Some of the history

by Les Herbert

The first Scout Group known as 10th Romsey was formed in 1926 , Cubs and Scouts met at “The Barn”, Woodley cottage. The Cub mistress was a Miss Burford-Hancock and the Scoutmaster was a Captain Wood. Not much is known about the early days but the late Bert Young remembered a camp which included an outing to see the Schneider Trophy seaplane races at Calshot. This would have been 1929 or 1931. At this time the Group was called “Crampmoor and Highwood”

Woodley Close Scout Hut 1970's

In 1930 the Group had to find a new home. Colonel Footner, who lived at Abbotswood House on Braishfield Road, offered the Scout Group the use of a field he owned and organised a fete to attempt to raise the money to buy a hut. The hut cost £95 six shillings and eight pence and the fete raised 10 old pence more than the required amount. What the 10 pence was spent on is not recorded! The hut opened in January 1931 on the land behind what is now the 10th Romsey Headquarters. Doris Bunting can remember going to “Gang Shows” there before the war, these being organised by a Bill Everitt. Colonel Footners nephew, George Taylor, was Scoutmaster for a while, as was Colonel Footner himself, as well as being County Scout Secretary and Assistant District Commissioner.

At some time during the war the Group closed down. In 1947 Colonel Footner made a gift of the land to the Scout Association but this did not include the piece of land fronting Braishfield Road, known as The Orchard. It would be nearly 40 years before the 10th got its hands on that!

Inside the Woodley Close Scout Hut 1970's

The Group re-opened in 1951, now to be known as “Woodley and Braishfield” At first the Scoutmaster was Peter Lindsey with Peter Payn as his assistant. Peter Payn took over after a few months. There were about 12 Scouts, the majority being from Ganger Camp including Bernard Dittrich. Boys from Braishfield included Paddy and Richard Glister and Jimmy Byrne. In April 1952 a variety concert was held at Braishfield Women's Institute to raise money for the Group. The concert was given by the “Shenton Follies” led by Mr and Mrs Harris. Other performers included Carole Bath, Jennifer Wright, Daphne Rogers, June Hart, Gloria Bath, Valerie Edom and Maureen Sullivan.

The Scouts had camps at Calshot in 1951, Dorset in 1952 and some boys camped at Arundel in 1953. Boys from the Group sold Coronation programmes in 1953.

Rummage sale at Woodley Close Scout Hut before refurbishment 1960's

By 1954 membership had dropped alarmingly, possibly because families were moving out of Ganger, and the decision was made that Mr Payn and the 5 remaining Scouts would join up with the 1st Romsey Group in the Town. The hut was dismantled and re-erected in Kings Sombourne, it burnt down shortly afterwards. A petrol generator which had powered the hut stood on its concrete base for a short while and was then stolen. The concrete base is still there, level with the walnut tree about 15 feet from the cemetery fence.

The Group was re-formed in 1959 as “Woodley and Crampmoor” , first meeting in the small Girl Guide hut in School Road, then in a storage shed in Crampmoor Lane and then in a hut on Ganger Camp. In the early 70`s the Group moved to its own new hut in School Road next to the village hall, formerly the school.

In 1986 the Group (at last!) bought The Orchard and began to plan the move that would take the Group almost back to its 1931 home. The School Road hut site was sold in 1992 and the Group moved to its new Headquarters shortly afterwards.