3/8/06Not the old familiar picture of the front door to the Hut!
This, and the following pictures show the sad sight that was the result of an arson attack on the 1st August.
The fire brigade were called by two residents of houses that back onto the Hut at around 2am. By then the Hut was well ablaze. Local residents were evacuated because of the gas risk and trains were halted on the Saltburn-Darlington line for a while.
As you can see the contents were completely destroyed.
Luckily the Group was insured for both buildings and contents BUT perhaps not to the full value. Remember all the tentage, stoves, the maps, compasses, etc? All gone. Do you older ones amongst us remember the tilley lamps at Summer Camp? The Primus stoves in biscuit tins or double burner gas stoves? All gone. Of less sentimental value, but perhaps more important to today's Beavers, Cubs and Scouts are the equipment, books and records that they used every week.
Today, Alan Charlesworth (who for those who have been away from the Group for a while may not know is now both GSL and Scout Leader), is talking to the insurance company about rebuilding. Don't know yet if we can afford to do it.
5/8/06
Well the insurance guy has been round and agreed the Hut is a right off! Looks like we'll be able to replace the Hut, with a similar design to the old Hut (but hopefully more fireproof!). First of course the site has to be cleared and made secure.
6/8/06
Yesterday Alan Charlesworth (or Dad to me!) went down to search for the old brass flag heads. After some digging through the ash we found the Scout flag head and the Cub one. Don't know if anyone remembers the Cub flag was from the old Wolf Cub days and had a brass wolf as the head. They've been cleaned up and will go onto the new flags. I'll post the photos when I get them.
Had loads of support from people. We're opening a bank account tommorow to start saving for the re-equiping of the new Hut as it appears that although we may be able to rebuild the Hut from the buildings insurance, the contents insurance is unlikely to cover the equipment replacement. Already got £70 in donations!! Had a phone call tonight from a parent of a 40 year old ex-Scout offering to buy a new Union Flag!
As soon as I have the details I'll post the bank details here.
posted by David Charlesworth @ 9:23 pm
3 Comments:
Hi all. Some updates on activities so far this week....
The local scrap man thinks he's died and gone to heaven! Dad asked him to clear whatever metal he could from the Hut - keeps someone else in business and keeps the clearance costs down. You never know when we'll need to call in a favour....!
...also more offers of help from ex-members of the group; 'just let me know what you want' is the general comment. That's great news and don't worry, we will!
Still waiting for the quotes to come in and be sent off to the insurance company. Found the drawings for the rebuild in the 1980s, together with some photos of the original Hut and opening ceremony in the 1950's. Anyone around for that who remembers the day? I'll try and scan and post them on this site.
I came across this site by accident, I had no idea that the Hut had burned down. I was a member of the Troop in the late 50's and remember the move from a Hut on Green Lane to the on on the present site in 1957. I vaguely remember helping to move the Hut, on the back of a Lorry (in pieces) from the Industrial Estate in Marske (then called the 'Squatters Camp' I think)
The Scout Leader was called Hogg and his assistant called Raw (I forget the Christian names) I was in the Falcon Patrol. Khaki shorts, staffs, knives, biscuit tin ovens at Camp, happy days !!
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