1st Camps Bay Scout troop turns 100

MATTHEW HIRSCH

The 1st Camps Bay Scouts are preparing to celebrate their 100th anniversary next month.

The group eventually incorporated some of the smaller Sea Point groups and is now referred to as the 1st Camps Bay/ Sea Point Scout group.

Ralph Roseman joined 1st Camps Bay Scouts as a seven- year-old in 1946, making him one of their oldest members.

The now 77-year-old Sea Point resident said he is happy the scout group is still going strong. Mr Roseman, who later went on to become a scout master, said one of his first memories was an overnight stay in the scout hall on Glen Beach. “It was quite an isolated and exciting place to be at the time.

“I got involved in hiking, camping and making fires. As a result I have been involved in mountaineering all my life.”

He said it was good for youngsters to get involved in the scout movement as it it taught them to always do their best.

“Scouts always encouraged people to get outside and have real experiences. Kids nowadays spend so much time on the internet.”

To do this day, Mr Roseman remains an active hiker and in conservation as a member of the Friends of Lions Head.

Being in the scouts, he says, helped him make friends for life and even in his professional life.

“(Being in scouts) you get used to the concept of not giving up and working as a team with a code of ethic. I’m glad to see that it is still going on successful but it is sad to see that some of the smaller scout groups in the area are no longer operating.”

The group, which originally only had 13 members, started after a meeting was held on May 19 1916. By November 1916 the scout group had grown to 72 members. Shortly thereafter, another group, 2nd Camps Bay, was started to accommodate members and operated until the mid-1930s. The group now has more than 40 members The colours of the scout group (brown and yellow) were taken from the colours of the tram that ran from Cape Town to Camps Bay over Kloof Nek.

In 1932, the scout group entered into a lease of plot 1347 where the scout hall still stands in Little Glen.

Louise de Gouveia is one of the committee members helping organise the centenary celebrations. She said they are calling all former members to come to a reunion on Saturday May 21 at 6:30pm at the scout hall to mark their milestone.

“It is about celebrating the fact that we are still a thriving group,” said Ms De Gouveia.

All former Atlantic Seaboard cubs and scouts can contact Ms De Gouveia on 082 997 7673 or you can email all your details to 1stcampsbayscoutgroup@gmail.com to receive an invitation for the reunion and be kept in touch with centenary celebration plans.