Mayor prepared to help Dunstable Scouts maintain hut

Nearly 60 years later, and with the centenary of Cub Scouting coming closer, the building needs much more maintenance, or even rebuilding. The Mayor of Dunstable, Councillor Terry Stock, has made fundraising for the work one of his key projects during his term of office.

The hut was originally the site office for the company which built many of the Jeans Way houses, and was presented to the 4th Dunstable Scout Group when the work was finished.

A section of the road was started in 1938 by builder Leslie Sell, a great supporter of the Scouting movement, and named by him in memory of his first wife, Jean. The road was completed by H.C. Janes Ltd.

The 4th Dunstable was first registered as a Scout group in 1935 and now has 98 members led by group Scout leader Andy Townend, including two Beaver colonies and two Cub packs.

They proudly wear scarves bearing the Campbell of Argyll tartan, an honour arranged by former group Scoutmaster John Campbell Stubbs.

> Responses to recent Yesteryears include information about the elaborate hairstyle sported by Dunstable’s Duke D’Mond in his early days with the Barron Knights. Apparently this was the work of hairdresser Freddie Bliss who lived at Aldbanks.

And among memories of the Duke’s local adventures was the time when, unasked, he knocked over a charity’s tall pile of pennies at the Pheasant pub. The regulars were not too pleased.

The runners pictured in 1963/64 heading towards the Green Lanes at Totternhoe were, as we suspected, pupils of Dunstable Grammar School, taking part in the school’s cross-country championship races. Confirmation comes from John Dimmock, now living in the Bristol area, who recognised Tony Brooker wearing school uniform in the photo. They both played rugby for the school and Tony was John’s best man at his wedding in 1969.

> Yesteryear is compiled by John Buckledee, chairman of Dunstable and District Local History Society.