1970
Publication of “Love and Laughter”(The story of Woodlarks) by Mrs
Strover.
Fête raised £900.
Gifts of potato peeling machine, shower cubicles (B.O.A.C. and B.P Guild
) and trampoline (Dr. Fletcher, Queen Mary’s Hospital, Roehampton.)
Float in Farnham Town Show.
A horse crossed the swimming pool on the cover without going through!
Lower camping field by drive entrance extended, together with an altar
fire and piped water.
Hut for mower built.
Concrete based shelter for firewood by kitchen built.
Tent racks built in store.
Plaque over dining room fireplace cleaned, and new hood fitted.
Chute for pool fixed, at 4’ depth.
New brochures produced.
Death of Charlie Stacey, Committee member, helper and ‘Doc’ of men’s camp
for many years. Raised considerable sums from draw tickets and
collections at Southampton Docks, where he was Sergeant of Police.
Handicraft Club — Bridget Marriott had to resign due to failing eyesight.
Mrs E. Meekings took over.
14 camps — 427 campers, 395 helpers (including 130 at Pathfinders I).
1971
Bungalow (Kathleen Marshall House) for Warden opened August 1st.
Financed by gift of £7500 from Sir Sidney Marshall (Chairman of Surrey
County Council), in memory of his sister, Miss Kathleen Marshall, who
opened the first swimming pool on his behalf in 1948, and who died in
1970, leaving a legacy of £1000. First occupied by Mrs Vera Palmer, Hon.
Sec. and Warden. Access way to the bungalow dug out by Farnham Round
Table.
First patrol site made in woods beyond chapel using earth from bungalow
site.
New tent. (£400)
Award of M.B.E to Mrs Strover in New Year’s Honours.
New incinerator donated (Mr Ball). New beakers.
Stall at Farnham Town Show.
16 camps. (150 at Pathfinders – largest ever.)
1972
Fête raised £900 approx.(shared)
Refurbishing of ablution block started -(new partitions)
Sluice room completed (£700)
Dormitory floor sanded and sealed.
Quarry tiles on larder floor.
Bactric trolley for moving equipment obtained.
Friends of Woodlarks Subs. 25p (including Year Book)
14 camps.
Very interesting article in 1972/73 Year Book by Bernard Routledge about
earlier times, and Keemo.
1973
Death on 13th June of Keemo (Col. M.R. Strover) co-founder of Woodlarks.
See Year Book 1973/74 for Obituary and life story. Memorial stone (“For
his memorial, just look around you”) placed in the wall below dining
room.
Death of Admiral Sir William James (Vice President). As a small boy the
Admiral was the model for the famous Pears Soap advertisement “Bubbles”
Death of Sir Sidney Marshall, aged 90, benefactor of Woodlarks and donor
of the bungalow.
Death of Peter Sampson, popular and active Group member and helper at
boys‘ camps. Diving board at pool in his memory.
New Swimming pool boiler. (£1400)
New wash basins and two bathrooms (£1000). New camp oven (Army
Catering Corps, Aldershot). New tents and flysheets (£1000); New
plates and bowls(plastic)
Pine tree between chapel and road felled (60 ft)
Visit of Dutch Handicapped Scouts (plus a boy from Norway, Lars) to
Adventurers Camp.
Donation of £200 approx. from Carol Holland(camper) in lieu of 21st
birthday presents to her.
Very interesting article 1973/74 Year Book by Bill Frost about old times
and persons.
16 camps.
1974
Ablution block refurbishment Phase III completed — partitioning of
cubicles in toilet block, concreting of bathroom side (£1070)
Plans for further extension adjacent to sluice room.
First Aid Room re-equipped from donation from Carol Holland (see 1973)
Pair of special taps with long handles for sluice room presented by a
camper (Miss E. Law)
Presentation of a hassock for chapel in green and gold with Woodlarks
motif.
New doors for dining room.
New beds (18 for dormitory, 12 for tents) also 50 washable mattresses
covers.
Death of Charlie Slyfield (‘Zambuk‘) long-serving (1948) crew member
and cook for Adventurers Camp. Seat given in his memory.
Fête raised £850(shared)
First N.A.S.C.H camp.
Linden Lodge School for Blind raised £225 for Woodlarks by a Sponsored
Silence 1
14 camps.
1975
Death of L.T.(‘Gig’) Williams, just before Pioneer Camp. One of the
original helpers since 1934. An Originator and, for many years, Secretary
of Woodlarks Crew and Group, Chief Cook for Pioneer camps for many years.
See 1975/76 Year Book. A clock in the kitchen perpetuates his memory.
Ablution block — water—proof hard wearing surface laid.
Preparations begun for extension at end of dormitory and first aid room.
Path and main drive resurfaced.
Sliding doors for rear of cookhouse, and washbasin.
Pool pump house modified.
Death of E.B. Collier, auditor of Camp Site Trust in early years. Left a
large legacy to Woodlarks.
Sir William Gladstone (Chief Scout) became President.
New brochure and new postcards.
Kepplewray School (Broughton in Furness, Cumbria) have to cease coming
regularly, due to high cost of transport.
‘Dickie’ Wilkes (Discoverer Camps) — 40 years of camping.
Miss Atkins (Hants Post Rangers) – 25th camp.
15 camps (Approx. 560 campers, 440 Helpers.)
1976
Extension and changing room started. Estimated cost £6000.
Cooking area beyond chapel enlarged and improved.
Fête raised £1270(shared) — Gurkha Band
Repairs to pool boiler, changing rooms and pool.
Sale of souvenirs, including sun-hats and T—Shirts, brought in £901.
3 paraplegic girls from Pathfinders swam 4 miles each (taking between
five and nine and a half hours)
Pathfinders Camp had 154(64 handicapped, 90 helpers 5
Frame tent acquired.
Safari beds bought.
Electric cooker donated.
15 camps.
1977
New extension and changing rooms completed. (Final cost £9635.)
Soak—away pits dug – outside equipment store, dining room, new extension
and bottom of path to pool, to drain off water. (Rubble and rubbish
disposed of in the holes?!)
Food disposal pit dug, used and refilled, but dug out again three times by
either foxes or badgers.
Two chairs and a table given by “The Durhams” in memory of past campers,
for use in the chapel.
Bendix washing machine replaced.
Commercial-sized refrigerator installed (£591) plus a domestic one, also
electric cooker for use by Working Parties.
900 new tent pegs, plus mallet.
Death of Bernard Routledge(Handicapped). Bernard started coming just
before the war, with his two brothers Leslie and Arthur, all handicapped.
Bernard became a group member, and also cook/caterer for Pioneer I.
(See 1977/78 Year Book.)
Death of Edna Longman and Estelle Edwards (long-standing Discoverers
campers.)
Death of Harry Coverley, helper for many years, particularly in the cook-
house. Father of Bill Coverley, handicapped camper.
17 camps (468 campers; 445 helpers)
1978
Mrs Vera Palmer retired as Hon. Sec. and Hon. Warden after 14 years.
Mike Lewis and Sue Flemming (both helpers) married and moved into
Kathleen Marshall House, Sue becoming Hon. Warden and Hon. Sec. of
Friends of Woodlarks (While Mike became Hon. General Dogsbody !)
Fête raised £1564 (shared)
Dustbin area improved, and concrete area laid by bins and incinerator.
Kitchen roof ridge replaced, and covered kitchen wood—pile re-organised.
New gas boiler water heating system in new extension changing-room.
Water-pipe from bungalow to main building re-laid, with three separate
“turn-off” points, following a burst.
New automatic top-up cistern for pool.
Baquasil used instead of Chlorine in pool, to reduce the smell and the
stinging effect on eyes.
Fabric of pool repaired (£1900). Pool now costing £90 per week
throughout the season.
Pathfinders camp held a sponsored swim and raised £417.
Foxes seen on the site, and Badgers also suspected. Problems with moles.
Presentation of Laurel Award (Commonwealth Guide H.Q acknowledgement of
outstanding service to the Guide movement) to Elizabeth Laws, Assistant
Guider, Hants County Post Ranger Unit (herself handicapped)
Death of Vic Griffiths – first camped in 1934 at first boys’ camp.
Death of Bridget Marriott — originally a helper, but later a camper.
Started Woodlarks Handicraft Club, also “The Link” Magazine, Camping
since at least 1950.
Death of Kate Taylor, aged 90+. Ex-Committee Member from Guide H.Q.
17 Camps (489 campers, 494 helpers)
1979
Extension at rear of equipment store started.
New spin drier, rotary mower, and first aid couch, presented by Friends of
Woodlarks.
New doors for dining room.
International Year of the Child.
Tragedy of death by drowning in the pool of a handicapped boy.
Sponsored swim by Liz Simmons, from the Workshop, covered 20 lengths and
raised £841, to be shared between Camp Site and Workshop.
Badgers and foxes established on site, and deer known to visit outside
camping season. Moles still troublesome.
New camp doctor. Dr. May took over from Dr. Jackson.
Death of Mrs C.M.E. Tisdall, one of the original founders and Trustees (
with Col. and Mrs Strover), and a generous benefactor!
16 camps (460 campers, 504 helpers). No Discoverers Camp.