1st Abergele (St Michaels)

The 1st Abergele Scout Troop was first registered in November 1910. ( No.15165). As registration was often late in occurring, in can be assumed that the troop was probably formed early in 1910. At some point it appears that the group closed as they  Re Registered in. March 1946. (No.24413).
January 1911.

“That month, Mr. Eric G.S. Walker of Headquarters came to Colwyn Bay, met the local Scouts at the Council Chamber, and addressed a public meeting.  Schoolmasters were invited.  A lantern lecture was given at Rhiw Road on 21 January.  Local Scouts were joined by troops from Conway and Abergele, whilst the 1st Llandudno sent their bugle band to head the parade through the town.”

N.R.F.Tucker. “ Early Days in Colwyn.”

“Abergele in Shorts – nostalgia about north Wales in the 60s and 70s – by Gareth Morlais.”

When you think of the Scouts, you think of Bob-a-Job, “Be Prepared” and helping old ladies across the road. My brother Gwynedd’s scouting days were never so tame.

Every Boxing Day morning, we  used to meet up with Gwynedd’s scouting friends on Pensarn beach and shiver as we watched them strip down to their bathers and then take a sponsored dip into the freezing sea. Abergele Scouts did this every year. The star was James ‘Jonah’ Jones. He was He’d sprint, splashing into the waves yelling: “Geronimo!” The Scouts went on all sorts of trips. Camping in Switzerland and Llanfair TH, Midsummer night bivies on Snowdon’s summit and even one memorable trip to Cardiff to see a rock band……………

“We went to a great pub after the gig Gareth”, enthused Gwynedd,  ”There was a great bunch of lads there. I think they were bikers … they were all really friendly. “What was the pub called?” (I was living in Cardiff, so I knew most of the pubs.) “The Terminus”. A big smile spread across my face. Yes, at 10.30 on a Saturday night, Gwynedd had led a mini-bus full of Venture Scouts and Scout Leaders into Cardiff’s premiere gay bar. My favorite brother-story is the one where he’d gone along for the George and Dragon’s annual Christmas fancy dress night Gwynedd had pulled on a pair of mum’s tights, tucked a tablecloth into the neck of his T-shirt and – to top it all – put his red Y-fronts on over the tights. “Ta-Raaa!” he yelled as he flung open the doors of the packed pub and leapt in. Everyone fell quiet and stared at Gwynedd. “No, Superman…”, laughed Danny, the landlord of The George, “… the fancy dress is tomorrow night”
With permission of G Morlais

Abergele (Manchester) Sanatorium “Special” Scout Group

Registered 17th June 1932.  Cancelled 1955. Reg.No.14160.

The sanatorium was provided by Manchester City Council for children with T.B. and other serious infections and the scout group was first registered in 1932 and had  3 leaders and 35 scouts. For most of its operational life, scouting and guiding was available to the young patients. For some, scouting was provided at the bedside whilst the more able children were able to enjoy a regular scout programme and some were able to participate in the occasional outdoor event including camping.