GODFREY Hull’s memories of time spent with the scouts in Dorchester certainly sparked the interest of regular Looking Back correspondent Cyril Treviss, pictured inset right. Cyril, who lives in Dorchester, is now in his early 90s but fondly remembers his time as a cub scout back in the 1930s, and then as leader of the 1st Dorchester pack.

Here are his memories: “On seeing the report on Scouting in Dorchester by Godfrey Hull on August 6, I decided to write my memories of my time with the scouts.

I joined the 3rd Dorchester Scouts in 1934 when I was 11 years old.

We had a meeting room in the Fordington (East) Methodist Mission on Fordington Cross and we met on Monday nights. The scout master was Mr W Mansfield and he had two assistants – Mr T Janton and Mr R Broom. The Rover leader was Mr C Bishop.

Also in the scout district was Major R O Bridgeman, who was the governor of Dorchester prison. His wife ran a cub pack.

Godfrey was right about the gravel pit at Bemstone at the edge of Puddletown Forest. Every time you wanted to go there you had to get permission from the farmer, whose name was Mr Fry.

We had some good camps. One year we went to Jersey, going from Weymouth on the St Julian and coming back we went via Southampton because the weather was so rough.

The county banner camp was held in July in different places in the county. I think we came second one year.

My last camp was on Drake Island off Plymouth and was the West Country Jamboree. What a week that was!

First we had to go by train from Dorchester to Yeovil Pen Mill then change to Yeovil Junction and then head off to Plymouth.

We had rain and wind most days and on the last night our tent was torn apart by the wind.

By that time I was 14 and when I got home, my father had found me a job in a garage called Crabb and Co, starting at 2/6d a week.

After a month or so my father and I had to sign the apprenticeship indenture and my pay was scaled at 5/6d first year, 6/6d second year, 8/ year three, 9/6d year four and 11/6d year five, which was 1937.

I joined the Rover Group where the leader was Sam Bishop, whose father had the bakery which is now the Bakers Arms in Culliford Road.

It had a loft over the garage where we met and to get there we had to climb a ladder on the side of the wall. The carpenters made a table tennis table.

By this time the war had started and all the scouts had to report to the fire station or the ARP station to act as messengers when the phones were out.

I joined the Local Defence Volunteers and later the Home Guard. I was on duty most nights but was not called up as I was in a reserved occupation working with farm machinery.

I had my medical on October 7, 1941.

After the war I married my wife Joan on September 4, 1948.

We had a son called David who was in the youth club at St Mary’s Church choir and in the cubs.

We had a letter from the Rev K Rintoll asking for help with the cub pack.

He called a meeting with the parents as the pack was run by two police women who were about to move. Six parents came forward to help and four said they would take out a warrant – they were Mrs Scutt, Mr Bryant, Mr Lord and myself.

We all went for training and Mrs Scutt was the first Akela, but she didn’t last long as the Central pack also wanted an Akela, so I took over for the St Mary’s pack.

We also had help from parents who also took out the warrant – Mrs Poole, Mr Gooding, Mr Davies and Mr Bates.

We had a lot of good cubs and we took them on camps, put on Christmas shows and went carol singing.

Some parents would help with district camps and we entered the carnival most years.

Our floats included The Old Woman Who Lived In A Shoe, Far From The Madding Crowd and sporting life.

We also did the Wedding of the Year when Prince Charles married Diana and a Viking ship.

We had help from the milkman and his car and boat trailer.

On September 4, 2012, we had a celebration of my 90th birthday with a barbecue with members of the scout fellowship at their Charminster HQ.

I put my picture board with cub photos through the years up on display and someone took seven of the photos – I was very upset and would love it if they could be returned to me.”

Thank you for your memories, Cyril. If anyone does know where his missing photos are, please return them or send them in to Looking Back and we will pass them on. They are of great sentimental value and need to go back to their proper home.