This picture shows the 1st Ramsden and Downham Scout Group's Circular Badge.

Additions are in bold.

Until the summer of 1955, 1st Ramsden and 1st Downham had been separate Groups. 1st Ramsden had been established in November 1918 at had had a Wolf Cub Pack for all but 4 years from that date until 1980. It had also had a Scout Troop for most years up to 1939 and even had a Rover Scout Crew in the late 1920s and again in the late 1930s.

The Historical information about 1st Downham is less clear. There is evidence that they were running in 1939 and so it is likely that they preceded that date.

1939 marks commencement of the slow merger between the Groups. 1st Ramsden only had a Wolf Cub Pack whereas 1st Downham had a Scout Troop.

The Merger document was dated 1st April 1955 and came into force on 3rd May. 1st Ramsden St Mary's Own had been a sponsored group - sponsored by St Mary's Parish Church in Ramsden Bellhouse. After the merger, the new group was an "Open" group and remains an open group to this day. At this time, the group was part of the Billericay and Laindon District.

1st Ramsden and Downham Accounts: 1st April 1956 - 31st March 1957

The Group started with £20 in their combined accounts on 1st April.

The largest fund raising effort were a series of dances organised in South Hanningfield Village Hall and the Ramsden Heath YMCA Hall in April and May, and then every month from September 1956 - March 1957. There are some clues giving some background information on how the dances were organised. In April the Group paid £3-3/6 on duplicating equipment, most dances had the expense of 15/- to the drummer, raffles were organised and refreshments sold. In July, September and December new records were bought. In November two dozen tumblers (12/11). However, an entry at the end of the year shows a £31 donation from the Dance Club so perhaps we can assume that the Scout Group organised and ran the dances for the club.

Sixteen dances were organised, although the ones scheduled to take place at Ramsden Heath YMCA Hall in December 1956 and January 1957 recorded no income. However, even with the costs of tumblers and new records there was still a profit of £34-11-6 (£34.57 in modern money)

Some of the other expenditure gives more clues to how the Group operated in the late 1950s: It cost £1 to change the lettering on the Troop flag from 1st Downham to 1st Ramsden and Downham. The Scout sent Patrol Leaders on a Patrol Leaders' Training Course in July. Fourteen Scouts took part in the 1956 International Jamboree - it is not clear whether this means that they camped at the Essex Jamboree, or they visited the World Jamboree in Birmingham for a day in 1957. The Scouts also bough some Hawk Patrol Badges - in 1981 when the Scout Troop was re-established after a fourteen year gap the name Hawks was the first to be chosen for the new patrols.

The Senior Scouts made repairs to their canoe and also spent money on lightweight camping equipment.

The Cub Scouts bought a new football and paid £10 so that the Cub Mistress could take part in a training course. It is interesting to note that in 2008 Leaders Training Courses still cost £10, although there are more to complete!

In July 1956 a Rummage Sale (Jumble Sale) was held at Ramsden Heath YMCA Hall raising just under £10.

On Sunday 27th May 1956, the Scout Group took part in an open day at The Grange in Downham. The costs included the sale of refreshments, purchase of gas and milk and the hiring of chairs. Mr and Mrs Keddie paid all of these expenses and the Scout Group made over £20 from the day.

By the end of the year, the accounts had increased to almost £77

 

1st Ramsden and Downham Accounts: 1st April 1957 - 31st March 1958

The largest source of income in the next year was a fete that was held in late September or early October at Ramsden Heath YMCA Hall. Programmes, bread rolls, refreshments, posters, a third prize for the cake competition were all purchased.

The Bob-a-Job week took place and the Cubs collected almost £18 jobbing, whereas the Scouts managed only £5. A Whist drive in December earned £4 and there were many small donations from individuals.

Towards the end of the year, a film was hired from The Boy Scouts Association and was shown during an extra evening at the YMCA Hall.

At the end of this financial year, the accounts were almost £15, plus £50 in deposit account

 

1st Ramsden and Downham Accounts: 1st April 1958 - 31st March 1959

This year the fete was moved from the autumn to June and included a coconut shy.

Again the Cubs earned £16 during their bob-a-job week, the Scouts earned almost £5. Perhaps the Group had a different policy the following year as in May 1959 the Cubs and Scouts earned £37 during their combined bob-a-job week.

To earn extra funds a Jumble Sale in July raised almost £4-10, the Cubs collected 16 shillings from their waste paper collection and the Christmas draw earned almost £30 in September.

Two of the largest expenses during the year was £24 cost of a new tent and over £7 spent on the Christmas Party.

At the end of this financial year, the accounts stood at almost £80, plus £50 in deposit account

In May 1958 extra keys and electrical repairs were carried out to Kraal. The Kraal was the base for the Senior Scout Troop and was located at The Grange in Downham. The next reference to Kraal is in 1962.

At the 1959 Scout Sports the 1st Ramsden and Downham Troop won the Scout competition with 34 points and the 1st Ramsden and Downham Senior Troop won the Senior prize with 29 points.

 

1st Ramsden and Downham Accounts: 1st April 1959 - 31st March 1960

A "Tramps Supper" was held on Saturday 14th November 1959 and included a sale of food and raffle. In a year where little money was raised, except for the £37 bob-a-job money mentioned above. A raffle of two chickens in the week before Christmas raised almost £5. The accounts book does not say if the chickens were bought or perhaps the Scouts plucked them as part of their Bob-a-Job activities.

Meetings continues to take place at the YMCA hall and the cost was approximately £10 per year.

A trip was organised in February 1960, although it does not give any indication of the destination. There is, however, an entry in November 1959 for the Palace Theatre so perhaps the Scout Group went to see the pantomime in Southend.

At the end of the year a draw took place. The Prizes were £5, £3 and £1 for third prize. Tickets were sold totalling £35-2-6d (£35.12p)

By March 1960, the accounts were almost £49, plus £77 in deposit account

 

1st Ramsden and Downham Accounts: 1st April 1960 - 31st March 1961

Membership this year: 53

The large events of the year were a Social and Dance early in April 1960. This year the bob-a-job accounts again show the Cubs earned £29 and the Scouts £10.

Another draw took place in May, this time £31 of tickets were sold with the prizes again £5, £3 and £1. By the end of the year, a £2 prize had been added to the three other prizes, this time ticket sales were £34.

In September a Jumble Sale raised over £15 and a second one in March 1961 raised £16.

A Guy Fawkes social was held on Saturday 5th November at Ramsden Bellhouse Community Centre - now known as the Village Hall. Tickets were sold, chicken and eggs were raffled (raised almost £1 after the purchase costs were taken into account). An auction of excess groceries raised £1.10s and the £3 4s raised from the refreshments almost covered the cost of Fireworks!

A new typewriter was purchased in November and the Christmas Bazaar held on Saturday 3rd December raised over £18.

This year the pantomime "treat" was a trip to the Queen's Theatre in Hornchurch in February 1961.

Three entries for May, October and January show the Production of "Nutshell" perhaps this was a Group Newsletter? production costs were £1 and 15s for the October and January editions.

After such a busy year, the accounts stood at £70 with a further £142 in deposit account.

 

1st Ramsden and Downham Accounts: 1st April 1961 - 31st March 1962

Membership this year: 46

John Sherwin, who was Scout Master from May 1961 - June 1962 earned his Wood Badge in July 1961. He was first mentioned as an ASM in 1955 so it is possible that he was a Leader at 1st Downham - although we have no names of the 1st Downham Leaders. It cost £6 10s for the Wood Badge, perhaps this included the cost of the course. The account entry is made to "Camp Chief, Gilwell" at this time, this was the title of the Chief of all Leader Training Courses nationally. In December the Group paid 10s for the engraving and presentation of a Trophy to John Sherwin - although this was raised by a collection from the Scouts. In those days Wood Badges were rarely seen.

The "Nutshell" had one more publication in July 1961 although this issue featured an advert.

The Scouts had a camp - one Scout received a 10s donation towards the cost and in August there was a Scout Trip to Holland.

This year there were again two Jumble sales held on Saturday 28th October, which raised almost £20 after expenses and on Saturday March 17th which raised £21

The November draw sold £34 of tickets and the winners were:

There was also a clock purchased from Alfred JE Whale, Ilford at a cost of £5 which was part of the November Draw.

There are two entries In February 1962 for the purchase of Padlocks for Kraal and the Senior Scouts (Kraal Heating)

Another year when the income exceeded expenses so by the end of the year the accounts were £65 plus a further £204 in deposit account.

 

1st Ramsden and Downham Accounts: 1st April 1962 - 31st March 1963

Membership this year: 52

This is the only time that the Senior Scouts appeared in the Bob-a-Job week income:

This year two Leaders attended Wood Badge Courses: In August 1962 the Cub Master (possibly Peter Reeks who later became Group Scout Leader and in the early 1990s became District Commissioner for one of the City of Norwich Districts) and an ASM in November.

The Group donated £7 15s to both the Scout Troop and Cub Pack to subsidise the cost of the camps.

A jumble sale in November raised £12, a Parents Night in December raised £2 and the clock draw raised a further £17.

At the end of the year, the Group had £62 plus a further £235 in deposit account.

 

1st Ramsden and Downham Accounts: 1st April 1963 - 31st March 1964

A Guy Fawkes Social was held again  this year, although the £7-4-2d expenses were not matched by the £6-4-9d income. Three whist drives held in December 1963,  February and March 1964 raised just over £1 after expenses. Jumble sales were now held in Ramsden Bellhouse. In May 1963 £10 was raised and in March 1964 almost £9.

Again, the Cub raised more than the Scouts during Bob-a-Job week; £18 15s compared to £12 8s.

By the year's end, the accounts read £45 plus £290 on deposit.

 

1st Ramsden and Downham Accounts: 1st April 1964 - 31st March 1965

In May 1964, the Group paid Headquarters' Membership fees (Capitation) for 35 people. It was a period when the Group started to reduce in numbers.

This year during Bob-a-Job week the Cubs collected £8 and the Scouts £4. The only other fundraising event held during the year was a Whist Drive in May.

Four Scouts participated in the 5th Essex Scout International Jamboree.

At the end of the year, the accounts stood at £29 and £299 in the deposit account - this was the first year for a while when no money had been transferred into the deposit account.

 

1st Ramsden and Downham Accounts: 1st April 1965 - 31st March 1966

It is possible that when the membership fees were paid in April 1965, the Scout Troop had closed. Only 11 membership fees were paid this year and the Cubs only raised £3 from their Bob-a-Job activities.

At the end of the year, the accounts stood at £27 and £312 in the deposit account.

 

1st Ramsden and Downham Accounts: 1st April 1966 - 31st March 1967

 In 1966 the Scout Troop re-opened, although this was only to last for a short while.

This year, prizes were awarded to the Cubs and Scouts for their Bob-a-Job services. The Cubs raised £14 and the Scouts £7

The first jumble sale for two years took place in Ramsden Bellhouse in April 1966 and raised £6.

In February and March 1967 the Group earned £78 from the sale of Christmas Cards, they had, however, spent £108 on the cards. Although it was estimated that they still had £51 of Christmas Cards left.

The result of the Christmas Cards meant that at the end of the year, the account was in deficit by £3 although the deposit account had increased to £326 due to the interest payments.

 

1st Ramsden and Downham Accounts: 1st April 1967 - 31st March 1968

The Scout Troop closed during 1967 or 1968 and it wasn't until October 1981 when the Group had 10 Scout aged members that it was re-opened. As mentioned previously, the records of when the Scout Troop started are missing, 1st Downham Scout Troop was running in 1939 so the Troop closed after a period of at least 30 years. The present Troop has been running now for 27 years.

This year 27 membership fees were paid.

This year Christmas cards were sold again - the ones left over from the previous year. - although they sold for £27

Bob-a-Job week this year raised almost £28 - although it took place in May, the final amount of money was paid in during October!

The only jumble sale this year raised £8 10s and was held at the YMCA hall in Ramsden Heath.

Mr D Hawkins who was briefly Assistant Scout Master before the Troop's closure attended a Leadership Course in October 1967, he also took a First Aid Course.

1967 was a major year for the Scout Association. The sections changed! Wolf Cubs became Cub Scouts, the Boy Scouts became Scouts and replaced their broad-brimmed hats with berets. £4 was spent on new badges for the Billericay and Wickford District.

At the end of this year the accounts were back in credit, £27 plus £340 in the deposit account.

 

1st Ramsden and Downham Accounts: 1st April 1968 - 31st March 1969

This year only 15 membership fees were paid to the Scout Association and for the next nine years the Group would consist of a single Cub Scout Pack that met at the YMCA Hall in Ramsden Heath.

The Cubs earned £7 from the bob-a-job week that took place in February half-term this year.

The end of year cash figures show £17, there are no more figures for the deposit account.

 

1st Ramsden and Downham Accounts: 1st April 1969 - 31st March 1970

This year the membership fees paid were £12 12s, an increase from the £9 15s paid in the previous year so this might suggest an increase in numbers. The Bob-a-Job week this year earned £13 17s, again much more that the last year's figures.

Mrs Rosina Ayton became a Cub Leader in 1968. The Group paid £10 10s for her training course in April 1969. In the same month Mrs Ayton raised almost £12 from a coffee morning. The jumble sale held at YMCA Hall raised £30 after expenses. The date for the Jumble Sale is Wednesday 16th July.

On Thursday 9th October the Cubs held a Camp fire and sausage evening. In 1980 when the Heath Pack closed, its meetings were still being held on a Thursday evening. This year the hall fees were about £6.

A raffle in November raised almost £3. There are interesting dates for the Cubs Christmas party; they show an income of £11-12-4 on 31st December for the Christmas Party which matches equally the expenditure of £11-12-4 on 11th January 1970 for the Cubs' Christmas Party.

This year's accounts were much healthier again. The end of year saw a balance of £18 but had included £20 transferred to the Deposit account.

 

1st Ramsden and Downham Accounts: 1st April 1970 - 31st March 1971

Membership fees this year were £20-12-9, so again an increase from the previous year. The Bob-a-Job week earned over £19 so again perhaps it is possible to say that the Pack had enjoyed two years of increased numbers?

A Mock Auction was held on Tuesday 2nd June 1970. The income was over £45. Following the mock auction, a Camera and a gas stove were purchased. The Cubs held a weekend camp in September; contributions of £7 4s and the food of £4-14-3 were dated Tuesday 2nd September. This followed Mrs Ayton completing her Camp Permit Course in June.

In September 1970 a Jumble sale added almost £18 to the funds also  £3 was raised from the sale of Cards and paper, the accounts also show in March 1971 a further profit of £3 15s from the Christmas Cards.

In December 1970 the Group paid £8 8s for a set of Football shirts for the Cub Football team. These shirts lasted many years as I can remember the replacement football kit from 1980.

This year's Christmas Party cost £8 8s.

By the end of the year, the balance in the accounts was stated to be £30-11-5, however, the next page lists the Balance as £30-57p The introduction of decimal currency on 15th February 1971 means that I understand these amounts better!

 

1st Ramsden and Downham Accounts: 1st April 1971 - 31st March 1972

This year's capitation fees were £19.80p, a small reduction from last year. The Bob-a-Job figures were £20.36 although "Bobs" no-longer existed.

Another auction took place in November 1971 at Ramsden Bellhouse Village Hal, raising a profit of £55, the jumble sale in January 1972 raised an extra £5

The Subs payments for November, December and January totalled £8.33 and the cost of hiring the YMCA hall was 25p per evening (£8.00 per year)

With all this fundraising, the accounts stood at £48 at the end of the year.

 

1st Ramsden and Downham Accounts: 1st April 1972 - 31st March 1973

The accounts for 1972 show amounts for connection of gas, electricity, clocks, heaters, plugs and water. Perhaps the old hall on Downham Road was being used for the Scout Troop? The accounts show an income of £22 listed as Subs - Scout section.

The Scout Job Week (no longer called Bob-a-Job earned £30 and the capitation figure stood at £20.45p. Three jumble sales in May, November and December added £65.

 

1st Ramsden and Downham Accounts: 1979

That marks the end of the use of the accounts book on a regular basis. There are entries dated 19th May 1979 £101.20 Capitation (when both the Heath Pack and the new Bellhouse Pack were both running) The first mention of Camping and General shows a payment of £30.95 although it does not say what was purchased. However, Mr Clive Jeffree received £15 as a payment for the Christmas Party.

 

1st Ramsden and Downham Accounts: 1st April 1980 - 31st March 1981

The capitation payments were £118.80 of which £101.50 came from parents so perhaps the difference is the cost of Leaders' capitation. This is the first year following the closure of the Heath pack at Easter 1980. Bob-a-Job week earned £45.56p from 24 Cubs (if my memory is correct)

In June 1980 a Disco-Dance raised £120 and a Social event in January 1981 raised £25.

A new football kit was purchased at a cost of £91, plus £19 to hire the fooball pitch and £17 to buy a "Player of the Year" Shield. It was always presented to the "Most improved player" and most years this was the goal keeper!

Janet and Clive Jeffree hosted the Group's Bonfire Night party and spent £14.42 on refresments!

Despite earning £87 in interest from both the Scout Association and the Deposit account, this year the Group operated on a deficit of £45. However, the also purchased a tent and ground sheet and gaz lanterns at a cost of £152. Perhaps those are the gaz lanterns that are still used on camp?

At the end of the year, the Group had £300 in the Scout Association's Investment Scheme, £173 in the deposit account and £84 in the current account.

 

1st Ramsden and Downham Accounts: 1st April 1981 - 31st March 1982

Perhaps the most significant account information during this year is an expenditure of £100 paid when the Scout Troop was reformed.

Two entries show spending over £300 on new tents

Bob-a-Job earned £70 in 1981 and £68 in 1982

 

 02 April 2008