The night was far too short to catch up with everyone (we must do this again, but not in another 50 years!) and so this page on the website has been
set up to encourage people to share their memories of their days in and around the Unit in the (mainly) 1970s.
You can send your memories to svsu50@thenearpost.com for inclusion.
So not every Scout Group had a Senior Scout Unit and Scouts were often lost to the movement or had to change Group.
Even so Senior Scout Units in Streatham were often small. The 1st Streatham had 4 members; Clive Groombridge, Dave Collarbone & Phil Merrall (all at the
reunion) plus Andy House who was possibly from the 10th Streatham.
When Venture Scouts started, Senior Scout Units were encouraged to merge to gain more critical mass.
The Livingstone Senior Scout Unit had been the ‘Rolls-Royce' of Senior Scout Units in Streatham; the largest and probably most active and had no need
to merge. Chris Springett had joined from the 18th Streatham but all the rest were either 3rd Streatham or friends brought in from outside who had not transitioned
from the Boy Scouts - or as they were soon to become - Scouts.
There was much to-ing & fro-ing for a few months but the District settled down with four Venture Scout Units; the Sea Scouts (4th Streatham), the 2nd Streatham
Hill, Estreham (which had hoovered up 1st Streatham Common (John Bowden, Paul Tinwell, Dave Webb), 1st Streatham (as above) and 22nd Streatham (John Thurley,
Mick Ferrier and Dougie Hand)) and Livingstone.
Units often had their own agenda when it came to activities. The Sea Scouts - well, that speaks for itself - they were all Sailors. The Estreham Unit liked
Caving and the Livingstone Unit liked Canoeing in Summer and work weekends at Downe in winter. They also did some caving, climbing and sailing.
Each Unit participated in more than just their specialist activity. Often there would be weekends where units would open up their trips to members of other Units.
In 1969, there was an in principle decision to look at the possibility of the Estreham and Livingstone Units merging to enable all members to have access to
more activities and to become part of a stronger set up with good numbers and as importantly, strong leadership. A joint committee was formed, many committee
meetings were held and the outcome was the formal merger that was effective on 1st January, 1970.
