History

46^th Fife Scout Group History

1909 –   May - Meetings of Scoutmasters and others that were interested took place.

                July – Patrols were formed and meeting monthly.

1912 -   September – 2 Troops were recorded – 11^th Fife (1^st Cowdenbeath) and 12^th Fife (2^nd Cowdenbeath). Scoutmasters were James Watson, H Baxter with H Hunter as Asst Scoutmaster.

1923 -   January – a dinner was held in the Cairns Church Hall, Cowdenbeath. 30 Scouts were present. The registration form submitted that month listed 34 Scouts and 2 Officers SM William Forsyth and John Dunn. The                         Troop was later allocated the number 46^th Fife.

1929 –   The 46^th Fife formed a Pipe Band.

1931 -   June – The Colours of the 46^th Fife (Cairns Church Cowdenbeath) Scout Group were dedicated at a Service at a service in Cairns Church.

1934 –   The Rover Crew of the 46^th Fife (Cairns Church Cowdenbeath) Scout Group obtained a headquarters in Wilson St. The Rover Leader was  William Watson.

1936 -    September 1st – The Rover Scouts of the 46^th Fife (Cairns Church Cowdenbeath) Scout Group became affiliated to the YMCA in Cowdenbeath and later the remainder of the group Cubs and Scouts were formally                      initiated into the YMCA. On the latter occasion over 100 Cubs and Scouts marched to the YMCA hall headed by the Rovers pipe band for a tea, entertainment and a welcoming ceremony.  The colours of the 46th                        Fife  (Cowdenbeath YMCA) Scout Group were dedicated at a service in Cairns Church on 29 November.

1940 -   The calling up of men to the Forces was beginning to have an effect on the running of Scout Groups.  Most of the leaders of the 46th Fife (Cowdenbeath YMCA) Troop had been called up and the Troop (and Pack)                       had  had to go into abeyance. Fortunately, the Troop were able to start up again a few months later. The 46th Fife Rover Crew were also badly affected with no fewer than 15 members being called away on active                     service but the Crew was continuing to meet under GSM James Brown.  In June 1947, the 46th Fife (Cowdenbeath YMCA) Rover Crew formed 3 Rover patrols naming them after 3 of their Senior Scouts who were                     killed during the War - McLean, Ferguson and Buchan.  A Roll of Honour in memory of all the local Scouts who gave their lives was unveiled on Sunday 14 July 1947.

1946 -   May – The County Rover Moot was held at 46^th Fife (Cowdenbeath YMCA) Scout Group’s grounds in Wilson Street. The World Rover Moot was held at Skjak in Norway in August.  Tom Paterson from the 46th Fife                    (Cowdenbeath YMCA) Crew attended.

1947 -   November - Bert Graham, a Senior Scout Patrol Leader of 46th Fife (Cowdenbeath YMCA) Scout Group received his King's Scout Certificate from the hands of the Chief Scout, Lord Rowallan, at a ceremony in                             London.  Bert was the first Senior Scout in Scotland to gain this award.

1950 -   The Scout Group reached 80 members.

1954 -   February - A scout group started at Cairns Church and allocated 28^th Fife.

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scout Movement.  About 1000 attended the Dunfermline service.  The collection amounted to £15 9s (£15.45) and was sent to the Baden-Powell Memorial Fund. 

On 10 November 1954, a memorial Cairn was unveiled in the grounds of the Rover Den, Wilson Street, Cowdenbeath in memory of former members of the 46th Fife (Cowdenbeath YMCA) Rover Crew.

1958 – February – The Colours of the 28^th Fife (Cairns Church Cowdenbeath) were dedicated during the morning church service.

1959 –  November - the County Commissioner, Abe Johnston, opened the new premises of the 46th Fife (Cowdenbeath YMCA) Scout Group in Stenhouse Street, Cowdenbeath.  The premises were a former billiard saloon                      and garage which had been bought at a very favourable price of £250.  Much of the work involved in rewiring and converting the premises had been carried out by the Group members with assistance from other                        Scouters.

1964 -   October - the new Benarty District came into being.  Five Groups (28th Fife and 46th Fife from Cowdenbeath and 56th Fife, 73rd Fife and 77th Fife. On 30 September 1966, a new headquarters for the 28th Fife                         (Cairns Church Cowdenbeath) Scout Group was dedicated by the Rev J Angus Macleod, minister of Cairns Church.  This was the culmination of 6 years work by the Parents Committee.

1967 -   May – A dinner was held in the headquarters of the 46^th Fife (Cowdenbeath YMCA) Scout Group for the presentation of the Silver Acorn to GSL David Rodger. He became Scoutmaster of the Troop in 1930 and later                Group Scoutmaster. The only break in his 37 years’ service in Cowdenbeath was his war time service in the RASC.

2000 -   The 28^th Fife Scout Group closed due to lack of leaders.

The 46^th Fife took over their Scout Hall returning to where it all began. The 46^th Fife struggled until in Sep 2013 the group was suspended by the District to be restarted in 9^th February 2014 since that time the Scout Group has flourished and today is now acknowledged as one of the best in Fife its said they run an outstanding program for young people.

With grateful acknowledgements to Martin Rogers book - Scouting in Dunfermline & Rosyth Districts 1908-1999