71st Ayrshire Scout Group traces founder member!

Tuesday, December 08, 2009.
Posted by Webmaster (webmaster@wemyssbay.net).

The 71st Ayrshire Scout Group from Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay continues to celebrate its seventieth anniversary and has managed to trace its founder member and another original scout.

Eighty-one year old Robert McCrone, who lives in Gourock, has been come forward as the very first member of the group from way back in 1939. Robert was just ten when his family moved from Merseyside to Skelmorlie, to live in his grand-mother's house at "Jessfield" in Seton Terrace. Having been an active member of the scouts whilst living down south, the young Robert was disappointed to find that no such organisation existed at his new home.

"I spoke with Mr Sutherland, who was the minister of the former North Church and suggested that we should start a scout group for Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay" comments Robert.

"At first, he wasn't very keen on the idea, but said if I could get 10 boys together who were interested in joining, he would think about it. In the end, I managed to recruit 12 boys and the group was formed with Mr Kennedy, the local headmaster invited to be leader.

"The first meeting was held in 1939 in the recreation hall of the old primary school in Castle Road, where the scout section of the group still meets today. Mr Kennedy retired and was replaced by the next school head-master Mr Alexander in 1942, who already had experience of scouting and remained the leader until 1970."

Much of Robert's scouting adventure happened during the Second World War, with activities being very different than those experienced by scouts today. "Many of our activities were limited due to the war, but we still got involved in traditional scout games and rope work. We were also enlisted to assist various civil defence organisations, who used the scouts as messenger boys" says Robert.

"I have vivid memories of the Clydebank blitz, when a large number of evacuees arrived in Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay, with many of them being given refuge in the scout hall. The scouts were asked to help by going round all the large houses to get pots of soup and other food for the evacuees."

Robert continued with the group until 1945, when he was the troop leader and also attained the King's Scout Award, the highest honour in scouting. He then headed off to sea and in 1954; he returned home, got married and settled in Gourock, where he still lives with his wife Moira today. Scouting has continued in the McCrone family, as his daughter is leader of the Beaver Group in Gourock.

Mr McCrone has been able to identify another early member of the group - Mr Sammy Hay who was Mr McCrone's seconder and still lives in Skelmorlie. Mr McCrone and Mr Hay attended a special celebratory evening at the Scout Hall, which was organised by the group to commemorate the occasion, where both men renewed their scout promise and Mr McCrone was presented with a commemoration clock.

The two scouts hadn't seen each other since the 1960s, but were delighted to meet-up again and talk about their happy times in the scouts. They were pleased to share their memories and in particular were delighted to recount the story of the exploding dumpling at an Auchengillan camp!

Group Cub Leader Alistair "AKELA" Wyllie said: "We were absolutely delighted to have tracked down Mr McCrone and to hear about the origins of our scout group. It was fantastic to have the former scouts along at our group to recount their experiences to the boys and girls of today. Although times have changed and we have considerably more members, it is clear that the spirit of the 71st Ayrshire Group is thriving and ready to face the next seventy years of scouting in Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay."

Robert McCrone and Sammy Hay surrounded by some of the scouts of today