There's nowhere like Parc Mawr

Transcription

1 This document is a snapshot of content from a discontinued BBC website, originally published between It has been made available for archival & research purposes only. Please see the foot of this document for Archive Terms of Use. 22 February 2012 Accessibility help Text only BBC Homepage Wales Home There's nowhere like Parc Mawr Last updated: 23 June 2006 BBC Local North West Wales Things to do People & Places Nature & Outdoors History Religion & Ethics Arts & Culture Music TV & Radio Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel Neighbouring Sites Mid Wales North East Wales Related BBC Sites Wales Cymru Gogledd Orllewin Parc Mawr Scout Camp in Rowen will be familiar to many who have been involved with Scouting in north west Wales. Brian Gregson takes us back to its beginnings in August 1931; "The Foxgloves, things of beauty did but conceal a veritable jungle of matted brambles, briars and nettles among which were concealed treacherous holes, huge stones and rotting stumps. The site, thus overgrown, looked small and we doubted whether we would ever be able to erect more than five or six tents at the most." This is the description in the Rowen Camp Site Log Book as written by Norman R.F. Tucker, a Scout Leader in Colwyn Bay. It marks the beginning of a successful resource that celebrates its 75th anniversary in July It had been L V Turner of the Rydal School Scout Group in Colwyn Bay who had first suggested that Dr W H Tattersall of Glyn Isa, Rowen might be able to help the scouts find a camp site. Dr Tattersall was the main doctor of medicine for the town of Conwy with a surgery at Bodreinallt in Castle Square. He offered the land free of charge, declining the thanks of the scout leaders saying; "It was they, the leaders that deserved the thanks for giving up so much of their time to help boys become good citizens." Dr Tattersall eventually gifted the site to Conwy District Scouts. This small site has an interesting history and has attracted support from respected and influential people. But its main claim to fame is that from 1931 until 1939, it was the only adult leader training centre for Mid and North with leaders from all parts of the UK attending courses there. Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scout movement, wrote to Mr Tucker stating how pleased he was to hear of the development and how important the site was to the training of leaders and the development of Scouting in Wales. more from this section Conwy A Tudor home Ancient armourer Ancient remedies Ask a local Berry Street Conwy Feast 2008 Conwy Suspension Bridge Conwy's most haunted Crossing the Conwy Dr Garrett's Ghost story Jackdaws on wheels Joining the Jackdaws Mussel man Plas Mawr Virtual tour Things to do Conwy Camera Club Conwy webcam Aberconwy House audio-visual tour Welsh Alliance Football Conwy panoramic Train information Llandudno Junction traffic cam Fair trade gives women hope living in conwy Local public services Community events Useful links Have your say Local healthcare explained interact Tell us about a web page Found a web page we should know about? Send us the details. A Friend related www links more from North West Wales Today the site is used not only by members of the Scout movement, but is open to all youth and local organisations. Recent users include a mountain rescue team, Army cadet unit, search and rescue dog team, canoe club, Duke of Sport Your Say Eye on the ball Find out where you can watch or get involved in sport.

2 Edinburgh Award groups and a local comprehensive school. Over the years, thousands of young people have benefited from this small site. your comments graham edwards I do not think that bryan gregson is correct in telling us brynbach-scouts to search the site he suggests because brynbach [harry morgan] is not brynbach near to abersoch or even brynbach in south wales. perhaps the bbc will assist us old-brynbach scouts of the fifties back to a definition and postcode to visit. Fri Aug 28 09:45: Graham Edwards fom Birkenhead Confusion, I am afraid, abounds. Correspondents to this site are talking about two different places and speaking well of both. When the removal van of Ellis`s of Birkenhead took our Birkenead troop to BRYNBACH each Easter the scouts were looking out of the rear of the large van but they did notice that they were travelling through Denbigh from Woodchurch Road, Birkenhead. The site described by Peter Hesketh is/was 9 miles s. of Denbigh. Last night I went to buy a TRANTOR, high-speed tractor in LL24 0NY territory passing thru. Denbigh. I wanted to visit the site I enjoyed so much. I endorse Harry Morgan's view. Young Voice Teenagers speak out in their own magazine section. Society and Culture Volunteering Broaden your horizons and give someone a helping hand. Tai Hanesyddol O blastai crand i ffermydd gwledig, camwch dros drothwy rhai o dai mwyaf hanesyddol yr ardal Bert & Jim Ellis of Pensby & Bebington were the leading members of our troop and it would be good to know about their experiences as they were very keen and extremely knowledgeable about Brynbach. Thu Aug 27 15:43: Mike Ward from Polbain, Achiltibuie, Scotland I attended an archery course there in Whitsun Rowallen visited and I was one of a party sent out in a Landrover to guide him in. Fri Aug 14 09:20: Antony When I was a Scout we used to go to a place called Bryn Bach. I saw pictures in one of the old buildings that I was told were of De Gaulle and the Free French. I was told that they stayed here temporarily during the war. I was also told that all the best structures were taken to Gilwell, and that the place was superb in the 1920s. By the time I was there in the late 1970s it was a bit run down. Fri Aug 7 15:48: sue smith from north wales I would like to say to you all who are interested in Brynbach that the camp is unfortunately no longer a scout camp, but I lived there with my family in the Brynbach house for 18 idyllic years and loved every minute of it.there were a few groups of scouts who stayed from various places and many visitors who came from far away eg. Australia, Germany etc all with many delightful stories of there time spent there when they were younger.

3 I would like to know of any newspaper cuttings of Brynbach during and the name of the newspapers they were taken from. Fri Jul 10 09:44: Brian Gregson from Rowen To Peter Hesketh, Garstang. Sadly the site was sold in, I believe, the early 50s. I also believe the funds were used by HQ to help the finances of other sites. Post-war rationalisation! Mon Apr 27 10:55: Peter Hesketh from Garstang Lancs In my 75th year I now make several journeys down Memory Lane. In the scouts in 1945 [7th Wigan] I remember our annual camp at Brynbach which is 9 miles SW of Denbigh. The Warden was Capt. Anderson. The camp bell was gonged at 10am each day... general salute. In the camp shop I remember many humorous sketches on slate. We travelled from Wigan to Denbigh by steam train - wonderful days. I would like to re-visit Brynbach before I go to the big camp in the sky. Is it accessible? Tue Apr 14 10:02: Brian Gregsson Rowen A message for John Meakin and Harry Morgan: Sorry to say that Bryn Bach is about 50 miles from the Scout camp at Rowen (Gwersyllt Parc Mawr). I believe Bryn Bach closed and was sold in the 1960s as part of the rationalising of scout camp sites and training grounds in North Wales. However, I believe that one of the main buildings went to Gilwell Park (the storm hut)? and one to Phasels Wood Camp Site in Hertfordshire. If you search the internet "Bryn Bach Camp Site" you will find several references and also the website of the current Bryn Bach Scout Group. I hope this helps! Mon Jan 28 10:50: Brian Gregson, Rowen Good news for the Camp Site. Thanks to a generous grant from WREN (Waste Recycling Environmental Limited) and help from Conwy Voluntary Services Council and the Scout Association (Trelor Fund) work is about to commence on refurbishing and extending the toilet block. A generator shed is also being built and a simple lighting system being fitted throughout the camp building. This will allow the site to be used throughout the year. Part of the toilet refurbishment will include a unit with full disability facilities and access and with all the girls who are now joining the scouts, it will now include a ladies toilet. Anyone wanting to read more about the site - just search Rowen Scout Camp on the web. Mon Jan 28 10:49: Harry Morgan origanaly Chester, now Pwllheli I have recently been trying to recall my early days when I was a member of the 13th Chester Troop of Boy Scouts, attached to the College Central School, Parkgate Road Chester, our Scout Master Mr L F Brooks, Music and Geography Master. I have a vivid memory of 1938 when as a 13yrs old we went to Bryn Bach Camping, for a week, and had a great time! the time was used to practice and pass

4 our proficiency tests and gain our Badges, we also spent time discovering the area, and in the evening around the Camp Fire Singing and competing against other Troops, Telling Ghost! Stories, What great fun we had, even in those days we were competitive and the inter troop games received 100% plus of our energy. The main reason for my writing is that having moved to Pwllheli I have tried to find the camp site asking locally no one, could help, so today I asked Google, and can now go and recall my scouting days. Sorry I have no photographs but only the grown up's had cameras in those days Fri Sep 21 10:24: Brian Gregson Readers may be pleased to hear that the small service team at the camp site were awarded a Wales Council for Voluntary Action Volunteer of the Year Award. The presentation took place in the Senedd in Cardiff on 7th June Well done the service team. Mon Jul 2 09:32: John Meakin from Weybridge, Vermont, USA I spent the New Year at a Boy Scouts camp which I recorded as Brynbach (Bryn Bach?). We had expeditions to Tryfan and Rhos-on-Sea. I have a couple of photographs I would be happy to share. Fri Jan 19 09:47: Ray Castle from Conwy As well as the Akela of 1st Conwy Cub Scouts (our Scout Group started in 1910), I am a member of the Rowen Scout Camp maintenance team. I have extensive archive material for both my group and the camp and seek to extend our collection of photos and memories. I have been given the names of some of the people involved with the early development of the site and if they or their descendants could add to our knowledge, a valuable piece of social history could be preserved. Geff Gostage - Colwyn Bay, Doreen Dunphy - Llandudno, Frank Adams - Prestatyn, Ray Cutler - Colwyn Bay and Rhos on Sea, Amy Roberts, Syd Cutler - Colwyn Bay, Charles Bulger - Llandudno, Ian Bevan-Porthmadog, Peter Willett - Llandudno, George Williams - Llandudno Junction, Tudwell Prycherch - Penmaenmawr, John Trevor Jones - Conwy Mon Jul 10 10:14: Brian Gregson from Rowen Well Hans, your memory is correct and here's some memories of one of your contempories. A personal memory of Ron Williams of Rhos on Sea is of being a member of 2nd Colwyn Bay In the late 1930 s and early 1940 s with Mr Hammond Williams as Scoutmaster. Later this position was taken by Mr Geoff Gostage, with a Mr Bill Hollywood as A.S.M. (the teaming of these two men was to lead to major benefits to scouting in Colwyn Bay when after the war, Mr Hollywood returned to Colwyn and became a major figure in local scouting with both the 7th Colwyn and the district team). He remembers well the scout troop escorting the May Queen in the annual parade in Colwyn Bay and camping at

5 Rowen. In particular he remembers one occasion when after a school football match early one Friday evening, cycling to camp at Rowen only to find the site empty and the hut locked. He says he became very worried thinking about having to cycle home through the dark and in the blackout. Just as he was reluctantly about to turn for home he was jumped upon by all his fellows who had been hiding in order to play this practical joke on him. Tue Jul 4 09:23: Hans Wins from Antwerp (Belgium) As a Belgium war refugee I lived in Colwyn-Bay during the war. I was in the 2nd.Colwyn-Bay Scout Troop under Geoff Gostage and the name of Norman Tucker rings a bell. Was he not District Commissioner? We often camped in Rowen cycling up the Conway valley. One year, just for the fun of it (or a bet?) we camped there for Christmas and was it cold! Lovely and fond memories of a beautifull country,nice people and good Scouting. Is the camp in Bryn Bach still there? That was also inaugurated by Baden Powell before the war but I remember a memorial plaque at the entrance gate. Mon Jul 3 11:46: