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Old Scout Branch is 90 years old!

What a fantastic night to celebrate with the oldest original Old Scout Branch in the UK. Old scouts, wives, friends and group active members young and old met for a fine dine at the Victory Services Club in Marble Arch. A fun evening with many spontaneous toasts and wonderful speeches. Yet again we welcome someone new to the event, this time Old Scout Dominic Laffy.

Cliff Jordan (our GSL) was our Guest of Honour in recognition for his commitment to the post for some 25 years and he entertained us in his reply to the toast to 'Our Guests' with an ode. It is a poem of his view about The Diehards and was delivered in to the tune of Benny Hills 'Ernie' but with the words changed to suit Scouting and what happened after Ernie's demise. It had the chorus 'Bernie who ran the biggest Scout Group in the west'.

Our Founder LJK. Looked for Somewhere to Start.
It is 1921, True Scouting in his Heart.

The Mansergh Club we started in. A Large and Roomy Building.
Brick Walls, Wood Floors, Two Halls within. A Stage for our Beginning.

It Started Slow before the War. A Steady Build Up Needed.
Leaders were Sought, Skills were Taught, Lessons they were Heeded.

As Time went Bye our Scouts Survived. The Bitterness War was Weaving.
The Diehards Life. Like a Phoenix Rose, True Scouting We're Believing.

Those Leaders Lost, Are Not Forgot. The Fun and Laughter Learnt.
In Memory, We Always Will, Remembering Scouting's First.

The Diehard Name Forever Chosen and Kept in Trust, On Oath.
Proud as Scouts, Led from the Front, Along Our Chosen Path.

Oh, What Luck and Fortitude. The Mansergh we Now Own.
The Old and New, Within our View. From Dreams That We Have Grown.

Exciting the Future of Days to Come. And our Wishes to be Young.
The Songs we Sing are Known to Some. Around Camp Fire We've Sung.

As Funds were Needed, Gambles we took, And Thoughts of Playing Lotto.
'As Dogged as Does It'. Is where we Look. A Clear and Trusty Motto.

Land and Sea Scouts our Group has Been, As we've Tried to stay Afloat.
Set Sail through Life's Hardships Clean and Keen. Yes! We've Even Owned a Boat.

Dib, Dib, Dob, Dob I hear you Spout. As We're looking for New Adventure.
Its Scouting for All. That's, What We Shout. Staring Out Towards our Future.

My Glass is Raised. To Friends and Peers. And to all Those Fun Times Past.
Our Lives we Rejoice, Over Many Good Years. To our Group.
I Give This Toast.
To the Group - The 8th St. Marylebone Scouts.
(The Diehards).

The Diehards Old Scout Branch was formed in 1929 by Les Kirby and so impressed HQ that it was the basis on which the BP Guild followed. Whilst now these sections are not officially in the Scout Association there are many similar groups around the country and if it wasn't for the Old Scouts then the Diehards would not be meeting in the Mansergh as it is now. See the history pages.

Many thanks to all those who supported the raffle, plus donations sent in, this year we raised £230 and will be putting this money to a children's charity based at St. John & St. Elizabeth Hospital.

Hold onto your hat now as the Group will celebrate it's 100th birthday in October 2021, preparations are starting already.

• Links
• Benny Hill's 'Ernie' (The Fastest Milkman in the West)