THE NINETEEN THIRTIES
1 An Overview of the 1930s
The thirties was a period of economic and political turmoil. Although the 'roaring twenties' saw rising optimism in the financial markets, this ended with the Wall Street Crash of 1929 - caused by excessive speculation in the stock markets and the flawed terms of the Treaty of Versailles. Europe had never truly recovered from the First World War and the subsequent collapse of the Russian, German and Austro-Hungarian empires leading to fragile new democracies. Germany could not afford the reparations bill imposed by the Treaty of Versailles, which in turn prevented Britain and France repaying massive war debts to the USA. Indeed, Britain and France were forced to suspend debt repayments prompting some US pundits to propose various outrageous remedies, such as the gifting to the US of great liners like the Queen Mary. Later, during 1943, some Americans even suggested that Scotland, Wales, Australia, Canada and New Zealand should become American territories.
The financial collapse of 1929-1932 led to the Great Depression and massive unemployment across the world, while rampant inflation in Germany promoted the rise of the Nazis. When Hitler took power in 1933, one of his first acts was to ban the Boy Scout Movement in Germany and to seize all their funds and properties.
In Britain, many faced destitution because of rising unemployment. There was no welfare state and there were appalling living conditions in some parts of Greenock, with massive overcrowding and poor sanitary conditions. Nevertheless, life went on, and people coped as best they could. Families still went on holiday and the campsites at Lunderston Bay and the West Ferry were extremely busy. Philanthropic individuals and organisations attempted to help the unemployed, and the Boy Scout Association (BSA) was no exception. At the local level, there was an ambitious development plan for Everton campsite. Despite the problems of raising money, Everton was developed during the first half of the thirties into an attractive camping venue for Scouts. This allowed Troops to have summer camps during the thirties and war years when travel was either too costly or restricted.
As the thirties, progressed, the economic situation improved and several national events helped to raise morale and unite the British nation. Perhaps the most important of these were King George V's silver jubilee celebration, the coronation of King George VI, and the Empire Exhibition at Bellahouston Park. Visits to the Clyde by the Fleet or individual warships also attracted great interest. The Scout Association had significant roles to play in several of these occasions.
2. Source Material
Unfortunately, very little source material survives regarding the 70th's activities during the 1930s. There relevant Troop Logs and Patrol Logs are no longer in the Troop’s possession and there is only one photograph. However, that photograph has proved invaluable since it shows the whole Group and reveals the influential characters of the decade. That, along with the Troop's Court of Honour Minutes from 1934-1941, has allowed a picture to be pieced together of how the group expanded during that first decade of the fledgling 70th.
Other secondary sources include four Greenock Telegraph articles plus a small pamphlet written in 1992, which provides a short summary on Summer Camps and the Scouts involved during the thirties. This pamphlet was based on the relevant Troop Logs which were still with the Troop at that time. Recovering these logs would clearly provide a much greater insight into the activities and spirit of the early Scout Troop, and it is to be hoped that they might yet resurface. The Greenock Telegraph articles also include 4 photographs which may be of this period, but which are not in the Group's archives. Again, it would be useful to recover these original photographs and identify the individuals present.
Finally, the testimonies of various 70th ‘Old Boys’ have been invaluable in gaining information on individuals, and establishing how troop nights were run during the thirties.
Figure 5 Inter-patrol crab football game with 'weighted' goal posts (1960s).
Figure 6 Patrol corners in the main hall. Window ledges and gas fire also visible.
In the 1950s, the side windows of the hall could be opened at the top using string which operated a ratchet system. This almost led to a nasty accident when one Scout wrapped the string round another Scout's neck without the latter realising it. The victim tried to jump down from the window sill and almost suffocated himself. This incident might have been one reason for the side windows being replaced with the windows shown in figure 6.
The kitchen was across the corridor from the hall and was a useful place for training and testing sessions or for patrol meetings. The kitched was also used during the fifties and sixties to store camping equipment and patrol boxes on dexian shelves that were three layers high. It was particularly tricky to get stuff off the top shelf. The Session Room was the most comfortable room available and was used as a Scouters room or for the Court of Honour. It was also used sometimes for training and testing.
At the north end of the church, there was an outside door leading into a boiler room and adjoining cellars. This was called the Dunny* and was used for storing heavy camping equipment from 1939 onwards. In the sixties, the Dunny was also used for patrol meetings, with each patrol having a small section of the cellar which it could 'adopt'.
*The dunny is a Scots word for a cellar. In Australia and New Zealand it means a toilet!
2. The Manse
When the Rev. Reid, became minister of Finnart Church in 1930, the manse was an upstairs flat in 47(?) Union Street. However, this was not very suitable for visiting parishioners. Moreover, the minister had three sons who ran around the flat all day creating a noise for the tenants below! When the Rev. Reid, became minister of Finnart Church in 1930, the manse was an upstairs flat in 47(?) Union Street. However, this was not very suitable for visiting parishioners. Moreover, the minister had three sons who ran around the flat all day creating a noise for the tenants below! As a result, the Manse was moved to 109 Finnart Street, which was changed to number 209 in the 1930s. The house was called Kilmory and had a little square turret. Ronald Reid, who was the minister's eldest son recalls that it had a beautiful view and a garden with a very steep grassy bank both to the front and the back.
3. Ministers (1932-1945)
The Rev. A. R. R. Reid (born 1895) (Fig. 2) studied at Edinburgh University and New College, then ministered in Bombay from 1924-1929, during which his two sons (Ronald and David) were born. He was the third minister of Finnart Church and took over from Rev Charles Allan in 1932. Despite worries over the structural state of the church, he promoted the starting of the Scout group and although he was not involved in running it, he retained a keen interest in his 'baby'. He visited several summer camps in the thirties and camped for 2-3 days with the Scouts during 1935 and 1936. His son Ronald recalls that he wore an ex-army khaki kilt on these visits. He was also the chaplain of HMS Carrick - the local base for the Royal Navy volunteer reserve (Greenock subdivision) from 1931-1936. In 1936, he moved to Belmont Church in Glasgow and generous tributes were made to him in the Greenock Telegraph with the congregation describing him as an 'inspiration'.
Figure 7
Reverend Donald Stewart
It took a full year for Finnart Church to find a suitable successor in the Rev. Donald H. Stewart (Fig. 7), who was chosen for his ‘attractive personality, obvious sincerity and sound judgment’. Donald Stewart was a minister's son from Inverary and had ministered in Kelso. At his robing ceremony, he said simply "I have no programme to announce or plans made for my ministry except to work hard and to give you all I have in faithfulness to duty." He was true to his word and remained a popular minister well into the 1960s. In later years, he acquired the nickname of 'Pop' within the Troop. One of his most important contributions to the Scout Troop was his support through the war years when so many experienced leaders were called up for the Armed Services.
4. Relationship between the Church and the Scout Group
It is not clear whether the 70th originally limited membership to Finnart Church members. Most opinion is that there were no restrictions to membership of the Group other than a requirement to take the Scout Laws and Promise. Perhaps old records of Finnart Church might allow one to identify whether the Scouts were also church goers. However, these records have not been tracked down and may no longer exist.
5. Finnart Church Today
In 1978, the congregations of Finnart and St Paul's Churches amalgamated to become Finnart St Paul's, and chose St. Paul's for future services. Finnart Church itself was renovated and used for some years as a community centre. However, this proved unsustainable and it was finally converted into flats. Most of the external stonework remains as it was, even to the small stone wall around its boundary. However, the great steeple has long since gone. The small hall used by the Group is now a flat, but it is still possible to appreciate the dimensions of the original hall and stand in wonder at how on earth it accommodated upwards of 30 teenagers each Friday night!