3rd Buxton (Harpur Hill) Cub Pack
History of the 3rd Buxton Group
What we have learnt so far......
The first record of a troop being formed in Harpur is in February 1911 by Mr F Mallin. It became known as Buxton Fourth Troop and was presented with its own Scout Flag (or colours) at a service on the Market Place on 22nd June 1911 held to celebrate the Coronation of King George Vth. Mr Mallin retired as Scoutmaster during 1912.
For some time the troop were without adult help until in October 1912 Mr Brightmore from Tideswell took over he was later assisted by Mr Fred Mycock a former Buxton Scout. The troop made good progress and had an individual competition for attendance and smartness. The troop produced several well received concerts and were successful on at least one occasion when playing football against the local Church Lads Brigade.
In 1914 both Mr Brightmore and Mr Mycock had retired and Scoutmasters Bosley & Blood had taken over.
In 1915 the Harpur Hill troop took part in the parade that was inspected by Baden-Powell. The parade which took place on the Market Place comprised some 200 Scouts, Wolf Cubs & Scout Masters. The troop did not last until the end of the war in 1918 closing during 1917 having run for 6 years.
in 1926 the Harpur Hill Scout Group was re-formed as 6th Buxton and comprised both a Scout Troop and a Wolf Cub Pack. The Scoutmaster was Mr W Blood. In 1928 the group comprised 2 leaders and 20 Scouts. The Group closed in 1930 having run for 4 years.
1939 brought the outbreak of war and in 1940 a troop of Scouts was again reformed in Harpur by Reverend L.E.P. de Cass. This troop was numbered 14th Buxton (St James, Harpur Hill). They took part in ARP Warden duties and worked towards a mobile canteen during the early part of the war. In 1942 a Cup Pack was started but the Group closed later that year. A number of members of the Scout Group during this time where also in the St James Church Choir where Mr Bailey was Choir Master.
During the war the Harpur Hill Band was formed which mopped up some of the displaced youngsters from the village. It became adopted as the Derbyshire Home Guard Band throughout the remainder of the war and was still going strong after the war.
September 1973 saw the creation of the 3rd Buxton (Harpur Hill) Scout Group in its current form. It was started by Mr Ken Arrand who started the Cub Pack in September but a month later Mrs Hazel Sellors had taken over and had 22 Cubs invested by the District Commissioner, Mr Billinge. Mrs Sellors encouraged her husband to start a Scout Group and Mr Ken Arrand moved to become the Group Scout Master.
1974 saw a presentation pictured in the Buxton Advertiser. On the right of the picture is Bernard Billinge (District Commissioner)
(picture found by William Thomson)
The group had started in 1973 in the Harpur Hill Primary School but recognised that the building was inadequate for the troop and in 1982 committed to raising the funds to buy its own headquarters. To this end numerous fundraising events were held including an annual Horse Show and Gymkhana which attracted considerable support.
In 1988 Mrs Hazel Sellor's sadly died and was laid to rest at the Methodist Church in Harpur Hill in her Leaders Uniform with the Pack Union Flag covering her coffin. It was a sad loss and one which deeply affected the group.
The pack was continued by Sue O'Connell (now Sue West GSL 14th Buxton) who ran it up until 1990.
In 1990 the Cub Pack closed briefly but was revitalised and held together by the District Commissioner Keith Bagshaw who helped the group greatly through these troubled leaderless times. Roger Harrison was courted to take on the group but took another appointment home at 1st Buxton with his daughter Lou.
In 1991 the pack had to hurriedly find a new home as the Harpur Hill Primary School became fund holding and raised the rent to such an extent the group had to move. A new home was found at the Methodist Church and the group developed soon there were enough lads of sufficient age to start a Scout Troop. The investiture of the lads and the formation of the Troop took place in Pooles Cavern. Much of the thanks for establishing the Scout Group goes to Mr Keith Bagshaw the District Commissioner who has been a great friend to the group.
The group later added a Beaver Colony established and run by Mrs Helen McDonald and assisted by Miss Jennifer Haslett.
In 1991 Lesley Twigge (now Lesley Musgrove) took on the role of Cub Scout Leader and developed the group. The Group thrived with limits being set on the number of lads owing to the lack of space in the Church Hall the Pack kept a healthy waiting list. During the 1990's the Pack won a number of events and titles. Each success led to a greater demand for places and a revised upper number but by 2006 the pack was running with the maximum permissible 36 cubs and was struggling for space within the hall with many games and activities being curtailed due to lack of space. During 2006 the Church reduced the toilets from 2 to 1 leaving an unacceptable situation. To that end the question of obtaining permanent headquarters was again flagged to the Group Executive for urgent action.