1951
Another Jamboree in Austria was attended by P. Burton and Calne Wolves won the County Camping Trophy.
1952
Was marked with a 40 years Anniversary Celebration.
1953
Was Coronation Year. The Group organised a Beacon on the Downs and gave a Gang Show – “Hi- There”
Coronation Platinum Jubilee
In 1953, a few days before the Queen’s Coronation which took place on 2nd. June 1953 my patents ( my father was in the Scouts in South Australia ) together with my elder brother who was in the Scouts and my sister was in the Brownies and I was in the Wolf Cubs were up on the Cherhill Downs when we came across a party of Calne Rover Scouts led by Frank & Clem Gregory with the Rev. Michael Campling and others who were busily building a celebratory beacon on the Downs. We all mucked in and soon the beacon was complete consisting of old railway sleeper, packing crates and much else soaked in flammable liquids. As we had helped build it we were invited to attend the lighting of the beacon. On the 1st. June, around 10 o’clock at night we assembled in the pitch darkness up on the Downs. Fat Around midnight someone spotted a distant light to the Northeast which I assume was Hackpen Beacon, we then set a torch to our beacon which was soon blazing out its message. Sometime later we spotted to the Southwest another light which I assume was Westbury beacon responding to our beacon. Sixty years later the memory of this event is still fresh in the mind of a then 7-year-old lad. On the actual day there were pageants up on the “Rec “in Anchor Road with children dressed in clothing from all parts of the Empire / Commonwealth. Later that day there were dances in the Strand with bands and orchestras aplenty. Large floodlights were fitted along the top of the Lansdowne Arms Hotel and Harris’s factory changing night into day.
The following day my family and many others from Calne went up by Coach to London to see the sites. London was awash with people from all over the Lobe and everyone was your friend. We were able to see the very spot where yesterday’s Coronation had taken place. Before heading back to Calne our coaches made a scenic tour of Central London passing Tower Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Trafalgar Square, on down Whitehall, past the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey and on the Great West Road, the A4. Our coach had a roof that could be opened right back and dads and sons sat on the coach roof. Fantastic memories that have stuck in my mind from long ago.
Andrew Woodcock Can it really be 69 years ago that the coronation of Queen Elizabeth took place? I remember a British Imperial pageant up the Rec. many of the children were wearing clothes from different parts of the Empire, from my mum and dad I have Scottish Blood, my brother Ted was wearing full highland kit kilt, sporran, glengarry etc. Floodlights had been attached to the Lansdown Arms Hotel, The Town Hall and Harris’s Factory with bands and orchestras on the Strand. The following day up at the crack of dawn, up to London to see the sites, finally at the end of the day we got back on our coaches, we travelled along the South Bank, past the site of the Festival of Britain site, across Tower Bridge , past the Tower of London, then St Paul’s Cathedral on into Trafalgar square, down Whitehall past Westminster Houses of Parliament and . Westminster Abbey and home ward bound along the Great West Road. the coaches had roofs that could be slid open and dads and lads sat on the coach roofs. Happy memories from long ago.
Memory courtesy of Andrew Woodcock shared with us in May 2022.
1954
The Group were represented at the Wilts. Scouts Jamboree at Rood Ashton and the Rover Scout Moot was held at Calne.
1955
C. Burton attended the World Jamboree held in Canada.
1957
World Jamboree Rover Moot at Sutton Coldfield was attended by R.Haddrell, A. Phelps, R.Dare, and W. Appleton.
1958
Camps were held at Sidmouth and Wye Valley.
1959
8 Senior Scouts of the Group went to Norway for ” Caaboska’ 59″