About 5th Urmston Scout Group PDF Print

Our Group was first founded on 6th June 1936, when Scouting was only 29 years old. We were group number 18054.

Mr. Williams, the headmaster of Urmston County Junior School, asked a member of Staff, Mr K C Gomm, to form a Wolf Pack for boys that attended the school. Meetings were a success and progressed, however it became more and more difficult to obtain adult help. The first 'Official' place of Urmston Aquilifer Scout Group was the cupboards in the Drill Hall of the School, where all the necessary equipment was kept.

The School Badge was incorporated into 5th Urmston's Logo on their Wolf Cub Uniform, hence the Aquilifer Group. By July 1937 Mr Williams had given the permission of Mr Alf Normington to run the Scout Troop.

A total of 15 Scouts attended at the first census, we charged just 2.5 d (1p) per week and a Scout uniform cost around £1. After two former pupils of the School having been recruited to run sections of the Scout Group, Ken Gomm was the first appointed GSL (Group Scout Leader).

Wartime had a profound affect upon the meeting times of the pack, yet they still continued. In September 1939 the Group Flag, which had been presented to the boys by the headmaster, was dedicated to St Clements Church, Urmston.

By 1942 weekend camps were being held regularly again, mostly in Flixton Park, Chassen Park, Millington and Dunham areas. The first Summer Camp since the war began was held at Silverdale. Food was all provided from the boys' ration book.

The history of 'The Lighthouse' first began when the rooms over an old cottage, that had been turned into a shop and so received its name from a small lighthouse positioned on the top of a building. A stone commemorating the visit of John Hulme of Davyhulme to the Cottage in 1738, unfortunately it was demolished to make room for huts.

To the Groups great surprise in 1953 the Metro-Vick Hockey Club approached the group for the lease of 5 1/2 acres of land, after this 5th Urmston decided on building their 3rd Headquarters, building work commenced in 1964. In 1968 the first "tree planting day" saw 270 trees purchased for the camping fields, the fields we see today.

Now 5th Urmston is in the process of designing Lighthouse IV and will commence build in 2009!