History
District Commissioner (Gregory Roberts) on 27th September 1927 reported to an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Northampton District Boy Scout Association that a field of 4 acres 1 rood was on offer for the sum of £250 from the estate of H. Leggett. Negotiations took place and in November the field was acquired for £200. Some of the money was borrowed from Browne Wells Solicitors and an appeal was launched to raise the remainder.
In May 1928, the well was sunk at a cost of £60 with the work being carried out by the Rovers and leaders of the District. This year also saw the first Thornton Trophy camping competition being held.
The winners were the 7th Northampton Queen’s Road.
During the annual camp of 19th St. James at Broadstone Warren, Kent, in August 1929, one of the Patrol Leaders was out for the day with his Patrol when they were approached by a gentleman who asked if they were from Northampton. He had recognised the hatband!! He asked them if they would like to visit the circus, and in reply, the PL stated: “It was very kind of him, but if he wished to give some money to the Scouts, perhaps he would like to give it to all Northampton Scouts”. This was how Henry Lineham was introduced to the Northampton Scout Association.
At the 18th Annual General Meeting of the Northampton Scout Association, Henry Lineham made the offer of £25 if three other gentlemen would do the same in order that a hut or pavilion could be erected in the camping field. Weeks later, plans were made and a pavilion 30ft by 22ft was built by Mr. H. Cross for £100.
On Saturday 24th May, 300 Wolf Cubs and Scouts paraded in the camping field to witness the official opening of the Pavilion by the Mayor of Northampton, Councillor Ralph Smith. Within days, Major W. Hughes, District Commissioner in 1911, offered the Association loose timber from a wood that was part of his property at Billing Gate. In September, he went one step further when he offered to sell the Association this land, Blackthorn Wood consisting of some 14 acres.
At the Annual General Meeting Gregory Roberts (DC), during his report, spoke of the camping ground and gave the news that Henry Lineham had purchased and had given Blackthorn Wood to the Northampton Scout Association. Mr. Lineham also offered the Scouts £100 for a swimming pool to be made. Gregory Roberts then continued with the news that the Chief Scout had awarded Henry Lineham the Gold Thanks Badge. Amidst vociferous acclamation, Mr. Lineham, who was 80 years old, was elected the Association’s new President.
On All Fools Day (1st April) Blackthorn hosted the first Patrol camp. The foundations were laid for the swimming pool, and again, all the work was carried out by the Rovers, Leaders and Scouts of the local Association. On August 22nd the Headquarters Commissioner, Mr. Piers Power, and the Mayor, Councillor E.J. Ingham, officially opened the swimming pool and then presented Henry Lineham with the Medal of Merit, in recognition of his efforts towards the Camping Ground. Towards the end of this year, the wood adjacent to the Top Field was up for sale. This wood known as Fox Covert, was purchased from the Great Billing Estates for £100, and so, by October the Association owned 22 acres.
In 1932, a ship’s bell was given to the site by R. O. Raven of the Bull Hotel. Flags and a clock were also donated, and Henry Lineham donated the dressing rooms for the swimming pool. To help the site look more like woodland, trees, bulbs, and plants were donated by J.O.L. Swann of Towcester, Councillor S. Perkins and Major St. J. Browne. A young Scout decided that he needed money for his summer camp. He picked 80lbs of blackberries at the Camping Ground then sold them off and banked the money for his camp!!!
A shelter and kit-store were built in Fox Covert, having been given to the Camping Ground by W. T. Sears. This shelter was to serve the Pavilion Field for cover from any inclement elements and to house the kit store. Each Group was allocated a cage within the building where they could keep camping kit ready for their frequent visits. As a token of recognition of one man’s kindness, Henry Lineham was presented with a moroccobound, gilt edged book bearing the letter “L” and an arrowhead in each corner. Every leader and Scout within the District had signed it, and many were present to see it given to Mr. Lineham at the 21st Annual General Meeting in November. Just three weeks after the AGM, Mr. Lineham died in a tram accident, his pallbearers were local Scout Leaders.
In December, many trees were cleared from Blackthorn and Councillor S. Perkins presented several hundred new trees for planting.
In 1933 to the memory of Henry his nieces, the Misses Hutchinson, presented a pair of oak gates. On the gateposts there is an inscription “BLACKTHORN WOOD, PRESENTED BY HENRY LINEHAM TO THE NORTHAMPTON BOY SCOUTS 1930. HE WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD.”
Camping was so popular in 1934 the District felt it would be beneficial to the Groups if they were allocated an individual small site within Blackthorn so that Scouts could camp whenever they chose. The allocation of sites was made in February. Each group should maintain their own site. Henry Lineham’s successor as President was W. T. Sears of the boot and shoe fame, and in 1935 he gave £80 to purchase the Cub Field.