From Alastair Allanach and Gordon Burt
Were you in the RHS Scout Troop? If you’d like to share some memories, send in a photo or get back in touch with fellow scouts, this is the page to come to.
RHS (12th Portobello) Scouts 1961 – we are indebted to Eric Sprigg for this and the image below.
Left to Right – Burt, Saunders, Allanach, Thomson, McConnachie Jnr, a.n.other, Pendreigh, Elvin, Anderson, McConachie Snr, Symon
Dear Alastair,
Thanks for the photos. The first is I think an expedition to the flat-topped peak south of Peebles via Black Dwarf’s cottage. The second is I think at Bonally. It was in the Pentland Hills and we camped in a field in a farm next some old ‘well’. I recall a slight fall of snow in the evening and you telling me you had been reading John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men”.
In the morning we walked along the road, past a ploughed field with a flock of lapwings … and into West Linton to catch the bus home.
Great memories!
best wishes,
Gordon
Walter Thomson, Gordon Burt, Rob Lawrie and Alan Grosset
A photograph from 1947 of the scout troop with Miss Hamilton, Mr Ball (rector of the Royal High School, and Mrs McGregor (née Henderson) can be viewed on the Living Memory website.
I was in the Sea Scouts in the mid-50’s rising through Patrol Leader to Troop Leader and acting ASM when we were leaderless for a while. For much of my time Ernie Neri was ASM and we reported to Johnny Small. We built canvas canoes (see Queen’s visit) in Alistair ‘ outhouse in Portobello and camped with them at Taynuilt, Loch Etive. My pictures include myself with Ernie and with my friend David Bryce, myself with HM and some groups. I am not sure how to get the pictures to you – please advise. JE 15/8/23.
Happy days!
Gordon Burt and I have discussed the Peebles photo above and we agree that the line-up (from L to R) is more accurately:
Gordon Burt
Graham Saunders
Alastair Allanach
Walter Thomson
John McConnachie
Kenneth Thompson
Leslie(?) Pendreigh
Johnnie Elvin
Andrew or Alec Anderson (Identical twins!)
Gordon McConnachie
Colin Duncan
I was a Sea Scout when Robert Lawrie was Leader in the early 70s. Summer Camps at Lochs Tay, Tummel and Ard. Great memories except for canoeing capsize drill. Sailing “Twelfth Knight” – the indestructible sailing boat from Fisherrow harbour. It was a long trek from where we lived in Craigmount.
The troop meetings were in the old school gym hall, ( tiny compared to Barnton!) with the added bonus of the pool. Played wide games on Calton hill. Happy memories but no photos. 🙂