1st Coalpit Heath Boy Scout Group founded on 22nd February 1939 (on Lord Baden-Powell’s Birthday) by William Gerald Dash, and met regularly at Heathdale, Coalpit Heath. And on 11th, June 1944 was granted an acre of land by Mr William Parker Blackmore (Landlord – Ring O’ Bells, Coalpit heath – Picture below) on which to build a new Scout Hut.
William senior, Mabel and Alma are seen here at their family home in Ashley Rd, Bristol
(C) frenchaymuseumarchives.co.uk – Pictures and names kindly supplied by Gail St John Moore, nee Blackmore, a visitor to frenchaymuseumsarchives.co.uk, and Bob Williams
The Boy’s and Leaders, who in the past had raised extraordinary amounts of money especially for The Baden-Powell Memorial House Fund raising a World’s Record of £120. 5s. 5d. as Imperial HQ asked every Scout to try and raise £1.0.0 per head 1st Coalpit Heath smashed this. So the Group were very well placed to raise this money.
On 11th, July 1945 the Group Visited Corsham, Wiltshire to inspect the building (Which at this point has been used as a temporary Roman Catholic Church), and purchased the building on 12th, July 1945. Contractors started work on 20th, August 1945 on the foundations at the newly named Mafeking field. On 5th, September 1945 the new Headquarters was delivered to its new home from Cosham to Mafeking Field. The Group moved in to the Hall on 15th, October 1945 in the newly named Mafeking Hall.
The Hall had a Visitors Day on 9th, December 1945 and was attended by:
- Col. A.H. Beaman D.S.O, County Commissioner (Gloucestershire)
- Lt.-Col P.L.E. Walker, D.S.O, District Commissioner (South Cotswold)
- Mr. L.C. St. Leger Yeend (Chairman of South Cotswold Local Association and Clerk to the Sudbury Rural Council)
- Mr. W. Gerald Dash (Assistant District Commissioner and group scoutmaster)
- Mr. A.H. Rathbone, J.P (Treasurer)
- Mr. H.E. Cheeseman, M.C. (Scoutmaster)
- and over 200 other people, including parents and families of the Boys.
Mafeking Hall has a floor space of 1,00 sq. feet and comprises an entrance hall, a main hall, two patrol rooms (named Gilwell Lodge and Windsor Lodge), court of honour room, Godollo Lodge, scouters’ room, Kandestag, quarter master’s stores, and a cloak rooms to accommodate 50 scouts. All rooms were panelled and tastefully decorated with photos of various activities of the troop at rallies and camps; also a Roll of Honour bears the name of Phillip Penton, who died on active service.
The Cost of the works was £1,600 and had been raised by the Scouts themselves by means of Scout rallies, displays, sales of handiwork and woodwork, harvest homes, hand-bell ringing at Christmas time, also the sale of Mafeking Bricks at 5 Shillings each, a total of 135 bricks were sold totalling £282, supporters were not only local but from Canada, Birmingham, Sheffield, Maidstone, Bridgend, London, Chippenham and other places. . Whilst the Scouts were raising this fund they also raised £150 for the Red Cross.
A report on 11th December, 1945 in The Western Daily Press called Mafeking “Finest Scout H.Q. in the Country”.