How the 1960s Changed Friary

How the 1960s Changed Friary

It was in 1960 that the “3rd” moved out in front to become known both in the County and Nationally.

The occasion was the Nottinghamshire County Scout Conference – held at the West Bridgford Grammar School. The Conference was to be attended by the new Chief Scout, Sir Charles Maclean – one of whose duties was to be the presentation to Barry Cake of the “3rd” of the very first Queen Scout Award since the accession of N.M. Queen Elizabeth II in 1952.

The West Bridgford Association were hosts for the Conference but had decided that the catering was too large an undertaking to be carried out by the District. Professional estimates were obtained but were found to be far in excess of the County budget. At this stage, Friary stepped in with an offer to do the job at the budgetted price – win or lose). The District Association heaved a sigh of relief and were reasonably confident that Friary would produce a few sandwiches and sausage and mash without letting down the side.

When the great event dawned, the Conference was dazzled by a line-up of twenty-five resplendent white jacketed waiters (wearing black and white neckerchiefs and shorts;) backed up by a kitchen staff of twenty-five of our parents. Over one thousand meals were served over the week-end culminating in a five-course dinner for 200 people who included the Chief Scout’s party.

The now legendary tribute to that event was ” on Saturday afternoon it was the County Conference, on Sunday morning it was the West Bridgford conference and by Sunday afternoon it was the 3rd West Bridgford Conference”. The 1960’s saw the development of our Friary Group as a very closely integrated unit.



Our strength from the very earliest days had been the close relationships (in every sense of the word) between Cub and Scout sections. Now we pushed even further the concept of Friary Scout family.