Halton 1911
Halton Scout Troop Formed
Unknown newspaper, February 6th, 1911
Local news, Halton
BOY SCOUTS. — A public meeting was held in the schoolroom on Monday evening, with a view to the formation of a patrol of boy scouts. There was not a large attendance of adults, but a good many young people were present. Colonel Haggard, of Bridge House, was in the chair, and the Rector, Rev. J. H. Hastings, who is taking a keen interest in the matter, was also present. Mr. H. J. Beeton, of Lancaster Grammar School, addressed the meeting, explaining the objects in view, and the advantages accruing from association with the movement. It was decided to form a local patrol, and fourteen boys were enrolled. Mr. Arthur Angus was appointed scoutmaster. The large room under the school will be available for gymnastic and other training in connection with the patrol.
From Log Book kept by R.E. Wright, 4th Lancaster
Halton 1911
Halton Scout Troop Formed
Unknown newspaper, February 6th, 1911
Local news, Halton
BOY SCOUTS. — A public meeting was held in the schoolroom on Monday evening, with a view to the formation of a patrol of boy scouts. There was not a large attendance of adults, but a good many young people were present. Colonel Haggard, of Bridge House, was in the chair, and the Rector, Rev. J. H. Hastings, who is taking a keen interest in the matter, was also present. Mr. H. J. Beeton, of Lancaster Grammar School, addressed the meeting, explaining the objects in view, and the advantages accruing from association with the movement. It was decided to form a local patrol, and fourteen boys were enrolled. Mr. Arthur Angus was appointed scoutmaster. The large room under the school will be available for gymnastic and other training in connection with the patrol.
From Log Book kept by R.E. Wright, 4th Lancaster
Scouts lose everything in Halton fire
Morecambe Visitor, March 1976
Sixty youngsters in Halton lost their meeting place and heritage on Saturday night when the Scout Hut in Foundry Lane was burnt to the ground.
The fire was discovered just before ten o’clock and took almost an hour to bring under Control.
Four canoes, a dozen tents and camping equipment, and trophies and certificates won by the Scout group were destroyed, along with the building valued at £6000.
DAM
A Fire Brigade spokesman said that by the time they arrived, flames were coming through the roof, and trees and the nearby grass embankment were also catching alight.
Because of the isolation of the hut and the low pressure water supply, a stream had to be dammed up and a portable pump used to feed the four jets which were used on the blaze.
It is thought that the fire started in the cellar area at one end of the building, which had been broken into. Police are investigating the cause.
The Scout Group, which celebrated its 65th anniversary in February and whose Cubs celebrate their diamond jubilee this year, has been offered temporary accommodation in the church hall. Last night there was an emergency public meeting to decide what should be done for the future:
BEYOND REPAIR
Loss of the hut means that Halton no longer has any facilities for the youth of the village, and Group Scout Leader Mr. Dave Holmes is hoping that the Scouts and Guides (who meet in the school basement) will now get together to raise money for a shared building.
He said the gutted building, which was built in 1923 with a foundation stone laid by the Duke of Gloucester, and was originally used as a youth club, was completely beyond repair. The cost of replacing it would be in the region of £12,000.
Everything the Scout Group had was lost in the blaze— about £2,000 worth of property including irreplaceable items such as a trophy won in the 1930’s in the Scout car race, photographs of the early members, and certificates for prizes won in district competitions.
In addition the Scouts’ hard work in raising money for a recently completed kitchen costing £250, had gone to waste along with internal decorations which had put the building in very good condition.
Mr. Holmes said it was unlikely that they could combine with the group who are raising money for a Halton Community Centre, since between them they could not raise sufficient to provide big enough facilities for both.
The movement really needed a permanent home which they could use at any time for proficiency badge training and other events.
MODIFIED
The Community Centre, Halton’s other hope for social and group facilities, whose foundations have been standing on a site between Low and High Road for about a year, has rather ground to a halt through financial problems.
Recently the committee met to discuss the situation and decided that instead of trying to apply for grants to complete the original proposals, they should modify the plans to provide a building costing about £6,000 which could be extended when money become available.
They thought grant aid to complete the project would be unlikely, in view of the Government cuts and it would be better to go for a smaller scheme in the first instance.
The Centre now only needs finance to put a top on the building, which already has foundations, water and electricity supply and mains drainage.
Work stopped last summer when the money ran out, but during the last few months a new committee, an amalgamation of the Community Centre Committee and the former Village Hall Committee, have been raising more.