The History of Wombourne Scout Groups
Wombourne Venture Unit Registration Number 45482 (information provided by Graeme Welsh)
Myself and my Good friend (Andrew Chesworth) went to Wombourne Ventures (sorry! Dates are very Sketchy, but I was born in 1974 so would have left Scouts at 15/16 in 1989/90).
Me and Andy were together at 2nd Blakenhall scouts and both went down to Wombourne where a combined Venture unit was set up from 3rd Womb's existing unit and Scout's from 1st womb.
As I remember the initial meeting was held at the Council offices. Thereafter we had the use of the 1st Wombourne Scout hut and the upstairs Room of the church on common road (3rd womb). Shortly after we moved to a port-a-cabin which was placed next to the 1st womb hut (this has since been made into a building).
Our main leader was Ian Baynham** assisted by a man called Kevin ...........? and Barry Humphries; (not the Dame Edna one!!) whose daughter, Rachel*, was also a venture.
** Ian currently has a son in one of the Wombourne Groups and Maybe able to offer better/more information
* (I think) Rachel is currently assisting at a Wombourne Beaver Colony.
This Venture Unit was registered at Headquarters on 1st January 1992. It only lasted a short while before its registration was cancelled in 1993.
Wombourne Venture Unit Registration Number 46016
Group Colours – Multi
This Venture Unit was registered on 18th March 1996. Its original Leaders was Nick Cripps. In 1999, the Venture Scout Leader was shown as Adam Sylvester, with the headquarters shown as the Methodist Church, Common Road, Wombourne.
The 3rd Wombourne Venture Unit was formed in 1985 (not 87). The leader was David Mardell (whose sons were both in 3rd Wombourne)
Julian Knight, Russell Pike, Tim Higgs, Anthony Wood and Paul Mathewman all travelled to Denmark in March 1986 with 1500 other venture scouts on what was called “Viking Venture”. We travelled from Harwich to Esjberg on board DFDS Seaways and spent 4 days in Denmark. (On the journey across the North Sea to Denmark we encountered the worst seas for 50 years and approximately 90% were seasick). Radio 1 travelled with us and the then called Radio 1 Roadshow broadcasted live from Denmark with only the Venture Scouts and a few locals watching.
1st Wombourne Registration Number unknown
Col. Shaw-Helier started this Group in 1908. In 1914, he returned to the army and his sister Dorothy ran the Troop until approximately 1917 when it closed.
Registration Number 16411
Group Colours – Khaki with Green border
This Group was formed on 2nd March 1934 by Mr C. T. Perkin and registered with Headquarters on 19th June that year. Its first headquarters were located at the Giggetty and then at Mill Lane in Wombourne. The first GSL of the Group was Mr Perkin. He was still the GSL in 1947 and other leaders were SL – R. Shelley and CL – Miss Barker. The headquarters was shown as being the Scout hut and the Women's Institute. In 1958, the Leaders were shown as SL – J. Hallam, and CL – Miss F. Barker. In 1999, the GSL was Bob Jukes.
2nd Wombourne (Sea Scouts) Registration Number 33909
Group Colours – Yellow
This Group was registered on 25th April 1958 and its headquarters were at The Institute Hall in Church Street, Wombourne. The Leaders were shown as SL – Harry Reed, CL – Mrs Norma Reed, and ACL – Valda Fowler. Not a lot of information is known about this Group other than its registration was cancelled in 1961.
2nd Wombourne (St. Benedict Biscop) Registration Number 40161
Group Colours – Orange with Purple border
This Group was formed in May 1971 and registered at Headquarters on 11th June that year. Its first GSL was shown as Jim Griffiths.
In 1999, its headquarters were shown as the Scout Hut, Station Yard, Bratch Lane, in Wombourne with the GSL being Mike Dyson.
3rd Wombourne Registration Number 43543
Group Colours – Red
This Group was registered on 29th July 1980. In 1999, its headquarters was shown as the Methodist Church, Common Road in Wombourne. Its Scout Leader was Bob Hampson and GSL was Julian Knight. Paul Cartwright took over as Scout Leader in 1996, until the present Scout Leader Stuart Playford took over in 2003. The group moved from Wombourne Methodist Church to Mill Lane Scouting Centre in 2006.
- Registered 29 th July 1980 , although the sections actually started in April. The group was started by Bob Hampson, assisted by Margaret Hampson.
- The first annual camp was August 1980 (joint camp with 3 rd Sedgeley) at Cader Idris, Wales . The camp started off dry on Saturday and Sunday, but it rained Monday to Thursday causing the river next to the site to rise, ending the camp prematurely. Some leaders and lads were left behind to break the camp. When the vehicles arrived to collect the crew they found that two days of sunshine had allowed the tents to dry out and all was well!
- Excellent father and son camps were help annually
- 1985 Beaver Colony started
- By 84/85 7 camps had been held totalling 300 Camp nights.
- 1987 Venture Unit started
- Pack camps were held annually mostly at Kibblestone.
- In 1986 the Chief Scout visited our site.
- 1987 Tim Higgs became our first Queen Scout.
- 1990 Venture Unit came under district control
- Scout group attended the Annual Methodist/Boys Brigade Camps held in Hertfordshire.
- Summer 1990 Scout troop attended the International Camp at Chatsworth Park , Derbyshire (very hot!)
- Group Scout Leaders:
- Bob Hampson 1980 – 2000
- Mark Corbett 2001- 2008
- Stuart Playford 2008-Present
- Assistant Group Scout Leaders:
- Bob Hughes
- Phil Pennell 1990 – 1994
- Scout Leaders
- Derek Fall 1980-1982
- Barry Eyre 1982-1987
- Derek Parker 1987-1990
- Nigel Mills 1991-1995
- Paul Cartwright 1995-2003
- Stuart Playford 2003-2008
- Henry Cleaver 2008-Present
- Assistant Scout Leaders
- Mark Hughes 1980-1995
- Bill Hatton 1980
- Paul Charlton 1982-1984
- Bob Hughes 1983-1988
- Mike Andrews 1989-1995
- Julian Knight 1988-1992
- Paul Hughes 1991-1994
- Roddy Mackay 1991-1995
- Jim Taylor 1995-1997
- Rob Toft 1997-2007
- Kevin Goulding 1997-2003
- Keith Holmes 1997-2008
- Bill Higgs/Tim Higgs1997
- Stuart Playford 2002-2003
- Karon Darby 2002-2004
- John Kelly 2008-Present
- Darryl Poultney 2006-Present
- Cub Leaders
- Margaret Hampson 1980-1995
- Julian Knight 1995-1996
- Darryl Poultney 1996-2005
- Vicky Bratt 2006-Present
- Assistant Cub Leaders
- Mary Haynes 1980
- Mary Pennell 1981-1999
- Sandra Clowes 1980-1994
- Jan Venables 1983-1995
- Julian Knight 1992-1995
- Bob Hughes 1995-1998
- Sue Watkiss 1996-Present
- Margaret Hampson 1999
- Clive Reynolds 2002-2004
- Jonathan Hughes 2002-2004
- Sue Morris 2000-2002
- Gary Darby 2004-Present
- Scott Williams 2004-Present
- Vicky Bratt 2004-2005
- Beaver Leaders:
- Janet Bryan 1985-1991
- Sue Moyle 1991-1999
- Ann Illidge 1999-2000
- Jayne Pountney 2002-Present
- Ian Taylor 2004-Present
- Helpers/Others involved in group:
- Jayne Southam (Edwards)
- Alison Pedder
- Pam Abbis
- Sarah Manley
- Helen Corbett
History courtesy of Bill Moorhouse, Chairman. Apologies if we have missed anyone out or for any incorrect information.
2nd Penn Registration Number 35150
Group Colours – Royal Blue with White edge inset.
This Group was formed in 1960 by ex-leaders of 21st Wolverhampton and registered on 12th July that year. The first headquarters was at Penn cinema in Warstones Road. Between 1968 and 1983 the headquarters were located at Earlswood House, Penn Road, and then at various locations in the Wombourne area including Westfield Middle school. In 1989 they built their own headquarters which was located in Battlefield Lane, Wombourne. GSLs have included Mrs J. Levitt, and Nigel Mills.
Information courtesy of Andy Morris, Graeme Welsh, Bill Moorehouse and Julian Knight..
If you have any further information on the history of Wolverhampton Scouts please contact us or Andy at: