Scouting Memorabilia

Prior to World War One, when the Boy Scout movement began and young boys were encouraged to join, Croxley Green had a dedicated group of residents supporting this activity. However, once boys reached the age of 18 years they had to leave. Following the end of World War One a Rover Scouts section was organised for those over 18 year old. In the late 1928 a section was set up in Croxley Green by Arthur Barton-Smith, son of Charles Barton-Smith, once the manager of the John Dickinson paper mill. This was initially just a small group of young men. Progressively these young men outgrew even the Rover Scouts. But as adults, they continued to support the younger scouts, as parents and past members of the movement, and would hold a celebratory event each year. Many functions included an Annual Dinner and Dance.

Following the end of World War Two many of these occasions were held in Dickinson’s Guildhall, together with the Welcome Club. The programmes and menus for these were saved by Dick Brown. His daughter Nicky Tait has loaned his collection for the website.
The menu for the first of these, a Reunion Dinner on Saturday 4th January 1947, details a sumptuous evening meal. Rationing was still in progress but the menu does not give any indication there was a shortage! Arthur Barton- Smith, the Group Scout Master (GSM), gave the Loyal Toast and many of the names mentioned were among the earliest members to join the Rover Scouts in 1928.

If you have any photographs taken by family members of these events, or can add to the information about the Scouting Movement in Croxley Green, please do contact us, we will be very pleased to add them to this section.