This short history has been compiled from information provided by Mike Breakwell and others. Mike is researching a comprehensive history of Scouting in Gwent and has provided invaluable assistance in creating this history of interesting and important events.
Even the term Monmouthshire is confusing. Until recently the name Monmouthshire covered all that is now known as Gwent. The change came with the reorganisations of local government in 1976 and 1996. This history covers the land area of the modern Monmouthshire and largely ignores the other Scout Districts in modern Gwent – Newport, Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen.
Since the beginning of Scouting in 1907 at least 300 Scout Groups have been registered in Monmouthshire. Between 1907 and 1928, when the idea of a Scout Group was formally adopted, Wolf Cub Packs and Scout Troops were registered separately so the basis for counting will have inflated the numbers slightly.
The earliest Scout Districts were based on Court of Petty Session areas. Monmouthshire Scout District as we now know it only appeared in 1989 when the Marcher Castles District was formed from three earlier Districts along much the modern boundaries. Monmouthshire was first used for the District name in 1996.
| 19XX | Crucorney Fawr formed. Closed in 19[XX]. |
| 19XX | 1st Wye (Monmouth) formed – their HQ is rented from Church Monmouth diocesan. |
| 1908 | Earliest Groups in Britain registered. |
| 1909 | In August the first warrant in the District was issued to J S Marsh. |
| 1909 | The HQ Gazette mentioned Monmouthshire in its August edition. It listed the secretaries of local and district committees. His Worship Mayor William Williams (at the Town Hall in Abergavenny) was shown as [XXX]. He was three times mayor of [XXX], and was also commissioner for Wales. |
| 1909 | The 1st Caldicot Group was registered in March. |
| 1910 | ?? The Tredillion Scouts attacked Abergavenny from the rear when the town was surrounded in wide game. Tredillion was a part of Abergavenny where a Scout Group thrived for many years. |
| 1910 | Abergavenny was first recorded as a District. Mr Kennard was the District Commissioner. It lasted to 1989 as District in its own right. |
| 1910 | Scout Groups were first registered in Abergavenny, Llantilio Crossenny, Mardy, Govilon, and St Arvans. Llandogo registered in January. Also St Briavels (part of Monmouthshire despite being across the Wye). |
| 1910 | Scouting was strongly linked to the Territorial Army cadets – the same leaders often ran both Scouts and Cadets up to 1911/12. |
| 1911 | Chepstow Association first recorded – it ran until 1923 or 1924. The Chepstow Commissioner was Major John Talbot. |
| 1911 | Commissioners’ Districts start. |
| 1911 | First county camp. |
| 1911 | Monmouthshire (based on Monmouth town and the surrounding villages) was slow to start – 1911 first Monmouthshire group based in Monmouthshire School for Boys, Priory Street with Mr A Reade in charge. |
| 1911 | Monmouth and Skenfrith District was formed under J Reginald Harding as the District Commissioner. |
| 1911 | The Neville Group in Abergavenny was known as the Marquis of Abergavenny’s “own personal body guard”. |
| 1911 | In November, Patrol Leader S Thompson of 1st St Briavels was awarded Medal of Merit (old one with white ribbon). |
| 1911 | A Group was formed in Raglan. |
| 1911 | Trellech’s District Commissioner was A G Burchardt-Ashton 1911. He went on to become County Commissioner in 1914. |
| 1914 | Llandogo Wolf Cubs inspected by Baden-Powell when camping at the home of Burchardt Ashton (The Priory, Llandogo) where BP as boy had spent some summers. |
| 1924 | Monmouth and Skenfrith District merged with Chepstow to form the Wye Valley District. Over the years, Wye Valley split and reunited several times. |
| 1924 | Monmouth, Sedbury and Tidenham became known as Wye Valley Association |
| 1930 | Chepstow became a District in own right. Monmouthshire’s District Commissioner occasionally covered Chepstow for short periods when it had no District Commissioner of its own. |
| 1932 | Chepstow’s District Commissioner was recorded as being the Reverend R J Stockdale. |
| 1938 | In August, Patrol Leader A J Bullen was awarded the Gilt Cross for rescuing a girl from drowning in the Severn. |
| 1939 | Fiveways Group was established in Monmouth – it had been evacuated from Birmingham to Monmouth School and formed Group within school. It was formally registered in 1943 for transfer back to Birmingham and became the 56th Birmingham Fiveways. |
| 1939 | The District changed its name to the Monmouthshire and Wye Valley Association. |
| 1939 | A Rover scout crew was formed in the in HM Borstal Institute Usk (possibly in Maryport Street). It was registered as part of the Lower Eastern Valleys Scout District |
| 1943 | The 1st Llanthony (1940) was registered and became the District’s most Northerly Group. The name of Reg Gamon, a frequent author on wildlife in The Scout, is associated with the Group. |
| 1947 | The 1st Gilwern Group was formed in Ty Mawr (an Approved School, now the Monmouthshire County Council offices). It wasn’t the current 1st Gilwern! |
| 1948 | The Abergavenny Group was registered on 25/10/48. Its HQ is on land leased from Monmouthshire County Council. |
| 1950 | Back to Wye Valley Association. |
| 1950 | The Bulwark Group was formed in Chepstow on 6/11/50. Its HQ and land are wholly owned. |
| 1950 | In February A McGuire of Lord Raglan’s Own was presented with the Cornwell Scout Certificate. |
| 1951 | The Raglan Group was formed on 16/1/51. |
| 1951 | The Sedbury Park Approved School formed a group that ran until 1963. |
| 1952 | A Cub Mistress was registered at the St Lawrence Orthopaedic and Plastic Surgery Hospital, so there was probably a Wolf Cub Pack there. It lasted until 1956. |
| 1954 | 1st Beachley Senior Scout Troop and Venture Scout Unit formed entirely of apprentices from Army Apprentices College, Beachley. It lasted until 1969. |
| 1954 | A Group was registered in Mountain House, a special needs school, and lasted until 1959. |
| 1956 | Caldicot Group was registered on 29/2/56. Its HQ is on land leased from Monmouthshire County Council. |
| 1957 | The County held a parade to mark the 50th anniversary of Scouting in Tintern, with the service being held in Tintern Abbey. |
| 1960 | 1st Hendre School Glamorganshire County Council spec needs school 1964 cub pack. |
| 1960s | [Late in the 1960s] – The 1st Llanwenarth Citra Group, lead by their Scout Master John Todd, camped in the same field as a company of Girl Guides lead by his Guide Commissioner wife. Both were chucked out and together they formed the Llanwenarth Pioneer Scouts a breakaway forerunner of Venture Scouts (nice badge with deer’s head on it). |
| 1961 | The Sedbury and Tidenham Group was registered on 1/11/61. Their HQ is on land leased from the British Legion. |
| 1961 | The 2nd Gilwern was registered. |
| 1964 | Usk was registered on 30/6/1964. Their HQ is on land leased from Monmouthshire County Council. |
| 1970 | Gilwern was registered on 1/12/70. Their HQ is on land leased from Llanelli Parish Council. |
| 1970 | In October four Venture Scouts from Tredillion VSU Abergavenny were awarded the Medal for Meritorious Conduct in recognition of their presence of mind at scene of terrible road accident in which 4 people killed at Brecon. |
| 1972 | Magor was registered on 24/4/72. Their hall in Magor is leased from Monmouthshire County Council. |
| 1974 | The Shirenewton Group was registered on 25/7/74. They hire meeting venues as needed. |
| 1974 | The Wyesham Group was registered on 18/12/74. Their HQ is on land leased from Monmouthshire County Council. |
| 1975 | The Goytre Group was registered. Their HQ is on land assigned to them by Presbyterian Methodists in Wales. |
| 1976 | Became known as Monmouth District. |
| 1977 | St Arvans was registered on 14/2/77 and ran until 19[XX]. |
| 1980 | In March, Cub Scout Malcolm Jones was awarded the [] for courage and initiative in rescuing younger brother and cousin who had drifted out to sea on small rubber dinghy Studland Bay, Dorset |
| 1984 | In March, Terry Howells of the 2nd Caldicot was awarded the Gilt Cross for action in preventing a serious fire in his family home during which he sustained injuries. |
| 1989 | Abergavenny, Chepstow and Monmouthshire Districts amalgamated in March although the combined District didn’t become known as Marcher Castles until September … there had been some debate about the new District’s name. Started as AC Monmouthshire District – following reluctant merger. Don Norris was the first District Commissioner. |
| 1989 | The Wyevale Elite Venture Scout Unit was formed on 12/8/89. It ran until Venture Scouting ended on 31/12/2003. |
| 1996 | The District became known as Monmouthshire from July 1996. Andy Whittaker was the District Commissioner. |
| 2000 | Jeremy White takes over as District Commissioner |
| 2003 | [List here the Explorer Scout Units formed during the year.] |
Prior to war Tredillion and Abergavenny existed. During war “Pop” Cule was salvage master for Abergavenny Borough Council? County secretary (was Scout Master 1st Abergavenny). Banged Scout Staff on ground as Scouts worked paper baler.
Abergavenny group (in 19[XX]) was given goat by local farmer.
There have been three or four groups registered in Tidenham, some in Gloucestershire, some in Monmouthshire. The 1st Sedbury and Tidenham is probably only English Group registered in Wales (or the only Welsh Group operating in England!).
BP Scouts operated in Monmouthshire – main place in Wales (even then very few).
If you would like to contribute an article to this history, please eMail Jeremy White