A Little Scouting History

         21st Sheffield (Cherrytree) Scouts, 1st August 1915. Back Row: Ford, Foster, Mr Wingfield, Shearer, E. Belbin.

         Middle row: C. Belbin, Bird, Webb, Pearson, ?. Front Row: Stubbs, Smith, Johnson, Reeves, Foster

For two weeks during 1939 the Scouts from 85th Sheffield, St. John's, Abbeydale were enjoying their annual camp at Barmston, Nr. Bridlington. The boys enjoyed the usual camp activities of games, practical instruction, messing about, getting wet when it rained and sunburnt when the sun shone. They were only vaguely aware of the airplane target practice out over Bridlington Bay and the artillery exercises in the next field, and even when one of the younger assistant leaders received a letter to cut short his camp and report to the R.A.F. they were merely only sorry to see him go. It was not until their return back to Sheffield that they became aware of .the worsening international situation and the threat of impending war.

The Scout Troop had been formed in 1915 during the First World War meeting in various places until settling in Totley Orphanage until 1922, then the Old Laundry on Totley Rise until 1924, and eventually the old V.A.D. hospital, (now the post sorting office) next to St. John's Church.

Some of the first activities in which the Scouts were involved on formation were as orderlies at the St. John's War Hospital, collecting waste paper and. bottles, working on local farms and. participating in the War Savings Scheme.

Until 1944, when 1st Totley Scouts were formed, the 85th were the only Scout Troop in the area, 267th Dore being formed in 1949, and the 115th U.R.C. and 297th* Bradway much later during the 1960s.

On the outbreak of the Second World War the Scouts were again helping in many ways. In 1940 they collected 10 tons of scrap metal - with a value of £2, in addition to waste paper although this was difficult to dispose of. The collections were possible due to the loan of carts from a local firm of builders, Messrs Allen.

The Scouts were also involved in A.R.P. work acting as messengers and helping at their various displays and demonstrate.ions . This included instructing local people in the use of a stirrup pump in the case of incendiary bombs, and the best way to treat windows against blast damage.

Weekly Ambulance practice at Abbeydale Hall was helped along by Scouts volunteering as mock casualties and again in mock gas incidents on Mickley Lane.

In May 1940 the Scout Leader Dr. Mary Andrews was forced to resign due to her increasing involvement in Red Cross lectures and A.R.P. work in the Hope Valley where she lived. Dr. Andrews had been Scout Leader since 1919 and was succeeded by Les Broadbent briefly until his call up to the Army, and then by G.B. Smith.

At the same time the Scouts lost the use of the meeting place as the old hospital had once again been requisitioned for war use. Following hard work by the Scouts and Cubs, and donations from supporters, a wooden hut was found and purchased for £50.

This was a responsible feat at the time due to the shortage of wood and subsequently usually prohibitive price. In any event it was obtained only just before Government Timber Controls came into force.

In between their usual work the Scouts dug the foundations for the brickwork to support the hut which was to be sited behind St. John's Church. The project was eventually completed and officially opened on 12th October 1940 by the Lord Mayor, Councillor Luther Milner, who lived locally, and Rev. T.M. Archer the Vicar at St. John's. Sufficient ways around the food controls were found to provide tea and cakes inside the hut to those gathered.

At the time of the Sheffield Blitz in December 1940 the Scouts were out collecting blankets to deliver to the school rooms on Grove Road which was being used. as a rest centre for refugees. 'They were also out in the City Centre distributing food from the back of vans and lorries.

The Troop was to celebrate their Silver Jubilee on 15th December 1940 with a grand party and camp fire, but obviously this had to be postponed due to the blitz until the following February.

On 12th July 1941 Sheffield was visited by the Chief Scout, Lord Somers who had just been appointed on the death of the original Chief Scout and Founder Baden-Powell. To celebrate a display was put on by Scouts from all around the city in the Farm Grounds, Granville Road. The 85th Scouts were there demonstrating incendiary bomb fighting and first aid.

Throughout the war the Scouts undertook National Service by working on Longshaw Estate. Many weekends were spent trimming and felling trees, digging ditches and any other work as directed by the National Trust.

Some of the Scouts worked. with the Scout Service Bureau in local hospitals, and others as part of an Emergency Patrol.

On a lighter note towards the end of the war in 1945 the Scouts helped in Abbeydale Park serving teas ,selling programmes etc., on the occasion of a cricket match between an R.A.F. XI and Wally Hammond's XI.

Inevitably the war forced many changes in the Troop, with most at the senior Scouts and Leaders being called up to serve in many parts of the world. Very little traditional Scout work was possible due to the many other duties required, but throughout the period regular meetings were possible and at one time membership of the Troop had to be closed as there were too many boys.

Eventually on 1st September 1945 the Troop assembled at Dore and Totley station to board a train to their annual camp at Abney, Nr. Hathersage carrying their kit in the trek cart to enjoy seven days in a peaceful countryside doing what Scouts had done before the war, cooking their meals on fires, and generally having a good time.

July 1993

* Our thanks go to Andrew Jones, of the Sheffield Scout Archives for correcting an error in this unattributed article reproduced from Totley Independent Issue 165.

Dear Editor,

My main purpose in writing is to correct a mis-statement of history in the article 'A Little Scouting Hist,ory' in the July/August issue (of Totley Independent). There was a Scout Troop in Totley before the 1st Totley was formed at the end of the War - it was the All Saints Totley Scout Group attached to the Church and it's members formed the 1st Totley when the then Scout Master, Leslie Aubrey fell out with the Vicar, The Rev. J. Hutton. I'm not sure when the All Saints Totley Group was formed but it was going strong at the beginning of the war when I joined and kept going all through the War.

A number of camps were held in the second half of the War complete with camouflage nets and I well remember a very wet Patrol Leaders Easter Camp held at Millers Dale when, in utter frustration we took the train to Buxton and saw the film Haltes Castle with terrible thunderstorms on the screen and outside!

I'm sure other members of the All Saints Group will be writing to you to put the record straight.
 
Yours sincerely,
Edmund Short
P.S. Known as Shorty in my Scout days!

September 1993

I would like to correct a statement in the article 'A Little Bit of Scouting History' Jul/Aug issue, that the 85th. troop based at St. John's was the only troop in the area before 1944. I came to live in Totley in 1932 and joined (I think) the First Totley Scout Troup which had its headquarters at Totley Rise Methodist Church at the end of Grove Road. The scout master of the day was Ernest Jacques, one of the first war (1939-45) casualties from Totley.

One supposes this group lapsed during the war years and was reborn in 1944.

Just how long the troop was in existence before I joined I don't know, sixty years is a long time.

Mr. R. Peace

Bradway

More About The Scouts

As usual it was good to see the Independent this last week. Last Month's issue certainly aroused some comment over "All Saints" Scout Group and now as a founder member of it I would like to set the record straight. 

It sprang from a Bible class held in the church room in 1931/2, run by Leslie Aubrey, developed into a boys club held in the old Mission room of All Saints Church. This created a lot of problems for the school and headmaster, Johnny Wood, became a little exasperated with us from time to time - particularly the disappearance of disciplinary equipment. Some of the parents felt they ought to help and suggested forming a Scout Group. Leslie Aubrey again obliged, went on instruction courses, and formed the 1st. All Saints Totley Scout Group in 1932. Eight lads were asked to form the nucleus of the troop, Jeff Salt, Ken Seals, Harry Bull, Alan Haywood, Frank Johnson and myself plus two names I cannot recall. 

In retrospect, I think this caused a lot of ill feeling amongst those who were not chosen, but it soon disappeared when we had all passed our 2nd. class tests and opened membership to any lad over 11. We could not however continue meeting at the school, but after looking around for accommodation we found generous help from the Landlord of the Crown Inn. They had a wooden tea room, on what is now a car park, which they rented to us for half a crown (12.5 pence) a week. We were then able to leave all our equipment there in security. Cubs were later introduced, about 1935, led by Miss Kitty Rayton, assisted by my late brother Baron. A lot of hard work was put in by the scouts and their parents. 

We came under the Chesterfield area until 1934/5 and in fact we won a competition in Chesterfield for Lady Baden Powell's Lion, of which we were justly proud. I vaguely remember 'Shorty," but I can never remember the troop at Totley Rise, hardly surprising after some sixty odd years. I believe the group carried on during the war years, but unfortunately when war was declared, the army commandeered our H.Q. and all its contents. I suppose if we had kept a Roll of Honour a few of the original troop would head it, Ken Seals, George Pulford, Ken and Vincent Webster plus more I cannot recall. 

Yours sincerely
Bill Turner

October 1993