5th 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.

In June 1922, the then District Commissioner consented to the amalgamation of 11th Hendon and 1st West Hendon Troops – close neighbours in West Hendon. The two Troops became known as the Hiawatha – 9th Hendon, later to be renumbered as the 5th Hendon.

Early in that year the Troop acquired the printing workshop of the ‘Hendon & Finchley Times’ which they removed and rebuilt as Scout premises in Dallas Road. The Troop had as its Scoutmaster A J Martin assisted by F Miller and P Franklin with H A Miller leading the Cubs.

Building developments forced the Group to purchase another site in Dallas Road, and build a new Headquarters, opened in 1925 by Major Charles Lisle-Watson, one time London Commissioner for Rovers. On leaving this Group, A J Martin went to Edgware and J Church and later W Church assumed the leadership in turn. Peter Burr, the present GSM took the Group over in 1947.

The Group is probably known in the District as the most widely travelled on account of its many continental summer camps.

It is pleasant to recall that through the inspiration of A J Martin in the late 1920’s many Rovers and Scouters from various Hendon Groups assisted in running the Troop at the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital at Stanmore, thus playing their part in the inauguration of Scouting for handicapped boys. The Hendon Scouter, Mrs Moss and F Griffiths, were closely connected with the revision of the special Tests for Handicapped Scouts and with the publication of the early editions of ‘The Arrow’ printed specially for Handicapped Groups.

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According to the District Directory for Hendon, dated June 1965, there was a 5th Hendon. This is probably the same Group mentioned above as their headquarters is recorded as Dallas Road, Hendon, NW4. Their scarf was green and yellow halves. The GSm was P Burr, the SM David Rendell, the SSL Michael Vint, the RSL (s) M Hammond & R Jeeves and the CM Miss Wendy Horn.

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