Memories

Drakeholes 1938 - 1943

[The following is based on a letter from Don Gill to Ken Atkin - April 2000]

... I was a little surprised and indeed a little saddened to find no mention of our camping days at Drakeholes (near Bantry) beside the Chesterfield Goole Canal and the Drury family (Mrs Drury and daughters Gert and Mary) and their friendly and faithful sheepdog "Robin" who all occupied the cottage on the site.
My own personal recollections of these camps are limited to prior and during the early war years (1938-43) ... others will confirm the existence of the camps over a much longer period.
Names which come to mind are Dave and George Parkin, Pete Stacey, Terry Mounsey, Erick Hopkinson, Rex Wild, Pete Atkinson, Pete Gurney, Pete Buxton, Gordon Shaw, Keith Jones, Ray Neil, Dennis Elshaw, Man Gee, Bernard Tyas and many more - some sadly no longer with us.
[Suitably chastised Ken updated the list of Scout Camps to show that the 59th regularly camped at Drakeholes between 1937 and 1952]

Jack Ash of course was Scout Master and Bernard Tyas was ASM - he (Bernard) used to combine these responsibilities during the War Years with membership of the Home Guard - he was exempt from call-up for military service since he was running his father's car body repair and welding business (considered partly war work) in Calver Street.
Katie Ash, I remember, took over as Cub Mistress from Eileen Hanson just prior to or in the early war years.

... a particular occasion at the Drakeholes camps is indelibly etched in my mind ...

Bernard Tyas and the senior crew (Rovers) - at that time certainly including Ron Swinburn, Clive Brooks and others had built a canoe in the Wiseton Road "Den" of which all were very proud and which was always part of the equipment taken on Drakeholes Camps - Bernard being in the welding businesshad fashioned a six to seven foot boat hook and pole out of welding rods which was quite heavy and robust.
One early Summer Camp, we were enjoying canoe rides on the canal and Pete Buxton was doing the honours holding in for loading and pushing out for sailing away each time the canoe's three passengers changed. On this occasion and for some never fully explained reason when Pete pushed out he canoe fully loaded the hook would not release and I shall never forget the look of sheer horror on his face when in a flash he had to make waht was up to that time the worst decision of his life - "Do I let go and face the wrath of Bernard' tongue and certainly despatch the boathook to the canal bed forever or do I keep hold and face a very wet result?" - the latter option prevailed and of course Pete spent the rest of that day in his pyjamas in front of Mrs Drury's kitchen fire watching his uniform dry out . He of course never lived it down - I have to say "God Rest His Soul" - he sadly passed away some six or so years ago.

Photos of canoeing on the canal at Drakeholes.

The original letter written by Don.