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The 26th has a long and distinguished history and has always
been prominent in the Scout Movement in Bristol. The story
of the Group begins in the summer of 1910 when, as “Boss”
Walters recalled at the 75th Anniversary:
“We village lads formed ourselves into a gang, tied
a rope around our waists and equipped with a broomstick went
out into the surrounding fields and woods (now the Henbury
golf links) and practised this Scouting game we had read about”.
At that time the meeting place was the village green (where
the War Memorial now stands) and Westbury was a village surrounded
by green fields and woodlands. The Scoutmaster was Mr C H
H Castle, who lived with his parents at a house called North
Cote, which is now the Badminton School. The Troop, originally
named the 26th St Albans, was registered at Imperial Headquarters
in January 1911. The Castle family owned the North Cote estate,
which comprised three fields and the Troop soon, established
themselves on the smallest of those fields. The first hut
was soon built and the present Headquarters stands on the
same site, which has thus been continuously occupied by the
Group since 1911. By 1912 the Troop was well established with
three Patrols - the Peewits, Foxes and Eagles. Shortly after,
the name of the Group was officially changed to the “26th
Bristol (North Cote)”. In 1922 a Cub Pack was formed
for the younger boys who wanted to get involved in Scouting.
Later a Rover Crew was also formed for the older boys who
wanted to carry on with their scouting having left Scouts.
In 1966 the Scout association changed. Out went the big
hats and shorts. New programmes were introduced, and the age
ranges changed, this meant that the Rover Crew no longer existed.
The Rover Crew now has a reunion at Northcote every six months,
or so.
After these early beginnings, the Group has been continually
in existence and has been active and prominent in Scouting
activities. The Group rendered sterling service locally during
both World Wars. Next
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