A History Of Scouting In High Legh 1912 to 2010
 
Home Page

Scouting Resumes
In High Legh
Information Gathered From
THE HISTORY OF KNUTSFORD DISTRICT
By R S C Hadfield, District Archivist.

Mike Hosker
Martin Relton
Paul Bates
Compiled by Paul Bates

1976 Scouting Resumes In High Legh

1976 Scouting resumed in High Legh where it was found that there were potentially 16 Cubs, 10 Scouts and three leaders. During the District Executive meeting of 10 March 1976 an application for the registration of the High Legh Group was signed, the new Group being designated the 7th Knutsford (High Legh) Group. It was expected that this Group would be operational by September. The formal registration by Scout Headquarters was dated 24 March 1976 and immediately the 7th Knutsford began to stir into life under the chairmanship of Mike Hosker and CSL Mike Maddon.


Although there were some potential Scouts in the community the Group began with Cubs only, but these youngsters were a vigorous lot for in the April 'Job Week' they raised the first Group funds - £46. By June there were 20 Cubs and at the end of the month, they had taken part in a ten kilometre sponsored walk in Tatton Park which raised £100 for Group funds. Later there was a jumble sale (£87) and then a Guy Fawkes bonfire and firework display at High Legh which raised another £47; in this latter event an enterprising member of the committee secured 800 old beer crates for the bonfire which was said to have been a roaring success! All in all in the space of a few months the new 7th had raised at least £280, a splendid effort by the boys, their leaders and the parents who backed them.


There is no doubt that the 7th Knutsford High Legh were determined to make their mark for in addition to the above events they had also taken part in:

District Inter-Cub Pack Swimming competition
A combined Cubs and Guides/Brownies church service
Pottery evening
Commenced work on the Explorer's Badge
War Dance!
District Inter-Pack Handicraft competition
Attended Cubs Jubilee Year Thanksgiving service in the
Knutsford Methodist Church
Held a campfire evening
Christmas cards and calendars
Christmas outing to the Gang Show at Chester

and they were also producing a concise one-page newsletter for parents two or three times a year.

1976 Scouting Resumes In High Legh

The 7th Knutsford High Legh was also continuing their vigorous activities for at a Group Executive meeting in March it was reported that nearly £500 had been raised since the formation twelve months ago. At the same time a Scout troop was being formed, this being a nucleus of eight boys from their own Cubs; it was expected that by September this number would be doubled. To run the new Troop a young man from Grappenhall, David Newton, had come forward and his ASL would be John Anderson. In June the 7th Knutsford Cubs took part in the High Legh Silver Jubilee procession and sports day, manning a colourful float depicting achievements over the past 25 years - 'Space Travel', the 'World Cup' and the 'Conquest of Everest'.


By December the 7th had 28 Cubs and there was now a waiting list.

The 7th Knutsford High Legh Cubs continued to make their presence felt by winning the Handicraft Shield in the District Inter-Pack competition.

7th Knutsford High Legh Cubs registered another success in that for the third year in succession they won the District Swimming Gala, this being quite a feat for these youngsters in view of the fact that they are some 25 miles from the sea (and the Mersey Bar at that!) and there are no public swimming baths in the vicinity.

1982

About this time and out at High Legh there were now 30 Cub Scouts in the 7th Knutsford and although the Scout numbers had declined somewhat temporarily to about ten, nevertheless the 7th won the District Sports trophy.

1985

1st, 2nd, and 7th Knutsford Groups camped together at Barnswood Scout Camp from 22-27 August. The excellent co-operation from the boys and their leaders made it a very successful event "in spite of the evil weather." Daily inspection revealed a very high standard of patrol camping, the camping competition being won by the 7th (High Legh) Knutsford. The Knutsford Fellowship were much involved and assisted in events which included abseiling, canoeing, climbing and "wallaby" hunting. On the Saturday evening (24th) the camp was visited by District Commissioner Ces Harper, ADC (Fellowship) Bas Mortley and District Chairman Ron Hadfield who found the camp now dry and in very good order. The barbecue set up that evening was much enjoyed by all who caught occasional glimpses of John Evans when he emerged from the barbecue smoke!
Then there was a final splash before Christmas 1985 when the Knutsford Scouts held their swimming gala on Friday 6 December. The 1st, 2nd, 5th and 7th Knutsford groups all entered teams and as Ian Olliver, PL of the 5th Knutsford Hunters, put it "After a lot of fun, shouting, splashing, colliding and confusion, the winners were the 5th Knutsford Hunters (under 13) and the 7th (High Legh) Knutsford (over 13). The 5th Knutsford Hunters won the overall trophy, winning the title on the last hard fought relay". At the end of the gala there was a general "mess-about" which left everyone tired but happy - or as one Scout put it "knackered"!

1986

1986 was Rainbow Year, the 70th anniversary of the beginning of the Wolf Cubs, now called the Cub Scouts. The anniversary began in fine style on the evening of 24 January when the Cubs and leaders of the 1st, 2nd, 5th and 7th Knutsford groups filed into a coach and headed for the Gateway Theatre, Chester, to see Peter Fieldson`s musical adaptation of Rudyard Kipling`s "Jungle Book". The staging of the show was excellent - the costumes, animal masks, special effects (particularly the fluorescent 20-foot high skeleton of a victim of Sheer Khan) had the Cubs sitting on the edge of their seats. The enthusiasm and active participation was obvious as a hundred Cubs from all over Cheshire cheered Baloo in his fight against the dastardly Sheer Khan. A memorable evening.

1988

In May - the District Scout activities camp mid-May in Tatton Park, Knutsford, where canoeing was popular, but where the main event was the cooking competition sponsored by British Meat, the winning patrol being the 7th Knutsford Panther patrol led by PL Damian Hosker (High Legh) who presented the judges with a first course of steak, potatoes and side salad, followed by fresh fruit salad and cream served in half a grapefruit. The County final was held at Forest Camp, Sandiway, on Sunday 10 July when Damian led his patrol against those from the other ten Districts in the County. Such a high standard was achieved that the Panthers came third. Well done!

Continued Home Page