The troop 1922Note, half the troop were Scouts
the others Sea Scouts
Edgar Aikin lead a troop of 10 Scouts then known as the 12th Southampton registration No. 7540 from - 1920 until 1922 and was later joined by Reg. Calvert both of who had boats, which they used for Scouting activities.
A devoted sailor who first served as a Scout in Hamble in the early years, and
then became the Assistant Scout Master in the twenties then went on to lead the
troop from 1922, was Reg Calvert. Based in Hamble Reg was with the Cierve design
team who invented the helicopter. His great love was sailing, which he passed
onto the Scouts.After he took over as leader, the troop was again given a new reg. no of 11012 (we don't know why). And in 1923 to show a new district of "Itchen South", the troop was re-registered to show the newly formed District in the title there were 12 scouts at this time. Mr Calvert also took the opportunity to change our title to "Sea Scouts."
In later years Reg. lived on his little yacht in St George's harbour at Granada and was, unfortunately, in 1980 hi-jacked by two men who had broke out of jail and was presumably murdered as his yacht turned up stripped of all her gear and holed, on the shores of St. Lucia without him. (Ironically a fate shared by two ex Hamble Sea Scouts in 1996 in the same region)
Reg told the tale of a certain Capt. Nelson (no not that one, but a descendant) who when told that a well-wisher had presented the Scouts with a motorboat, was filled with wrath and indignation "How the hell can they make good sailors with an engine?" he demanded.
The troop 1922
Note, half the troop were Scouts
the others Sea Scouts
1928 - Hamble Sea Scouts
on the wall in Warsash.
They're on their way to
celebrate Trafalgar Day
at Portsmouth Navy Base.
Both Troops flourished in the village from that time, although without a permanent base, as with the Mercury Troop, the Hamble Sea Scouts had a variety of homes.
Following the 1914-18 War hundreds of ex-Admiralty 70ft motor launches (Canadian built of wood) were moored in tiers of 5 from Hamble village, up near to Swanwick (2 miles) pending sale.
The Hamble Sea Scouts were given permission to go aboard and use one of the craft
as a meeting place. This offer they gladly accepted, but they found that as soon
as they tidied up the decks of a particular boat, the craft was promptly chosen
by a new purchaser, mainly because it looked so much better!
After loosing several boats on which they worked, they realised what was happening, and left their next choice looking as scruffy as possible outside, while they cleared up within.
During the mid 1920s the Group relocated to a hut in the Old Vicarage Drive, which was also used as the village hall, where they stayed throughout the Second World War until 1957.
1928 - We get yet another reg. no. 3540, which we still have today. The Troop stands at 35 Sea Scouts, 16 wolf Cubs 9 (the first time they are registered) and 5 Rover Sea Scouts and as the picture above shows look very much like our modern day troop.