tommydazzle
Well-Known Member
Anybody in the scouts as a kid? For a while I was in the Coventry 7th troop. Our scout hall was in Partridge Croft off Dudley Street. Most of us kids were from the Bell Green area and used to turn up Thursday nights pay our subs and have great fun playing the most terrifying games. This was an urban troop and as far as I can remember we never camped, polished our woggles or got badges for tying knots. The hall was great for indoor British Bulldog and there was a Downs Syndrome guy there who would squeeze the last breath out of you if he caught you and we were all petrified of him. It took the scoutmaster to yell at him to let go before you passed out (happy days). The 7th had a great marching band and joining this meant trips all over including a bands competition in Battersea Park, Lord Mayor's Banquet, the Coventry Carnival and even an appearance in Hello Dolly at the Belgrade. I seem to remember our drum major was a bloke called Paul who could hurl the mace high into the sky and I never once saw him drop it - he did this on the front of the stage at the Belgrade much to the consternation of the front rows. The Cov 7th was a bugle and snare drum band - very loud and a good number in it - ahh the smell of brasso and duraglit, the spit in the mouthpiece, the ground shaking as we let loose all the drums.
The scouts began to be seen as 'uncool' and a middle class thing but this was never going to be the case with this troop as we were a bunch of street urchins who for one night a week got a bit of discipline, had fun and gained some confidence. If any of my scoutmasters/troop leaders are still alive, I salute you all sirs for the time you gave up for us rag tag bunch. Don't know if kids go these days - tried to see on street view whether my old scout hall had gone but couldn't quite make it out.
The scouts began to be seen as 'uncool' and a middle class thing but this was never going to be the case with this troop as we were a bunch of street urchins who for one night a week got a bit of discipline, had fun and gained some confidence. If any of my scoutmasters/troop leaders are still alive, I salute you all sirs for the time you gave up for us rag tag bunch. Don't know if kids go these days - tried to see on street view whether my old scout hall had gone but couldn't quite make it out.