The first record of Scouting in the area was in Bream in June 1931, they closed and opened a
number of times and the last time it changed its name to the 1st Sling which could be the forerunner
of the Clearwell and Sling Scout Group.
The Group reopened as 2nd Bream (Methodist) as a Closed Group (Supported by the Bream
Methodist Church) in 1964 by the Rev. W H Hopkins the Minster of the Methodist Church. In 1966
the Rev Hopkins was assigned a new parish and the decision was made to amalgamate the 2nd
Bream scout troop with the 1st Parkend leaving the Cub Pack in Bream.
It is possible that the 1st Parkend Scout Group was in existence in 1935 as papers suggest that John
Sing joined in 1935 and was a member of the Forestry Commission based at the school, papers
suggest he retired form the Forestry Commission in 1952 but still took an active interest the group.
There are so far no records to show if the group was officially registered.
The first official document shows that the 1st Parkend Scout Group was registered on the 13th May
1937 and the Headquarters was the Forestry School, Whitemead, Parkend with 3 Leaders and 14
scouts. There are no further records and it is assumed that the Group may have closed during the
first years of the war as there are no records to show when it closed.
The next registration document records that the 1st Parkend Scout Group was registered on the 6th
May 1950 and the Headquarters was the Schoolhouse in Whitemead, which refers to the Forestry
school in Parkend and later in 1953 opened its first Cub Pack.
In 1957 the Group opened the Senior Scout section (15 to 18 age group Forerunners of Explorers)
All the Groups meeting took place in Whitemead Park which was then the Forestry Commission
school as a number of the Leaders were employees.
The building of the original Beaver Lodge which was opened in 1956 at its present location was entirely
by voluntary labour was quite achievement and a landmark in the history of the group. The designer and
Clerk of works was Alfred Pace of Whitecroft, The building site was partly pond partly swamp but
mainly the remains of a slag heap from the old Parkend ironworks thus the clearing of the site, the
digging of the foundations and even the planting of trees was tough going.
The framework of the building was constructed in sections which were eventually bolted together and
securely anchored to the railway sleepers resting on brick piers. The elm boarding was from local locally
grown trees seasoned and sawn at Parkend sawmills.
The the building was opened with great ceremony in the presence of distinguished company by John
Quinton Williamson in the summer of 1956 who had in the spring of 1954 been transferred to South
Wales but had been the The chairman of the Group Committee and was a former Edinburgh Scout who
was also Her Majesty’s Deputy Surveyor for the forest of Dean.
The present Beaver Lodge was erected in 1994 with the porch added in 2018 and the timber and steel
framed garage alongside it was demolished and rebuilt in 2020.
On the 11th June 1964 a 60 year lease was granted for approximately one acre of land in which
Beaver Lodge stands at £3.00 per annum paid in advance which includeds some of the land now
occupied by the Dean Field Study Centre.
Due to the location and with so many members of the Forestry Commission involved in Scouting
an application was made to change the name to the 1st Royal Forest Scout Group and was granted
on the 19th May 1967.
This was a more realistic title as the catchment area of the original group extended well beyond the
village of Parkend. It also paved the way for the future developments for those who lived in the
Berry Hill, Broadwell, Hillersland, English Bickner and Coleford to meet at Holly Barn.
With so many young people wanting to join the Group in 1967 it opened it’s second Cub Pack.
In December 1974 the area to the right hand side of Beaver Lodge which is occupied by the Dean Field
Study Centre was assigned to the County Council of Avon by the surrender of the lease for that parcel of
land. The balance of the land was conveyed to the group on the 12th of May 1975 for the sum of £146 a
small parcel of the land is still owned by Forestry England but a number of years ago they waived the
rent.
A record of Scouting and Parkend would hardly be complete without reference to the Scottish and
country dancing activities at Whitemead Park. These Saturday evenings but soon became very popular
attendances reached into the 70s and even topped the 80 mark unless the weather permitted dancing on
the lawn, that got the conditions for dancing into indoors became almost impossible however many a
romance were started and these enjoyable evenings continued for 10 years or so and became to an end
because of the shortage of young men the forestry school went to a five day week and the majority of
students went at home or off for the weekend, on a Friday.
The climax of this country dancing was reached in 1964 when eight Senior Scouts dressed in kilts and
sporrans and eight Ranger Guides gave a display of Scottish dancing in the County Scout rally at
Marsden Park at which the Chief Scout Sir Charles McLean, was present.
In 1969 the Senior Scout section were renamed Venture Scouts and this was followed in 1974 when a
second scout troop was opened.
The Senior Scouts from Parkend took an active part in the building of the Buckstone Lodge Cabin which
is just outside Buckstone Lodge at Staunton, the work took nearly two years.
Even after the official opening of Adventure Centre in 1960 by Admiral Sir William Davis there was
much still to be done in the way of bringing in a water supply, adding toilets a stone shed and a kitchen
and of course digging the inevitable septic tank.
The site was is now privately owned and since the original build there have been additions, the main part
of the lodge which formed the Adventure Centre is on the right hand side of the building and is
recognisable as the wood is darker.
The fortunate thing happened in 1962 the arrival of a student at the Forestry School not only had he been
a Scout in Worcester but he had recently been a member of the British Olympic canoeing team was a first
class canoeist but he also had a very practical knowledge of the art of canoe building and the enthusiasm
and ability to instruct others in the skills in the cellar at Whitemead Park became a workshop and a hive
of activity. Plans, Panarella pine and plywood, jig saw and coping saw, brass screws and copper tacks
P.V.C. and canvas the name some of the props. The very size of the project meant that these activities had to overflow into the coach house and finally into the lounge, when the time came for canvassing the hull, this involved the use of all sorts of electric heaters to ensure tight-fitting skin. Other essentials are of course paddles and life jackets.
The next stage involves swimming tests and canoeing instruction, the annual testing canoes on the lake at
Lydney, the issue of local certificates then there were the problems of transport usually upstream special
trailers and roof racks this was continuous effort: new canoes: repairs to the damaged ones new materials
fibreglass and resin very messy lots of space needed.
Six canvas canoes two doubles and four singles were built at Whitemead Park and later Holly Barn a
similar number of fibre glass canoes.
Between 1964 and 65 a further building project was launched in co-operation with the Gloucestershire
Voluntary Youth Service of which Sir William Davis was chairman.
This was the Biblins log cabin which was to be erected by voluntary labour including the Parkend Senior
Scouts who were deeply involved with the construcion of the youth adventure centre. From the clearing
of the site to the planting of the trees and the shrubs for the opening three years later. A large circus
caravan was brought at Huntley and towed by tractor to Whitemead Park where it was restored painted
and modernised as regards plumbing lighting and cooking as a base and then towed to Bibins for use
during the 3 years while the building work took place.
Biblins is managed by the Woodland Trust and the bunkhouse has been closed since 2013, they are on a
mission to transform it into a safe and sustainable building and are raising the money for a vital structural
survey to transform it into a safe space for 39 young people.
Today the 1st Royal Forest Scout Group is home to over 140 young people, 2 Squirrel Drays (4 – 6
years), 2 Beaver Colonies (6 -8), 2 Cub packs (8-11) and 3 Scout Troops who are all supported by
Leaders and overseen by a Board of Trustees.
The young people have been asked to design a badge to commemorate this 75th Anniversary and a celebration day is planned on Saturday September 20th 2025 with activities and camp fire for all.