3rd Gidea Park Scout Group Change Log

THE BUILDING THE ROWSWELL HALL EXTENSION

Part 2 - Site Clearance

A VIEW OF THE SITE - SUMMER 1994

One fine day ye group scout master suggested to a fine band of handsome young Venture Scouts that he had sorted out the lease to a beautifully forested piece of land adjoining the Rowswell Hall and that they could clear the land, ridding it of all manner of beasts, to make way for the new east wing of Castle Rowswell.

And so on a cold winters day the three brave handsome princes arrived at the woody glade, braving the harsh conditions to do battle with the trees and holly bushes whilst not allowing the threes to damage yea old lamp post and yea ancient fence. (Fat chance!)

THE WORKERS ARRIVE FOR THE FIRST TIME - WINTER 1994/95

For some reason Alan and Tony felt it safe to leave the tree felling to the three oldest Venture Scouts. Nobody else from 3rd G.P was informed that work would start on this day, so nobody else would get in the way. Jeremy Jackson (Left), Andrew Lannin (On the right) and Mark Hutton (camera) were simply told to clear as much vegetation from the site as possible and leave it stacked on the grass in front of the Venture Room.

Prior to there arrival with the Chain saw, the only work that had been done on site was the digging of an exploratory foundation by Tony, which was subsequently filled in and the marking of certain levels.

And battle they did for day after day. Prince Lannin hacked down tree after tree with his power blade of a hundred moving teeth. And nobody noticed the devastation that was going on until…….

To the left Andy can be seen cutting a tree which is about where the driveway is today. The ground level back then was several feet higher (High Quality Top Soil apparently?) than the current driveway. The larger Ivy ridden tree in front of him is still there today.

The Dark King came and declared “You Haven't had my blessing to carry out these acts of devastation. I haven't sorted out the lease with ye Scout master. I decree that all work must stop!”

JEREMY PULLS ON THE ROPE TO ENSURE THAT THE TREE DOESN'T FALL WHERE IT SHOULDN'T.

CLEARING THE UNDERGROWTH

It seems that there was some confusion as to the state of the lease negotiations. The church warden had not been informed that the lease had been signed and decided that we must stop work right when a large tree was about to fall onto the road. We managed to convince him that it was unsafe to leave it there so he let us cut it down. Then when he had gone we chopped one more for luck, downed tools and went to consult with the project foreman. Mr. Tony Jones.

Dorothy Jones made us a very nice cuppa whilst we explained the predicament and it was eventually decided to tidy up and call it a day. Most of the site was now clear so not bad for a day's work.

THESE THREE WERE THE ONLY TREES THAT REMAINED AFTER WORK WAS PREMATURELY STOPPED.
L-R MARK HUTTON, JEREMY JACKSON, ANDREW LANNIN.
Jem is trying to disguise the fact that we may have loped another tree down whilst nobody was looking.

| LAST PAGE | PROJECTS PAGE | BUILDING THE HALL EXTENSION CONTENTS PAGE | NEXT PAGE