Scouts & Guides in Coventry

Forgot to mention, this would have mostly been through the 1950's.

Mick Maslin, pictured on the photo taken at Partridge Croft, was in my class for a while at Courthouse Green. His dad had a paint/wallpaper/DIY shop opposite the Morris on Bell Green Road. Lived on Old Church Road. He would have been about 17 when that photo was taken. Nice lad I remember. Odd to see so many in berets, I remember scouts in "mountie" hats and cubs in school caps. All the scouts, cubs, guides and brownies wore their uniforms to school on the four national Saints days.

I'm Alan's son. We left Coventry in 1984 and moved to Somerset. Dad worked the rest of his time at Westland Helicopters in Yeovil as a Planning Engineer. I have fond memories of attending fetes at the 7th. The band were terrific!

Derrickarthur Next door to the Gas Club and the gasworks lived a guy named Taylor, scoutmaster of the Aldermans Green branch, situated in a hut behind the church in AG Rd opposite the 'slough' road. A very old troop I believe. I was a cub for many years, approx 1934 time. The biggest rally/jamboree ever seen was on 30 July 1929, over 500,000 scouts from all nations attended, at Arrowe Park in Birkenhead, including the then Prince of Wales in ccout uniform. Lord Baden-Powell made a Baron on the same 2 Aug for his work with the scouts. Baden-Powell carried a five-foot rod, more like a fishing rest-rod. and had two large black collies. Scouts did wear the Mountie style hats in the UK.

Just catching up with some memories from the 50's - 60's with regard to the 82nd scout group based at St Laurence's Church off Old Church Road along from Bell Green. The scoutmaster was Algie Taylor ( skip ) aided by Alex Chisholm ( bosun - a Scotsman ). First Sunday in the month there was a scout procession with everyone in full uniform ( Canadian Mountie-style head-gear ) in the city centre at which "bosun" would parade wearing a kilt ! There was a wooden building adjacent to St. Laurence's which accommodated cubs/guides/scouts on various nights of the week. The cubs were led by Winnie and Bob Rae who lived nearby in Pearson Avenue. Algie Taylor and his wife lived in a remote cottage fairly near to the Wyken Slough. Being off grid it had neither electricity nor running water, only Tilley lamps for both heat and light. During the Coventry "works fortnight" the troop would set up camp somewhere in the countryside, transport being provided by Dunn's Foundry ( New Inn Bridge ) supplying one of their lorries -- as they were closed for business. Every year the National Scouts Soap Box Derby was held at various venues around England. Eventually, after years of competing, the 82nd group's entries called Cannonball 1 and 2 became ultra competitive.They held the fastest recorded times over the quarter mile for all the various age groups. I believe the Scout group eventually relocated to the Wyken Slough area. Somewhere I have lots of relevant photos -- just have to find them !