This photo shows Wolviston Scouts in 1952. We believe this was taken while on their annual camp at Staindrop near Raby Castle. Courtesy of Anne Harris (nee Young). 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
This photo shows Wolviston Scouts in 1952. We believe this was taken while on their annual camp at Staindrop near Raby Castle. Courtesy of Anne Harris (nee Young).
I remember this camp very well and many other camps to Brough and Ayesgarth. I am on the back row far right and lived in Ravensworth Road near Johnny Antrobus. I remember George Atkinson and even bought a red Raleigh racer from him in 1955. I left 1st Wolviston in 1955 which I joined in 1950 as a cub and joined 2nd Billingham because Wolviston was too far to travel and there was also some bullying by the older lads.
I was in Wolviston Scouts and went to our Annual Camp in Staindrop, I think it was actually my first annual camp, the first of many I might add. Jonny Antrobus (SKIP) made scouts fun and interesting. I recognise quite a few faces in this photo but can only place one name, 3rd from the right, back row is Richard (Butch) Nelson. I do have a photo of the Scout troop waiting to board the furniture truck we were transported in, to go to an annual camp if you are interested Ann.
I can add a little to the request for info from Anne Harris regarding this photo. The second boy from the left at the back is George Atkinson. He and his brother Donald were both from Billingham and were members of the Wolviston Scout Troop. George, in our later Senior Scout years, was training to be a chef. I don’t know if that became his actual career, but I would be interested to know what became of him or any others in the picture. The scoutmaster (not shown) was Johnny Antrobus, who lived in Ravensworth Road in Billingham’s new eastate. He would be in his late eighties now, if still alive. He had a rather cherubic appearance, but was ex-army and a strict disciplinarian. I remember one instance where Terry Crow (front row, 3rd from right) was overheard cussing. Well, next morning at Reveille, as we were lined up in patrols around the flagpole for morning prayer and notices, poor Terry was told to step forward.. After a brief lesson on the Scout’s law (.. .a scout is clean in thought, word and deed, etc..) Terry was asked to raise his right arm and Johnny, aka, ”Skip”’ poured a mug of cold water down the inside of his sleeve. The ignomany was worse than the physical discomfort I would suppose. Another instance springs to mind. One of the first tasks when setting up camp was the latrines, of course. They were off to the side of the field and enclosed by hessian (sort of sackcloth) screens. They were known as ”the bogs”. The wet bog was simple enough, just a hole about 2 feet square and 18 inches deep, filled with pebbles from the nearby stream, to enable the liquid to soak away. The dry bog, as it was called, was for number twos. It consisted of a long trench about two feet deep and eight feet long. Lengthwise above this was a sturdy pole on which you had to sit to do your thing. It would accomodate about four at a time. Above this pole, and offset, was another pole used as a handrail to keep your balance. After finishing, you used a shovel and pile of earth to cover whatever was showing and also sprinkle with lime or some other sort of disinfectant. Now, we were not too squeamish in those years and the plumbing at home was none too sophisticated (outdoor toilets, often) but still this was a bit of a challenge, even for us. The first morning at Reveille, Skip asked ‘Anybody who has not used the bog, put your hand up’. Not a single hand was raised. ‘Well, you are all a bunch of liars’, he said, ‘because the bog has not been used yet’. Thereupon we were all dosed with prune juice or something to make sure our bowels were functioning properly! Another example of his strict code of conduct. I was older then, about 16, I would think. On our camp’s mid-week ‘day out’, I and two others dropped into a pub at Staindrop for a daring half shandy. Well, Skip got to know about that too, and we were given bus-fare and sent home in disgrace. Pack your kit-bag, lug it two mile to Staindrop, then a bus to Barnard Castle, another to Stockton and finally another to Billingham/Wolviston. My Dad was so mad he made me go and apologise to Skip a few days later when the troop returned. I have no regrets; Johnny was a strict man but a straight-shooter. I learned a lot from him in those scouting years.
Remember Bobby Hancock very well from my younger days and Billy Young. Cannot help with any other names.
The only names I have are: Bobby Hancock (standing far left), Billy Young (standing with flag), Derek ?, (standing second from right), Neil Pallister (kneeling third from left and Terry Crowe (kneeling fourth from left). Any help in adding names would be appreciated. Billy Young used to live next door but one to me in Belmont Avenue, Billingham but I think he may have emigrated in the 60’s.