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On 27 June 1931, a meeting of people interested in forming a troop of Scouts was held at the home of Mr H Ross McKenzie, Clevedon. There were eight persons present including Mr L P Sladdin who had recently come to reside in North Road, Clevedon. On 13 February 1931 Mr Sladdin had been awarded the Scout Wood Badge as Assistant Scoutmaster of the Kitchener Troop, Auckland. This was signed by Baden-Powell, Chief Scout. |
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Following that first meeting, a public meeting was held in Clevedon Hall on 10 July 1931. Those present were
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Mr Sladdin addressed the meeting outlining the Scouting Movement and its ideals. He was dressed in his scout uniform, to demonstrate the uniform requirements. It was decided to form a troop. On 29 July 1931 when selecting a name for the Troop, Clevedon was chosen. In 1932 Mr Sladdin went to Tauranga to a position on a tropical fruit farm and the assistant Scoutmaster Mr Galley also left the district. However the Troop carried on under the direction of Mr McKenzie and Mr J Bell. By 1933, Mr Sladdin had returned to the district and there were 17 scouts. This was the year the Wolf Cub Pack was formed under the leadership of Mrs E B Fawcett. By the second Annual General Meeting the Troop had held what was presumably the first camp. This was on Major J C Fillery's property (now owned by ICI) at Kawakawa Bay. Scoutmaster Sladdin always packed plaster of paris for camp to demonstrate the art of taking plaster casts of footprints etc. for tracking exercises. On this occasion fish were caught and the boys were encouraged to cook them for the evening meal. It is reported that Scoutmaster Sladdin inadvertently issued plaster of paris instead of flour for the fish batter to the boys. This was discovered after the meal and the boys were hastily formed in a line and administered a dose of cascara. It is said none of the boys knew why - until later. During the war period 1933 to 1945, Scouting was confined to the Scoutmaster and a Troop of Lone Scouts, which assisted the Home Guard during the War. |
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Back Row from left: D Orum, V Driver, B Dow, C Rattray, I Chestnut, E Driver, J Colquhoun, D Driver.
Front Row: W Scorrar, P Orum, R Dickie, J Fogarty, M Bryan. |
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In 1946, the Troop was reformed by interested residents, parents and Patrol Leaders T Saggers, Fraser Murray and under the Chairmanship of Mr G H Alexander. At this time through the courtesy of Entrican Sims the owners of Beehive Stores and Mr W Cooper Manager, the disused bake-house at the front of the area now known as Camp Sladdin, was made available as a Scout Den. This continued until Camp Sladdin took shape years later. It is impossible to name individually all those who have worked on committees, given transport, goods in kind, and hundreds of hours of labour to support the movement and keep up the standard of gear and equipment for the Scouts. Most of the residents in Clevedon have done more than their share over the years and for this the generations of young people must always be grateful. |
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In July 1950 Ian Duder (who had qualified as King's Scout in 1947) was approved as an Assistant Scoutmaster. After this R J Wyatt and K E Fawcett qualified as Queen's Scouts. At a meeting on 8 February 1956, Archdeacon May-Harris moved that 30 years of scouting by Scoutmaster L P Sladdin be placed on record. This was another year with a Queen Scout, Donald Bell being presented with his certificate at this time. By 1965, the Manukau Country Council allowed the Old Headmaster's house from Clevedon School to be removed to the Quarry Reserve site to what is now known to all Auckland Scouts and Guides and Clevedon Residents generally, as Camp Sladdin. A tremendous amount of voluntary work had been done by parents and friends in particular Mr and Mrs Percy Orum, in bringing the building up to a high standard. At the 1965 Annual Meeting Scoutmaster Sladdin announced that the Clevedon Scouts totalled 36 comprising 24 Boy Scouts and 12 Venturer Scouts. The Venturer Scouts, new to Clevedon were ably lead by Ian Duder and Andrew McPherson. Their establishment enabled the Clevedon Troop to take another step towards providing stimulation and encouragement for all ages of boys and girls in the district. District Commissioner C B Browne joined Scoutmaster Sladdin when he congratulated everyone on the amount of work done in preparation for the opening of Camp Sladdin. During that year the Venturers had built a swing bridge across the stream at the North End of Camp Sladdin. District Commissioner Browne presented Scoutmaster Sladdin with a McLaren tartan scarf in recognition of his work for scouting in general. Camp Sladdin was opened by Dominion HQ Training commissioner Mr J Hudson on 20 February 1965. At the October 1966 meeting Scoutmaster Sladdin announced that the Chief Scout, Sir Charles MacLean would be visiting Camp Sladdin while in New Zealand. This would take place in March 1967. A feature of the Chief Scout's visit on the weekend of 4/5 March 1967 (when Founders Day was to be observed) a pioneer tower would be constructed by the Clevedon Venturers. They also constructed a second bridge built from pioneering materials. It must be recorded that the Chief Scout's visit to Camp Sladdin was shared by all the Scout Troops in South Auckland, each Troop contributing a scouting skill through a wide range of activities including a tasty opossum stew. At one of the meetings in 1966 three Clevedon ladies Mrs Millar, Mrs Street, and Mrs Prangley expressed interest in the reformation of the Cub Pack. They stated their willingness to help in a leadership basis if a pack was formed. Subsequently at the Annual Meeting in May 1967 the Chairman stated in his report that during the preceding year six Warrants were approved. Scoutmaster Sladdin was made the Group Scout Leader. A Scoutmaster was appointed and a former Scout and Venturer of Clevedon, Stan Smith was warranted as an assistant Scout master. A Lady Cubmaster and two Assistant Lady Cubmasters were also warranted. |
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In April the former North Road Schoolroom was purchased and transported from the site at Clevedon School to Camp Sladdin to become the Clevedon Troop's new home. In March, Scoutmaster Sladdin was invested by D C Browne as a Group Scout Leader and he conducted his final parade, handing over the Clevedon Troop to Scout leader Alan McKay. New Scarves were adopted in 1971, the colours being blue and black. In addition a new Clevedon Badge design submitted by Mesdames Ansell and Bayley was accepted. This depicted the new bridge spanning the Wairoa Rover, east of the township. A new acquisition to the Clevedon Troop was several canoes purchased following their use for Jamboree at Pukekohe in 1973. Those canoes, have been paddled from Hamilton to Port Waikato, across Lake Tarawera and of course locally on the Wairoa River on a number of occasions. |
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On 12 March 1980 Leonard Powell Sladdin passed away. A most generous bequest of $500 was received from Mr Sladdin's estate and was also generously supplemented by a donation from his sister, Mrs Pitt. A $1000 donation was received from the Lions Club in the same year. Most was used in upgrading and replacing equipment. In 1981 at the Annual General Meeting it was pleasing to learn that the troops equipment was at the highest level recorded. |
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In 1981, hundreds of previous members of the Clevedon Scout Group gathered together to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Group. Much of the text in this web page comes from the Golden Jubilee booklet which was produced for that occasion. The memorial to Len Sladdin was presented to McNicholl Homestead in that all Clevedon Residents could celebrate Len's life and great gift to Scouting at Clevedon. |
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In 1981 many of the Clevedon Scouts and their leader John Karl were fortunate enough to be able to attend the Hawkes Bay Jamboree.
Since 1984 Scouting has seen some major changes Nationally. Keas (6 and 7 year old Scouts) became a big section added to the movement. In 1989 girls were able to join all sections of Scouting. Clevedon had the introduction of Keas to the Group and its growth spurt as a result and once more a Venturer Unit became a part of the Group. A slow decline over the last five years left the Group with only 7 Cubs at the beginning of Term 2 1998 and all other sections had closed over the preceding 3 years. The Leaders Elaine Balemi and Graham Bayley now having given many years service decided to take a well earned break. Facing the possibility of closing this once flourishing Scout Group, the Group Committee asked the District for advice on its future. Robyn Driscole, the Papakura District Scout Commissioner, appointed Sarah Corney (Assistant District Commissioner) to an Acting Group Leaders role with the intention that she run the Cub Pack until such time as new leaders were found and trained. In 1998, Clevedon celebrated the award of Queen's Scout to two of its former Scouts who joined with the Venturers at 1st Papakura Group to complete their Venturing. Robert Murray and Jonathon Taylor have joined with I Duder, A McPherson, R Cooper, D Bell, B Wyatt, R Wyatt, K Fawcett (and any others who are unintentionally missed) to become Clevedon's Queen's Scouts! In 1999, Sarah Corney known as Sez, now Group Leader (official) is joined by Bryan Lawrence as Cub Leader (known as Bishop). The Group shows so much growth and strength that on 19 May 1999 the Troop re-opens with 10 members. Their leader Tony Francis (known as Ambo) joined immediately and Graeme Olney (known as Tely) came into our happy leader team in November 1999. |
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The millenium ended on a very high note. The Papakura Scout District produced a celebration Millenium Badge and Certificate which was awarded to all involved in Scouting in December 1999 and we looked forward to a new Century of Scouting. |
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Our History continues with the Group Leaders Reports to the Annual General Meetings... Group Leaders Reports 1998 On 23 February 1999, in celebration of the last Founders Day of the Century, a Kauri Tree was planted in the bush line above Camp Sladdin. With it are the hopes that Clevedon Scout Group will continue as the tree lives out its expected life span. |
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