During the 1914-18 War the Revd Leslie ARTINGSTALL decided to form a Scout Troop attached to the church (see below). It was styled 2nd Fleetwood. Mr Artingstall felt that scouting had a great deal to offer. He was very enthusiastic and took a keen interest in all the Groups of the area. Mr Artingstall was appointed district secretary, which at the time covered a large area of the Fylde.
Though the exact date of formation is unknown, the church minute books do suggest a date of formation as earlier than ‘during the 1914-18 War’. This is supported by the 1st Fleetwood Group celebrating its centenary in 2009. The registration as 2nd Fleetwood and the references in the minute books commends a date of formation year earlier than 1914. If that is so, Mr Artingstall, who was the minister 1916-19, was building on earlier work. It may be that Mr Artingstall was looking to extend ‘the Scouts’ to a wider age than those who were members of the 2nd Fleetwood Troop. The Group was meeting in the Congregational School rooms, now ‘The Thomas Drummond’, in London Street. The number of members was sufficiently large enough for it to have a drum and bugle band.
During the 1939-45 war several Fleetwood Scout Groups were put in abeyance as their leaders had been conscripted or directed into war service; 2nd Fleetwood was one of these. Following the Second World War the Fleetwood district decided to renumber Groups which had been in abeyance. The 2nd Fleetwood Group became 4th Fleetwood. Around 1967 the Group was once again renumbered and became 16th Fleetwood. In 2007 16th Fleetwood celebrated its 40th anniversary with a special service of thanksgiving.
The renumbering as 16th referred to above came about when 3rd Fleetwood (Flakefleet School), 4th Fleetwood (Congregational Church) and 7th Fleetwood (Elm Street Methodist) amalgamated. The unusual Group number 16th was because it was hoped that ‘the Scouts’ could have formed one unit – leaders, parents’ group, shared premises and equipment – with 16th Fleetwood Guide Company. However, The Scout Association sister organisation, The Guide Association, prohibited such a close relationship.
Two members of 16th Fleetwood, the late-Mr Richard Pearson GARNETT and Mr Alan SHIPWAY, had their service to The Scout Association recognised with the award of the Association’s Silver Acorn. (Mr Shipway had served not only 16th Fleetwood, which he had joined as a Cub Scout, but also the district as district commissioner.) Mrs Anne SHIPWAY has been awarded the Scout Association Silver Medal of Merit, an award in the gift of the Chief Scout.
