CRICH PARISH

which consists of the villages of Crich, Fritchley and Whatstandwell

Crich Scouts and Cubs

Crich Scouts 1920s

Photo courtesy of Stan Smith

Crich Scouts

Captain Barker leading a parade down Bowns Hill


Crich Scouts c1935

Photo courtesy of Stan Smith

Crich Scouts

Taken in the Black Swan Club Room


Crich Cubs 1948/49

Courtesy of J & G Hartshorne

+Crich Cubs 1948

? Chelu is Leslie (Les) Chelu; Gary and Brian SAYLES (not Saylis as recorded)
(thanks to Stan Smith)


Crich Scouts c1950

Courtesy Tony Lester

Crich Scouts c 1950

Back row: Roy Cowlishaw, Merlin Curzon, David Greenhough, Reg Page, Michael Self, Ian Fern, Brian Robinson
Sitting: Derek Wood, Peter Byard, Roy Fantom, Colin Fantom, David Faulkner, ?, Donald Kirk
Kneeling: Peter Critchlow, Peter Kirk, Ray Worth, John Chelu, Leon Harrison, Michael Lester, Michael Bowmer
Front: Brian Wragg, Terry Berrisford, ?, Kenneth Key

Photo taken in the Parish Rooms.

Thanks to Joyce Lester and Stan Smith for naming these scouts


Cubs and Scouts c 1950

Courtesy Joyce Lester

Crich scouts c1948

Back row: Roy Cowlishaw, Merlin Curzon, David Greenhough, Michael Self, Ian Fern, Brian Robinson

Fourth row: Leslie Chelu, Derek Wood, Peter Byard, Roy Fantom, Colin Fantom, David Faulkner, ?, Donald Kirk, Reg Page

Third Row sitting:?,?, Miss Jolly, ?, Miss Joyce Lester, ?, ?

Second Row Kneeling: Peter Critchlow, Peter Kirk, Ray Worth, John Chelu, Leon Harrison, Michael Lester, Michael Bowmer

Front: Brian Wragg, Terry Berrisford, ?, Kenneth Key

[Note: The misses Jolly and Lester kept the Crich post office when it was opposite the Baptist Chapel on Sandy Lane. This was in the 1940s before they worked in Lester's green grocers shop oposite the loaf.]


Venture Scouts to Norway 1962

Courtesy of Stan Smith

Crich Scouts 1962

Back row: Philip Limb, Stan Smith, Reg Page, Mick Stocks, Steve Dawes

Middle Row: Gareth Butler, Mick Tomlinson, David Whittle, Malcolm Taylor

Front row: Adrian Dawes, Keth Fretwell, Nick Dawes, John Alsopp, Malcolm Curtis


Photo from the Geoff Dawes Archive

Crich scouts BBQ

Crich Scouts BBQ taken c 1959
Showing: Irene Curzon, Lorna Dawes, David Lynam and Reg Page


Crich Scouts: A History

Stan Smith

The scout group in Crich was formed in 1924 by Captain Barker, a manager at the Cliff Quarry in Crich which then belonged to the Clay Cross Company. The early meetings were held in Captain Barker’s sitting room but as the membership increased part of the joiners' shop in the quarry was adapted as a Scout Hut. Subsequently the meetings were held in the clubrooms at the Black Swan and the ‘Bottom’ school before transferring to the Scout Hut in 1965.

All groups formed prior to the death of Lord Baden Powell were registered as Baden Powell groups and so the Crich Group is the 1st Crich BP Scout Group. It is also the oldest group in the Matlock district and this is reflected in the title '1st Crich (1st Matlock)'.

Cub Scouting - Early years
Cub scouting was started in 1929/30 by Miss Mary Hammond who lived on Bown’s Hill at 'The Mount'. In the first decade of the pack’s life there were a total of seven assistant cub leaders to Miss Hammond, all of whom held the Wood Badge and were hence fully qualified leaders; Bill White, Walter Holtam known as Charlie or Chuck, Irene Curzon, Billy Heappey, Miss Pallister, John Wilkins and Sonny Porter. The group held the record for the highest number of leaders holding the Wood Badge in the country. The cubs took holidays in Nissen huts at Skegness and were transported there by Gervase Taylor in his bus. The last of these camps was held in 1938. Miss Hammond was awarded the Silver Wolf, the highest award for services to Scouting, and left Crich in 1949 to live in Lytham St. Annes.

Scoutmaster- Reg Page
Another dedicated leader, Reg Page joined the group in 1930 and became the third Scoutmaster of the group. He followed Mr Milne of Robin Hood. Reg was appointed Scoutmaster in 1931 and Group Scoutmaster in 1947. Although he was appointed as Matlock District Scoutmaster and subsequently Assistant District Commissioner in 1954, he worked tirelessly for the group until his death in January 1968. His wife Olive gave him immense support and she was also secretary of the group for many years. Reg was awarded the Medal of Merit in recognition of his outstanding service. It was through Reg’s enthusiasm and vision that the group bought the scout hut (new) on Jeffries Lane.

Scout hut- Jeffries Lane
Vic Hallam of Langley Mill supplied the hut and Hunts of Ripley built the base. The chairman of the group during the intense period of fund raising was Geoff Dawes and money was raised by activities such as jumble sales, collection of waste paper and silver paper, whist drives, dances, fetes and sales of handicrafts. Jack Longland (Director of Education and ex resident of the village) officially opened the hut on 17th June 1967. The
flag pole, stage and progress board were memorials to Reg. These were all dedicated on 11th January 1969 in a service conducted at the hut by Rev G.K. Bathie (Vicar of Crich), Revd G. Lacey (Vicar of Holloway and Scout Chaplain Matlock District) and Revd J.B. Reynolds (Cub Scout Leader, Alderwasley).

Cub Leader - Barbara Haslam
The longest serving leader in the group was Barbara Haslam who started as a Cub Leader in 1949 and continued until January 1996. Initially, Barbara was slightly under age for a cub leader but Miss Hammond overcame this by obtaining the necessary dispensation for her.

Scouting Awards
Training within the scout movement is achieved in stages and the wide range of proficiency badges are designed to provide public service training and develop skills and hobbies which provide pleasant leisure time pursuits. The highest award that a scout can attain is the King’s or Queen’s Scout badge when the scout will have demonstrated practically that he is proficient in a wide range of activities – swimming, rendering first aid and dealing with accidents and emergencies, camping, cooking, pioneering and has a good knowledge of birds and trees. All Queen’s Scouts are invited to attend the St. George’s Day parade and service in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle after receiving their award. The group has had a significant number of scouts who have achieved the King’s/Queen’s Scout badge and the first scout in the group to become a King’s Scout was Laurence, (Sonny) Flinders. Nick Dawes was the first Crich scout to join the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, receiving the Silver award in 1965.

Scout Jamborees
Jamborees are held to enable scouts from different parts of the world to have the opportunity of meeting and getting to know each other. This is achieved by scouts from an area of one country camping with neighbours from another country and thus experiencing at first hand how to live in harmony with boys of different creeds, colours and tongues. 1st Crich has been proud to have its members representing the county at international events. Sonny Flinders attended the International Jamboree at France in 1947. To commemorate the Jubilee of scouting in 1957. Stan Smith attended the International Jamboree held at Sutton Coldfield. Gareth Butler represented the county in a Scout Exchange programme and visited Michigan, America in 1962.

Scout Camps
Traditionally, the annual scout camps were held near the coast to give all the boys the opportunity to visit a seaside resort and explore places well away from home. After WW2 more families were able to take holidays at the seaside and the scout camps were then held over a broader area including Wales, Scotland, the Lake District and in 1963 at Norway.

DID YOU KNOW?
The motto Be Prepared derives from Baden-Powell’s initials
DID YOU KNOW?
There are over 70 different proficiency badges?
DID YOU KNOW?
Each day 100,000 people take part in Scouting events?

CRICH SCOUT & GUIDE HEADQUARTERS

1967 marked a significant milestone for Crich Scout and Guide Groups when they were able to leave rented accommodation that they had used for meetings and storage of equipment and take possession of their own new Head Quarters. Mr Jack Longland, who was then Director of Education for Derbyshire, and who had lived in the village at the Mount for a number of years, opened the Scout Hut on Jeffries Lane 17th June 1967.

Money for the hut had been raised by the group over a period of seven years from a wide variety of activities such as whist drives, dances, socials, jumble sales, waste paper and silver paper collections, car washing, car treasure hunts, fetes and fairs – (there were no lottery grants or car boot sales at that time). Every member of the brownies, cubs, guides and scouts was involved in assisting the Group Committee in raising the necessary funds. After the hut had been erected, members of the group undertook the work of completion. Paul Curtis, a Chartered Electrical Engineer took charge of the electrical installations. The surrounding area required a small retaining wall and landscaping; the timber structure and window frames required painting and preservation, and the ladies added the finishing touches by providing catering facilities, soft furnishings and curtains etc. Thus the head quarters was completed to a very high standard.

Crich scouts spring fair

Opening of a Spring Fair at the Top School.
Seated left is Mrs Bathie and right Geoff Dawes Chairman of 1st Crich Scout Group.

Crich Scout rummage Sale

Members of the Scout Group Committee, Mrs Olive Page (secretary), Mrs Lorna Dawes, Mrs Mavis Dawes (hidden), Mrs Dora Curtis and Mr Geoff Dawes (chairman) with Scouts and Cubs at a Salvage Drive in Doctor Twist’s yard (subsequently the site of Dimple Head Surgery).

Following the opening by Jack Longland, the Reverend Gordon Bathie led the meeting in prayer and presentations were made to individual members of the Crich Scout and Guide Groups.

In recognition of the work and support given to the group Mr Harold Fletcher of Darley Dale presented ‘Thanks’ and ‘Supporters’ badges on behalf of the Boy Scout Association. Recipients were Mr. Geoff Dawes, Mrs Lorna Dawes, Mrs Eva Berrisford, Mrs Dora Curtis, Mrs Mavis Dawes, Mrs Annie Holmes, Mrs Agnes Smith, Mrs Mary Taylor, Mr Jack McKee, Mr Wilfred Bostock, Mrs Ida Whittle and Mrs Millie Butler.

The District Commissioner for the Matlock Association, Mr Bill Hawksworth presented the Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award to Venture Scout Nick Dawes, and an Assistant Venture Scout Leader’s Warrant to Mick Tomlinson. County Commissioner Mr Clive Bemrose presented a bar to the Medal of Merit to Reg Page.

Mrs Kenning, County Commissioner for Guides, paid tribute to the Scout and Guide Groups working together and succeeding in achieving such a wonderful new Head Quarters.

The individual Scout and Guide units, directed by the respective leaders, then provided entertainment; Olive Williams with the Brownies, Barbara Haslam with the Cubs, Di Hall with the Guides Eddy Skaer with the Scouts and Mick Stocks with the Venture Scouts. The Group Scout Leader was Stan Smith, Aileen Taylor was District Commissioner for Guides and Mrs Olive Page was the Group Secretary. Mrs Doreen Mason provided musical accompaniment at the piano.

opening of Crich Scout Hut

Members of Crich Scout and Guide Groups at the Opening of the Scout and Guide Head Quarters 17th June 1967.

 

REG PAGE MEMORIAL PROGRAMME

courtesy Joyce Lester

Reg Page memorial programme, Crich scouts

Reg Page memorial programme, Crich Scouts

 

Reg Page memorial programme, Crich Scouts

Reg Page memorial programme, Crich Scouts

Reg Page memorial programme, Crich Scouts

Sadly, Reg Page, who had been a very active member of the Crich Scout Group for many years, passed away on 14th January 1968 and a memorial service was held in the hut on 11th January 1969. The Hut, the Flag and Pole at the entrance to the hut, the Stage and Progress Board were all dedicated during the service. The Matlock and District Scouts Association had donated the flag and pole, Family and friends had donated the stage, and Scouts, Cubs, Venture Scouts, Guides and Brownies of Crich had donated the Progress Board. The service was conducted by Revd Gordon Bathie of Crich; Revd G Lacey, Matlock District Scout Chaplain and Vicar of Holloway; and Revd J.B Reynolds, Cub Scout Leader of Alderwasley.

plaque in memory of Reg page

Mrs Olive Page with brownies, guides, cubs and scouts observing a plaque on the stage in memory of her husband Reg.

Stan Smith gained his Queen’s Scout in 1958 and was Group Leader of Crich Cubs and Scouts for many years.


Newspaper clippings

Derby Daily Telegraph 9 January 1931
The death occurred at Crich yesterday of Captain Stanley CURRAN, of the Church Army, at the age of 27. He caught a cold at Christmas which turn to pneumonia. Captain CURRAN , who was a native of Scunthorpe, Lincs, entered the Church Army College for training, and then was connected with St Mark’s Church Bury, for 18 months, after which he came to assist at the Parish Church, Crich, in 1929. He revived the Scout movement in Crich in 1930, and was afterwards made Scoutmaster.
[Note: little is known about Stanley CURRAN]

Derby Daily Telegraph 1 January 1934
Crich Boy Scouts had their annual tea and social model weekend in the Church School. Miss AUSTIN presented prizes to Denis and Jack HARRISON, R. FRANK, J. LYNAM, S. HARRISON. Visitors present were the Rev and Mrs H.E. JONES, District Cubmaster HAMMOND, assistant County Commissioner for North-East Derbyshire. Arrangements were made by Scoutmaster R. PAGE, assisted by other officers.
At the Cubs’ party Miss HAMMOND (Cubmaster), and Miss Irene TAYLOR (Assistant Cubmaster) were in charge, assisted by Scout J. WILKINS, Cubmaster PAGE and Miss AUSTIN. A treasure hunt was won by Jack PAGE and Kenneth BREED.

Home| Photo Index | History Index