The Third Spring Grove (Osterley) was a land scout group formed by just six Rover Scouts with a Rover den at the rear of St Mary’s Church, Osterley Road, Isleworth. The Boy Scout Association Registration Form No 11602 records our foundation on l7th July 1930 in the Brentford district.
After the formation of the new Osterley and Spring Grove Association in 1932, we became the Third Osterley and added a black border to our plain orange square scarf. We still display these colours although the scarf is now triangular. An early adaptation of the scout tracking sign “home” gave us our Third Osterley symbol - three vertical lines in a circle.
Although a Sea Scout patrol existed at various times in the early thirties, we did not officially become a sea scout group until the mid thirties. Summer camp 1935 at Lydbrook included a patrol of sea scouts. They must have impressed the other boys, for very soon afterwards The Third became a Sea Scout Group.
Camping was very basic in pre-war days. Trek carts were sometimes used to transport equipment to the site. Few boys possessed even a ground sheet and straw was obtained from the farm to form a rough palliasse. Many fathers were out of work or very poorly paid. To help some boys to go to camp, money was raised by holding Dutch Fairs, French Suppers, Duck Apple Parties and Fetes. The Annual Christmas draw in 1932 offered half a ton of coal as first prize!
Our first real HQ was provided by our President, Mr. Allen. It was situated in the grounds of what is now St. Francis (C of E) Church on the Great West Road, Osterley. The official opening, complete with garden fete was on 30th June 1931. The Cub Pack and Scout Troop had been formed earlier that year to join the existing Rovers. A stove for heating and a couple of trestle tables were considered to be priority requirements by the Group Scout Master (G.S.M.). We never did get the tables, only the timber to make them. A show held jointly with the 5th Brentford in the early thirties was commended in the local press. The Group item at the campfire, “The Mystery of the House with the Winding Staircase” was acclaimed the hit of the evening.
At the end of 1931 the HQ hut was required for Church services, and by September 1932 we had been served with one month’s notice to find other accommodation. This was found when Mrs. Murfitt made available The Bungalow and grounds in Osterley Road next to St. Mary’s Church. Our numbers at this time are recorded as 20 Scouts, 14 Cubs and 14 Rovers. The cost of putting the building in order allowed us to occupy it rent-free until January 1933. The site is now occupied by St. Mary’s Church vicarage. An appeal against the rates in May 1933 succeeded in a reduction of £20 per year, to £5. Mrs. Murfitt wished to sell the site and it was offered to us. We were unable to buy it, having only enough cash to pay the immediate rent. Our Group cash balance at this time was just 14s 6d (76p).
By 1934 we were homeless again, and meetings were held wherever “Pa” could find a room. It was not uncommon for him to visit schools at lunchtime in order to tell the boys where the evening meeting was to be held. For a few weeks we met in a brick building at the rear of the shops in Spring Grove. A large meat hook in the roof was a timely reminder that in fact it was a slaughterhouse. St. Mary’s Church Hall and a hut in Quakers Lane Isleworth near the Green School were also used. Brentford End Junior School was our next home. For the first time in many years the whole Group were able to meet under the same roof.
Although a fair distance from the river, our boating activities flourished. Equipment had to be carried from the school to the river and then on by dinghy to the mooring off Isleworth Ait. Conversion of a rowing boat to a sailing boat complete with drop keel and fore deck was carried out at Brentford End School. The whole area has now been redeveloped.
A popular outing in the thirties was the “Half a crown weekend” (13p) spent on a barge moored at Lambeth Bridge. It included sleeping on board, food and drink and a visit to the News Theatre on Saturday night. On one occasion H.M.S. Discovery was visited in dry dock while being fitted out for its future use. Non-scouting evenings were also organised by “Pa”. Cinematograph films, table tennis and a tuck shop enabled boys to enjoy regular social activities.
War was approaching fast, and we were soon to be looking for yet another new home.
1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s The New Millennium
Key World Events of the 1930s
- First world cup football series played - Uruguay beat Argentina in the final 4-2
- Empire state building is the world’s tallest
- Hitler is named Germany’s chancellor
- George V dies succeeded by Edward VIII
- Jarrow jobless march to London
- Edward VIII abdicates George VI is crowned
- Walt Disney’s 'Snow White' is released in Cinemas
- Britain declares war on Germany
