The History of 1st Byfleet Scout Group

This photo found in our archives is believed to be attributed to our group, and the earliest group activity recorded, probably circa 1910 and at Brown sea Island.

(Click on the thumbnails for the full-size photos, then click Back on your browser to return to here)

This was our first Scout leader,
Mr Howell, with his group photographed in 1910. Taken from a press cutting in a local paper circa 1935.

A Scout Troop was started in 1910 in Byfleet called Byfleet & Pyrford B.P. Scouts and they met in a corrugated iron structure referred to as the 'Tin Tabernacle' but, in fact was the Boys' Club premises in Walnut Tree Lane - the site of our present headquarters. The Scout Master was a Captain Vivian Howell who was Captain of the local Fire Brigade - horse drawn in those days - and his house was on
the site of a block of flats now called 'Ferney Court' in Chertsey Road. During the 1914—18 War an Eddie Cox, aged 12years and his Troop, were given two special jobs to do. One was to guard the Railway line from Byfleet through to the Basingstoke Canal- He said of this ' If anything had happened, we young lads armed only with our Scout staves - well, 1 don't know what we would have done. But, we were given an important Job to do and we kept a sharp look-out'. The other job was to act as messengers for the Royal Flying Corps at Brooklands.

Later, another Patrol was formed by Miss Lucy Barnes whose father was Viceroy in India. Her home was called 'Foxholme' in Wisley and was situated near the Totem- Pole there on the common. Sue used to organise camps for the boys in this area. The boys also camped at Hayling Island taking the Trek Cart with them to the station, dismantling it
and putting it in the Guards Van, re-assembling it at their destination. Sometimes the boys cycled to Hayling Island to get to camp. The earliest camp we can find is one in 1912.

1916
Camping at Pagham Bay

Click for Next Page