, bar one, and comprising nearly 200 Scouts took part in the event. The Stag Patrol from the 15th Finchley won the competition and Mr J Alvarez from the Group presented the Alexander Memorial Trophy, which had been donated by the Group in memory of the late Philip Alexander.
During July 1944 the District held a Scout and Guide week. The purpose of this was to highlight the aims and methods, and to show how meetings were run with all Scout Groups and Guide Companies holding open meetings. On Saturday the 8th July a Rally at the Finchley Football Ground in Summers Lane and in the evening two socials were held, one for Scouters and Guiders at Gordon Hall, the HQ of the 10th Finchley.
The other social was held at “The Better ‘ole” home of the 2nd Finchley, for Scout and Guide Patrol Leaders and Sea Rangers. The local press reported that nearly 100 were present at this event, the success of which was largely due to Jack Marks at the piano and Hans Paechter, the Troop Leader of the 19th Finchley who acted as the M.C. Hans had also played a key role in establishing the Senior Scout Club of which he was the secretary.
During the course of the following year the number of Scouts had increased to 21 and the number of leaders to 4, although at the time of the census 3 of them were on National Service. It was also noted that during the year one Scout had gained the King’s Scout Badge; this was Hans Paechter.
A year later the number of Scouts was down by 4 but the number of leaders was up by one, although 3 were still recorded as being away on National Service.
In October 1945 there was more sad news for the Group when Hans Paechter died in a motorcycle accident. He was a German refugee, who after arriving in England in 1939 became a Scout with the Group and more recently an ASM. His funeral was held at the Synagogue on 29th October with the service being conducted by Rev. M. Bloch who had taken over the role of Group Chaplain in November 1943.
It should also be noted that two years later (October 1947) there was a ceremony at Finchley Lodge where, in honour of Hans, a memorial flag was dedicated to the Senior Scouts. A full report of the ceremony appeared in the local press.
A month later, at the District AGM, Mr Alvarez relinquished the position of Badge Secretary.
It is then not clear as to what happened to the Group but on the census returns (1946 and 1947) the Group is recorded as being dormant. This could have been following the departure of Mr Alvarez, who during that time was made an Honorary GSM of the Group.
There is then no mention of the 19th Finchley until February 1959 when Cyril Allen, the DC, told the Executive Committee that a new Group, sponsored by the Finchley Liberal Jewish Synagogue would be starting. Despite being a Group for Jewish boys and having been allocated the number 19, no formal connection with the old 19th Finchley can currently be found.
They started with 19 Scouts and met at Finchley Lodge. Michael Fox was the SM and was granted a warrant in July. However, by December there was concern for the Group as Michael Fox was not attending meetings and the 5th Finchley had taken the boys under their wing.
The census in 1960 states that there were 14 Scouts with no leader and later in the year arrangements were made for the Group to shut with the boys being transferred to the 11th Golders Green. Michael Fox returned his warrant and advised the District that he could not act as the leader for the foreseeable future, but hoped he could return at a later date.
The Group are not mentioned on either of the March census returns for 1961 or 1962. However, at the District Executive meeting approval was given for the Group, sponsored by the Synagogue at Kinloss Gardens, to restart. They had 20 Cubs and 12 Scouts and David Berman, who had previously been an active Rover and Scouter, was named as the Group Scout Master.
David Berman’s warrant was agreed in December and during the following February (1963) warrants were agreed for Edgar Morris as the SM and Michael Bradley, Anthony Godfrey & Peter Kirsen as ASMs.
The census figures for that year were 16 Scouts with 4 leaders, 22 Cubs with 3 leaders and David Berman as the GSM.
During May the Group took part in the National Gathering of Jewish Scouts at Gilwell Park, at which the DC and District Scout Master were guests. The Troop distinguished itself at its first camp there by gaining the Gilwell certificate for good camping standards. Some 1,500 Jewish Scouts and Guides renewed their promises at a special service in the camp-fire circle on the Sunday.
During July warrants for Mrs Sonia Weston and Mrs Josephine Freeman as the CM and ACM respectively were granted. The name of the third cub leader (as per the census return) is not currently known.
The Scouts held their summer camp at Broadstone Warren, the HQ site in Sussex. According to a note in the District bulletin it was ‘a good camp with an active programme’.
More to follow
Gallery
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