Generic photograph of Scouts during World War One (not the 24th)
Copyright © UK Scout Heritage
A Scout Troop existed at Tuel Lane from around 1914 until 1918 from which the roots of today’s Group started to grow. As far as we can tell (and the facts have been cross-checked with more than one person’s memories), the Group was the 18th Halifax and was started by the Rev. H. B. Coventry and the Scout Master was Clarence Brown (Willie Brown’s brother). The patrols were Rattlesnakes, Otters, Beavers, and Wood Pigeons.
Names of some of the Scouts – Birch Bentley, Harry Reddon, Ernest Wild, Harold Holroyd, Jimmy Horsfall, Teddy Farrar, George Bottomley, Harvey Whiteley, 2 Greenwood lads, Cecil Crowther, Arthur Bateson, Willie Brown, Maurice Fishwick, Stephen Shaw, and PL Tucker.
Group uniform consisted of a khaki shirt, all brown necker, and dark blue trousers. The Group’s equipment was scout poles and an old handcart from Dyson’s plasterers, digging and tea-making tackle. Some of the events the boys attended were at the camp at Rough Hey Wood at which the battle of the Scout poles took place? A rally at Coley where our lads arrived late due to a scout being taken ill (all had to walk). The Halifax District Commissioner Rev. Henry Ironmonger was very annoyed because one of Halifax’s best teams had not arrived on time and it is believed that after the words which followed our Troop was thrown out of the district. Also, some of our lads went to the war and the Troop had to fold up.
In October 1932 one of its original members Teddy Farrar reformed the Group as the 24th Halifax (Tuel Lane Methodists). Early in 1932, the Church leaders agreed to sponsor a Scout Troop under the leadership of Teddy Farrar. A little later the Rover Crew was formed with the Rev. W. Cass as S.L and Jack Boocock as A.R.S.L Initially there were twelve Rovers, three of whom had experience as Scouts with the 38th Halifax, the Sowerby Bridge Secondary School Troop. Of these Ernest Brunning and John B. Sutcliffe became the first Kings Scouts in the Troop.
The Rover Scout Motto was ‘Service’ and the Crew was very active, winning the Percy Waiting Trophy for hiking, camping, instructing in the Troop, and combining with the Guide Company in fund-raising Concerts and Charitable efforts. These are all recorded in the old Log Books which have fortunately survived. A Rover Den was acquired on Bright Street and this became the centre for Crew activities.
For most of this information, our thanks go out to Mr. W. P. Brown and to Mr. Stephen Shaw.
Jack Boocock 1982