History

Old Colwyn

According to Norman R.F.Tucker, of the five scout patrols in the Colwyn Bay Y.M.C.A. troop in May 1908, one patrol comprised of boys from ‘Colwyn’ (Old Colwyn). It would seem that Scouting came to Old Colwyn in the earliest of days.

Another attempt at developing Scouting in Old Colwyn was in May 1915 when a troop was started by Mr. R. Merddyn Rees. This could well have become the 2^nd Old Colwyn Scout Troop (Toc H) later known as C.E Howe Troop. In the Scout Headquarters in Beech Road, there is a Scout flag titled ‘C.E. Howe Troop’ which was dedicated on the 28^th February 1932. It is unclear if this was a separate troop or the original title; one of the Scoutmasters was S.Scot. 1927 records show 2^nd Old Colwyn. 6 Rovers: 36 Scouts – Scout Master Mr. J.W. Mayer

3^rd Colwyn Bay (Nant y Glyn) was registered on 17.03.1927 and at that time there were ten scouts. The troop met in Nant y Glyn Methodists Church Old Colwyn and the Scoutmaster was Mr. W.W. Ratcliffe. At the time the troop started, there was already a Cub Pack at the church and the Akela was Miss. D.M.Ellis. the Cub Pack is thought to have started in 1924.

. In 1935 the 3rd moved headquarters from Nant-y-Glyn to the Old Mill, Fairy Glen, Old Colwyn, severing old ties with Colwyn Bay. Under the leadership of the G.S.M. Mr. L.D.Carr the Old Mill had been used for some time by the group as a club room prior to their leaving Nant y Glyn to make it their H.Q.

During the years of the Second World War, two civil servants from London who were working in the area ran the group. They were Mr. Stears and Mr. A. Weir and in the scout troop there was a specific Air Scout Patrol. In 1940 the Scout Troop were thanked by the Commander of the Local Defence Volunteers for their messenger work.

By 1945 the district returns show there were 47 members in the group.

Shortly after the war the group moved to the Old Council School Greenhill and this provided headquarters for several years. The Scouts at that time were led by Mr. Lyndsey Sellers and the Cub Pack was led by Miss. Bird of the Frobelian School. The group also had their group title changed to 3^rd Colwyn Bay (Old Colwyn).

An interesting note in the Dedication and Opening Ceremony leaflet for their new headquarters states “although a roof over their head is important, scouting does not mould a boy’s character indoors’; Old Colwyn group owe a great debt to Miss. M. Brodrick of Coed Coch and many a boy camped at the site called “Ddol Gau” (Teyrdan Farm).” In 1949, it is noted that the Wolf Cub Leader was Colin Dodd and the Scout Troop was led by E.W. Whitley and the Scouts were meeting in Minafon Stables and the Wolf Cubs in the Methodist Church School room.

In 1956 the group moved once again, this time to a large ex-government hut behind the Queen’s Hotel where they stayed for six years until their own purpose built headquarters were ready. At the time of this report, 2012, the group had remained there but the building had been extensively re-furbished and reopened by Mr.John Tucker on the 23^rd of October.

Old Colwyn Scout Band Leading St. George’s Day Parade c.1970