1st Finchley
NOTE: This article is about the 1st Finchley Scout Group that started in 1959 as the result of a merger between the 2nd Finchley (81st North London) and the 20th Finchley.
This was of course not the first time there had been a 1st Finchley. At least two previous Groups had existed with that designation. The first that we are aware of was in existence at the end of 1920 when the old Hendon & Finchley Local Association became two separate Local Associations. With Finchley becoming solely responsible for Groups in the Finchley area the Group previously known as the 1st Hendon and Finchley became the 1st Finchley. It is not known who was in charge of the Group or where they met although it is known that by 1926 they no longer existed.
When a new Group, connected with Holy Trinity Church in East Finchley, opened in 1931 it was allocated the lowest available Group number, which was the 1st Finchley. On this occasion they survived for only 3 years.
It should also be noted that the Group, which this article relates to, has no connection with the 1st Finchley Air Scouts or the current 1st Finchley Group that opened in 2011.
With the 1959 census figures for both the 2nd Finchley (81st North London) and the 20th Finchley looking fairly healthy it is not known exactly why these two Groups decided to merge. But they did, and a joint leaders meeting was held on the 11th October to discuss and formalise a number of issues.
It was agreed that there would initially be two Cub Packs, one Troop and one Senior Scout Section, with all meetings taking place at “The Better ‘ole”.
After a further discussion it was decided that they would be called the 1st Finchley and wear the scarf currently being worn by the 2nd – royal blue with a yellow border.
The following day Mr Edward Amies, known as Rikki, the Group Scout Master (GSM) reported to the District Executive who formally agreed to the arrangement.
The District Bulletin for November 1959 details the necessary warrant changes that took place. Rikki, who was the GSM with the 20th became the GSM of the 1st. P Cooper (ex 2nd) became the Scout Master (SM) of the joint enterprise with assistance from Les Cornish (ex 2nd) and Brian Nichol & Peter Watkins (both ex 20th).
The Senior Scout Section came under the joint control of Trevor Knight, William (Bill) Stevens and Richard Syres (all ex 20th). The leader of the Wolf Cubs Pack known as Mang was Mrs A Histead, with assistance from Ronald Brett and E R Lewis (all ex 2nd), and the leader of ‘Mowgli’ pack was Ethel Batchelor, assisted by Brenda Stevens, Jennifer Batchelor and Peter Davis (all ex 20th).
Later in November the new Chief Scout, Sir Charles Maclean, wrote to all Groups in the country reminding them of the challenge his predecessor, Lord Rowallan, had set for them with regards to raising funds for the endowment of Baden-Powell House, that was currently being built. He still hoped everyone would work towards the target of 3 shillings a head but extended the date by which this should be done. The leaders of the Group thought that this was something they should support and wrote to all the parents suggesting their sons could earn the money by doing a few extra tasks at home.
The Troop held their Christmas Party on the 19th December and this was followed on the 2nd January with a New Year’s do for the whole Group.
At the end of February there was some concern that the Mowgli Pack was down to just 9 boys. However, in contrast there were now 40 Scouts and it was decided that, for a while, they would split into two Troops, with one meeting on the Tuesday and the other on the Wednesday. One was led by P Cooper and the other by Brian Nichol.
The District census at the end of March 1960, the first since the Groups merged, revealed that there were 27 Cubs with 7 leaders spread across 2 packs, 31 Scouts with 2 leaders spread across 2 Troops, 8 Senior Scouts with 3 leaders and 3 Rovers. In addition to the GSM there were 4 non warranted helpers.
During April Ethel Batchelor the CM received the Long Service Decoration ‘in recognition of many years’ faithful and efficient service as a Scouter’.
From the 25th – 27th April Trevor Knight and several of the Senior Scouts camped outside the Royal Exchange in central London. This was part of an exhibition organised by the Bank of England and the Westminster Bank Scouts and Guides Societies. Several letters of thanks were received as well as a very strange note that stated ‘it was the first time Scouts had camped in the City of London since the Gordon Riots’!
Over the Easter weekend 13 Scouts went hiking, accompanied by the two ASMs. Unfortunately there is no report.
During May the GSM announced that the initial response to raising money for the BP Memorial Fund was poor. However, the Group persevered and eventually they were able to send a donation of £56.
Around this time Joyce Tucker started to help with the Cub Pack and in July an ACM warrant was agreed.
In August Ethel Batchelor, Jennifer Batchelor and Brenda Stevens all resigned and the remaining 6 Cubs from their Pack transferred to the Mang Pack. In recognition of Ethel’s long standing service she was made an Honorary CM.
The Scouts held their summer camp, from 13th – 27th August, at Great Tower, the IHQ site in the Lake District, close to Windermere. The SM said that the camp had been very successful and later held a parents get together to tell them all about it.
The Senior Scouts though were a little more adventurous and spent the 6th – 20th August touring Northern France on bicycles.
Richard Syres, who had been in the forces while he was an ASM, married Beryl Stevens on the 20th August. When regular meetings resumed in September he changed his warrant from ASM to Rover Scout Leader (RSL).
Also at the start of the new term the Cub leaders reported that the Pack was doing very well and they were, for a short while, going to refuse admission to any new boys.
Three Senior Scouts completed the necessary tests for their Queen’s Scout Badge. John Davison, Peter Lawrence and Richard Martin, who had all previously been Scouts with the 20th Finchley, were presented with their badge at a special ceremony, held on the 11th November at the Group’s headquarters. After the awards were made refreshments were served while the Senior Scouts gave a report of their cycling tour of Northern France.
Although the Group had arranged to hold a Scouts’ Own on the 20th November, a Scouter, the Senior Scouts and some Scouts attended a special service at Holy Trinity Church that was organised by the East Finchley Guides to celebrate the Guides’ Jubilee.
It was reported that during the early months of the New Year (1961) the Rovers spent quite a bit of time carrying out maintenance work at the hut and repairing tents and other camping equipment.
The census at the end of March said there were 22 Cubs with 4 leaders, 29 Scouts with 3 leaders, 9 Senior Scouts with 2 leaders and 7 Rovers with 1 leader. There were still 4 non warranted helpers. At the time the Scouts were still running two Troops although Peter Watkins had recently resigned as an ASM.
The Scouts camped at Tolmers over the Whitsun weekend but there is no report.
In May Richard Syres announced that he needed to resign as the RSL as he was taking up a position in Australia and he and his wife would soon be leaving the country. The following month he was presented with a cigarette case as a thank-you / farewell gift. Peter Davis agreed to take over as the Rover leader with assistance from Bill Stevens.
Also in June the two Troops agreed to combine and this was done without the loss of any of the Scouts.
Finally the District Commissioner (DC) advised Rikki that the District had received three invitations to the opening on the 12th July of BP House by the Queen. One was for the DC, another was for a District Official and the third for a Scouter. As the 1st Finchley had donated the most money in the District they were offered the place. At the Group leaders meeting some of the leaders did not want to go and some could not. It was therefore resolved that Rikki should represent the Group.
At the end of July the Group were pleased to announce that 2 more Senior Scouts, Alan Cousins and David Heritier, had gained their Queen’s Scout Badge. They were presented at the Group’s HQ by the DC. Soon after David left the Group; having signed on in the Royal Navy for 12 years he went to Plymouth to join HMS Fisgard. He later served in the Falklands War and contributed an oral history to the Imperial War Museum archive.
Around this time Trevor Knight, the SM (S) announced that he would be getting married during the following June and moving away from the District.
The Scouts went to Somerset for their summer camp, spending the 19th – 26th August at Minehead and six Senior Scouts went to Niton, a small village near Ventnor on the Isle of Wight, from 29th July until 12th August. Again there are unfortunately no reports of these camps.
During October along with the 4th, 5th, 10th, 11th, 15th, 22nd and 25th the 1st received a plaque from the Scout Association as a ‘House Founder Group to BP House’ following the donations they had made.
During January 1962 Alan Cousins and Peter Joiner, an ex 25th Finchley Scout who joined the 1st Finchley Senior Scouts, were part of the District team that entered, and won, the London Senior Scout Cross Country. The event took place at Wimbledon Common and there were 102 runners representing 25 Districts.
During February the Troop gained a new ASM – David Double – although, as usual, it took a while before his warrant was approved.
Throughout the year there had been a steady decline in the number of Cubs and by the end of March there were just 13. Scout numbers had remained steady with 26 and the number of Senior Scouts had increased slightly to 11. There were 9 Rovers.
The Scout’s Easter hike was described as ‘enjoyable’ and the Sixers and Seconders attended the Sixers’ Camp at Well End.
As previously advised Trevor Knight got married and left the Group. Brian Nichol also got married but didn’t leave the Group. After much discussion about gifts it was decided that they should be presented with a cheque so they could purchase what they needed.
At the end of June John Kernot gained his Queen’s Scout Badge and was presented with it at the Group’s HQ – the “Better ‘Ole”. The press cutting refers to him being the first 1st Finchley Senior Scout to achieve this following the merge, but it is not clear why. Unfortunately John left the Group a month later as he joined the Northampton College of Advanced Technology, London to continue his education.
The Scouts’ summer camp was held at Underwood, Wootton Bridge on the Isle of Wight between the 13th and 20 August. Again there is no report.
According to some District notes the Senior Scouts joined the 5th Finchley for a week (1st – 9th September) on the Norfolk Broads, on board a Wherry called ‘Albion’. There is a press cutting from the 5th Finchley records but the 1st do not get a mention.
There is no further news of substance until April 1963 when Bill Stevens, the Senior Scout Leader, was selected to lead a team of 16 Senior Scouts who had been chosen to sell programmes at the Royal wedding of Princess Alexandra of Kent with Angus Ogilvy, on the 24th April at Westminster Abbey.
A Whitsun camp was held at South Mimms and as usual members of the Troop went hiking over Easter. On this occasion seven Patrol Leaders & Seconds plus two leaders hiked from Cuffley to Gilwell Park and back.
Peter Joiner and John Thompson became Queen’s Scouts in June and were presented with their Badge by the DC, Cyril Allen. At the same time Rikki was awarded the Long Service Decoration.
A month later Peter and John, along with three other Senior Scouts from the District, went to Buckingham Palace to provide help at a Royal Garden Party. Together with 15 others from various parts of London they undertook duties that included opening car doors, collecting invitation cards and ushering.
The Senior Scouts’ summer expedition was spent in Switzerland from the 20th July to the 5th August, where they stayed in the International Scout Chalet at Kandersteg. The Scouts’ summer camp was held at Panteg Farm, Llangynidr in Wales between the 12th and 25th August. It was reported that their Pioneering and Venturing projects were very good and the general camping standards were excellent. There are no reports of either of these events.
In November the Trustees of the Charles Lilly Memorial Fund finally made a decision as to how they would use the money (£500) that had been donated. Charles had been the Scoutmaster of the 2nd Finchley (81st North London) and following his death in 1955 a fund had been established. In 1958 they had wanted to use the fund on major works to the hut but could not proceed due to planning permission issues. It was decided to endow one of the beds at BP House (£250), with the remainder being used for less ambitious renovations to the “Better ‘Ole”.
In January Peter Davis, who was now generally known as Jumbo, took on the role of Camp Warden at Frith Grange while still remaining a leader with the Group.
During March 1964 Brian Nichol left the Group and moved to Bedfordshire where he later became an ASM in Dunstable.
The following month Rikki was awarded the Bar to the Medal of Merit.
October saw two more Senior Scouts gain their Queen’s Scout Badge: Graham Clarke and Richard Handscombe. The awards were made on the 14th October by Tom Marshall, the ADC (SS).
The very next day (15th) Rikki unexpectedly died. His death was a big shock for his family, and a great loss to Scouting, and the 1st Finchley in particular.
In December, with the District Commissioner’s permission W Joyce became the a/GSM.
At the end of March 1965 there were 26 Cubs with 4 leaders and 13 Scouts, 7 of whom were over 14 years of age, with 2 leaders. There was no Senior Scouts section or Rovers.
At the St George’s Day Parade, in addition to the Queen’s Colour the Flag of St George was for the first time carried. It had recently been purchased and dedicated to the memory of Rikki and was paraded by the 1st Finchley Senior Scouts.
During June Les Cornish took charge of the Senior Scouts and David Double became the SM. Shortly after that Jumbo resigned in order to take up a new challenge as the CM at the 12th Finchley.
With there temporarily being very few Scouts the boys met jointly with the 9th, 16th and 21st Finchley, who were already meeting jointly at the 16th Finchley HQ. During this time Doug Restrick, the GSM of the 21st ran a first aid course at the “Better ‘Ole” on Thursday evenings.
The Senior Scouts continued to meet separately. They also helped with the Cubs and painted the ceiling of the hut. There was also some discussion about trying to get the Rovers going again with some of the older Senior Scouts of the 21st.
More to follow.
Gallery
Click here to view associated press cuttings and photographs.
