A history of Scouting in Edgware

The District badges that Edgware groups were spread across in 1965 and their meanings:

Kenton & Kingsbury: The Middlesex coat of arms refers to the fact these Boroughs were once part of the County, whilst Tower Bridge in the background nods to the new Greater London County.

Hendon & Edgware: The Knights of St John of Jerusalem used to own land in Hendon, hundreds of years ago. The lamb and flag was their badge. The lamb stands on a hill, as a reminder that Hendon was originally a village built on a hill, and in Anglo Saxon times was called Heandune – meaning “high hill” or “high down.” The airscrews, from the crest of the Borough of Hendon, and the wings refer to the former borough’s links with aviation.

Stanmore: The Stanmore Obelisk, erected at the top of Brockley Hill in 1750, commemorates a battle in which the British tribes united to defeat the Roman Legions during Julius Caesar’s second invasion.

1st Edgware

You can read a full account of their history at Hounslow Libraries.

2nd Edgware

That’s us! You can explore our Group History over here.

3rd Edgware (Camford School)

In 1931 a third Group began, attached to Camford School. The school itself (for boys of 7 to 16 years) was addressed at 22 Edgwarebury Lane, with a girls school of the same name was a two minute walk away at 294 Hale Lane. Both have since long been demolished.

Early records reveal for a time the Group met at the 2nd Edgware Scout Hut, and that George Rust was Scoutmaster at the Group.

The earliest District census we have is from 1943 and lists the Group as ‘dormant’; by 1944 it is not listed at all.

This Group is of no relation to the current 3rd Edgware, who are listed further below.

4th Edgware

The 4th Edgware were registered in 1932, attached to St Lawrence’s Church on Whitchurch Lane. In their early years, the Group gained the name of ‘Diggers’ from the Group Colours which commemorate the good work of the Rev. Digby. After many vicissitudes in these years, the Group found a path forwards to operate for over 60 years.

Their first Headquarters was destroyed by fire, including their equipment. After a stint at St Lawrence’s Small Hall, in the 1950s they obtained a Hut on Honeypot Lane in Stanmore.

The Charity Commission website removed the Group from their listings on 5th October 1993, reasoning they ceased to exist.

5th Edgware

The 5th Edgware (John Keble) opened on 1st July 1933, sponsored by the Church on Deans Lane. They continue to operate there today.

The Group were originally part of the London Diocesan Boy Scouts Association, before transferring to Edgware And District in 1939. A District article from 1951 describes the Group “has always been sound and healthy and has had many excellent and good Cubs and Scouts pass through their hands into the world with noteworthy results”. The same article details their scarves as ‘light blue’, revealing their current blue with white came later.

6th Edgware

There is a detailed history of the 6th Edgware which you can read on their website here.

7th Edgware

Edgware’s shortest-lived Scout Group. On 5th February 1935, the first seven members of the Cub Pack were enrolled. The Group were sponsored by St James Presbyterian Church (265 Hale Lane, today home to Edgware Adath Yisroel Congregation Synagogue) and met at their church hall on Tuesdays at 7pm.

Their next mention in the District Bulletin is in November 1936, announcing their closure. With the resignation of Cubmaster Ivy Mount, the church governing body took the opportunity to run Boys Brigade and Life Boys instead.

8th Edgware

In November/December 1937, 8th Edgware Scouts opened, meeting at the Methodist Church Hall on Garrett Road. Their founding members include Scoutmaster D.M. Taylor, Cubmaster Miss Thom and Assistant Cubmaster R. Cooke.

By the time the Group closed in 2012, they were meeting at St Alphage Church on Montrose Avenue. Their remaining members joined 2nd Edgware Scouts.

9th Edgware

At the same time in 1937, the 9th opened at Camrose Baptist Church, under W.H. Spreadbury as Group Scout Master. Our earliest District census in 1943 does not list the Group.

10th Edgware

The 10th registered in Autumn 1938 as St Anthony’s. They met adjacent to Edgware Motor Co’s premises on the High Street (A5).

In the 1943 census they have 49 members in the Group. The following year they are listed as ‘disbanded for duration war’ whilst their Scoutmaster served in the forces. The same footnote appears in 1945 and 46, before the Group ceases to be mentioned. The 10th were part of a trend of Groups across the country closing during the Second World War, simply due to their leaders being called up for military service.

11th Edgware

Officially opened on 15th January 1939, the 11th were meeting by late 1938 at Edgware United Synagogue, off Edgware Way. They were the first Synagogue-sponsored Group in Edgware, as a response to growing Jewish population in 1930s Edgware. By 1958 the Group was so large, housing two cub packs and two scout troops, that a second breakaway group was started at Stanmore Synagogue – the 16th Edgware.

In August 2009, a newspaper article announces the Group was re-opening in September after a 20 year gap, an operation headed by Andrew Donn. In this reopening, the Group added a red stripe to their previously plain light blue scarves.

12th Edgware

August 1941 welcomed the 12th Edgware, later meeting at the Methodist Church on Beverley Drive in Queensbury. The Group closed sometime after the 1964 census.

One notable member of the Group was singer-songwriter George Michaels, under the guidance of scout leader Jack London.

13th Edgware

In October 1942, the 13th opened. Within a year, they had 15 Cubs and 12 Scouts listed, before disappearing in 1945.

Then, by 1964, the Group re-appeared in census records. This time their membership number (not previously displayed) positions them to have opened between the 15th and 16th Edgware. It also records them to be meeting at the Congregational Church Hall on Grove Road, just off Stonegrove, with four sections running under GSM G.W. Edwards.

14th Edgware

The 14th Edgware opened in 1944 to run Air Scouts. This specialised section of Scouting launched nationally three years earlier, intended as a means of feeding the newly formed Air Training Corps.

In 1944 they had 36 Air Scouts, with the following years totalling 22, 15, then 8. By 1949 (and possibly 1948) the Group no longer appears on the census, supposedly folding due to low numbers with a post-war decline in Air Scouting.

15th Edgware

The 15th Edgware opened as a result of 2nd Edgware oversubscribed. This new Group welcomed their members from the Broadfields area from January 1947, initially sponsored by St Andrew’s Church.

The Charity Commission website removed the Group on 9th October 2003, reasoning they ceased to exist.

16th Edgware

You can the Group history on their website here.

In addition, we can add the Group’s colours were dedicated on 5th January 1958, at a ceremony attended by the Mayor and Mayoress of Hendon, as well as the DC. The Group initially wore a blue scarf with a white border, before switching to today’s green.

3rd Edgware

In 1969 a new Group opened in Edgware – filling in the first missing number, rather than continuing up to 17. They opened on 3rd February that year, and continue to operate today at Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue, on Stonegrove.

1st/6th Edgware

In 2000, the 1st and 6th Edgware merged. More can be found on the 6th history page.

1st Brockley Hill

The 1st Brockley Hill were a Hospital Group set up for long-term patients at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital. Dr Durward, an anaesthetist at the hospital and later District Scoutmaster, had been instrumental in founding the Group. 2nd Edgware leaders Alfred Martin and Edith Moss also played their roles in running the early Group.

At present we don’t know when the Group closed.

2nd Brockley Hill

For some time there was a 2nd Brockley Hill Group. Application was made in November 1936, in connection with the Stanmore Cripples’ Training College, which was in conjunction with the RNOH. Dr Durward appears instrumental again, as GSM. The Group was actually a re-registration of the 58th Kensington (Kensington Cripple Boys’ Home, Wright’s Lane) which had closed down.

In the 1943 census, the Group (along with the 3rd Edgware, 9th Edgware and 4th Stanmore) are recorded in the census footnotes as not being included in the total number of Groups. Presumably, the Groups have recently closed. However, in 1947 they re-appear with 8 Scouts enrolled; the same total as 1949. By 1955 they have closed.