History

How old is Sketty Scout Group?

How long have there been scouts in Sketty is a difficult question to answer as records are incomplete and there is, unfortunately, no proper central archive. Groups have been formed, closed, reformed and renamed over the last 110 years, ours included.

We have been able to identify a mention of a ‘Sketty Patrol’ in 1911 and in 1913 the 1st Sketty (AKA 5th Swansea) Scout troop had 16 members. On 31st October 1919, The Cambrian Daily Leader reported a concert in aid of the Scouts in the church hall Sketty involving a magic act, singing and other musical entertainments.

Another report tells us that the Sketty Troop had disbanded for the first world war was but was being re-organised by scoutmaster Cyril Hughes. We are told Cyril became scoutmaster of St Pauls church in 1918 so our group, in one form or another, is at least 103 years old in 2021, possibly more.

An article from the Evening Post dated 11th July 1969 tells us about the opening of new HQ of the 44th Sketty Church Scout Group by the Scouts Commissioner for South Wales Mr C Gerald Bellingham in its new location in the Vicarage Field Gower Road.

Efforts to obtain a suitable headquarters had begun in 1960 and the parochial church council leased the site to the Scouts. The original building was of cedar wood construction and a local authority grant was made so that the majority of the cost was covered.

Although the Headquarters (affectionately known as the ‘Hut’) has already been revamped and extended once since then, plans are currently underway to lease a larger piece of land from the Church on a 99 year lease so that it can be further extended to give the group top of the line facilities for 21st century Scouting.