Memories of Mr W. Cooke 5th Grimsby, 9th Grimsby, 5th Cleethorpes
I remember for a short period 5th Grimsby and 9th Grimsby amalgamated due to the closure of 5th Grimsby Company church in Arlington Street. Captain Les Robinson was in charge of the Company for a short time having been Captain since about 1945. Officers that moved with me was Herbert Lamle for a short time when he was offered the Captaincy at Scartho Methodist Church which became 5th Grimsby Company Captained by Mr B Wells until Herbert took over. Other Officers were, Fred Henson, Keith Lawrence, Ted Wright, Barry Robinson, Terry Robinson, Stan Patman and Bernard Walsham. The Ebenezer Church was renamed to New Clee.
Dinner and Dance Beachcomber Club Humberstone 1980
Honouring Mr H. Lamle and Mr George Clark.
Speaker Mr W. Cooke.
Ladies and Gentlemen. It is my privilege and honour tonight to say a few words about two of our long serving B. B. Officers - G. Clark and H. Lamle.
Each of these Officers have served in various capacities for over 50 years an achievement which very few of us will equal.
I think I ought to begin by paying tribute to someone who I have never met but who must have played a very important part in the lives of these two men - I refer to Mr E. Stather who was Captain of 5th Grimsby Company, which was formed in April 1926 in Arlington Street Wesleyan Methodist Church.
Both Herbert and George joined Eric’s Company as a Life Boy and both served in it through the ranks until they both became Officers.
Herbert started as a Life Boy at the age of 10 October 1927. In October 1927 my parents were expecting their first child me, so Herbert has severed in the B. B. During the whole of my lifetime. When Herbert left the Life Boys and joined the Boys Brigade George joined the Life Boys at the age of 9 in 1930. Eric Stather and members of the Church at Arlington Street at that time were contemplating whether to join up with other Methodist Churches - the PM and the U. M. To form the Methodist Church which must have caused a great deal of heartache and prayer a great act of faith.
The Boys Brigade itself had just amalgamated with The Boys Life Brigade and at Arlington Street they must have been trying to come to terms with new terminology. They were formed as a B. B. Company. After then they dropped the name Boy Reserves and had to say Life Boy’s instead just as some of us later had to drop the name Life Boy’s and use the new term Junior Section, and has we heard only this morning the old word ‘Team’ still slips out when we are caught unawares .
Herbert first went to camp in 1929. The 5th Grimsby Company went to Company Camp and were 50/60 strong. The Camp was held at Binbrook and each Boy paid a camp fee of £1-0-0 for the week, ( a fully trained Police Constable at that time was getting £3-12-0, (equivalent to £3.60p) so £1 was quite a lot of money in them days) plus many unemployed in the slump. They didn't go to camp every year, Herbert remembers 2 camps at Binbrook and 2 camps at Everton near ?. Eric Stather and his Officers would have to give up a week’s work to go to camp - there was no holidays with pay then. Eric took them when he could and all credit due to him and his staff.
In 1936 Herbert was appointed 2nd Lieutenant in the 5th’s , I would call him a Warrant Officer now a days. The 5th Grimsby Company amalgamated with the 9th Grimsby Company at Ebenezer Methodist Church (the site of Asda) but it folded after a short period of time.
E. Stather went to Wellington Street and held on there at the 2nd Grimsby Company until someone came back from the War.
George Clark came back and joined the 2nd Grimsby Company and became Captain. George Clark has this distinction of being the longest serving Captain in the Battalion. Almost all of his service as an an Officer as been as Captain of 2nd Grimsby Company and many and many a lad in this town Grimsby, Cleethorpes and possibly the surrounding area will look back with pride and happiness of his service under George in the 2nd Grimsby Company. George is now Battalion Vice President. Herbert returned to the 5th Grimsby Company after the War when it was reformed by Benny Wells. Not long afterwards he became Battalion Secretary. I first knew Herbert as Battalion Secretary. My lasting impression of him in this role is one of great efficiency. Herbert served for a time as Battalion Secretary only. The task itself is a full time one anyway.
In 1953 Herbert was called to serve as a Company Captain at Scartho Methodist Church By Coincidence this Company was the 5th Grimsby Company as the original one amalgamated with the 9th Grimsby Company in 1952 because the Arlington Street premises was no longer available.
Herbert served as Captain for many years. He became Vice President of the Grimsby and District and eventually President. He served as President for 8/9 years until he resigned last year.
Ladies and Gentlemen it is very fitting that we honour tonight the service of these two men George Clark and Herbert Lamle. I am proud to know both of them and the fact that you have come here tonight proves that to me too hold them in great respect. George and Herbert here is a gift as a token of our love and respect.
Here is a example of the difference on how much Camp cost in 1954
Isle of White July 1954.
Grimsby and District Battalion Camp.
Bembridge Isle of Wight.
Summer July 1954.
The reason I decided to take this date for the Boys Brigade camp was that 1954 was the year I was born. Having served 45 years in the Boys Brigade I thought it apt to record the amount it cost for camp and how much it would cost today. Battalion camp has been running since 1929 when a small contingent went the Binbrook for their first camp. Since then there has been a Battalion camp up to 2006 when the camping stopped. My last camp was in South Wales near to Cardiff and it cost me as an Officer £160 and the Boys £95. This is a big difference to 1954, and that is why I also chose 1954. This cost then using the new money: £1-2s-6d = £1.12.5p and £2-5s-6d = £2.25.5p.
The Battalion camp was held again at Bembridge Isle of Wight from July 24th 1954 to July 31st 1954. 106 Boys and 26 Staff made the journey by train then ferry, and despite bad weather for the first two days, a good time was had by all.
The cost for the Camp was £2-5s-6d for Officers and £1-2s-6d for Boys. This was for one week.
With reference to the prices of the camp there being no financial record, I asked an old Officer who went to the camp. He said that he recollects that the prices for Officers and Boys are what are written.
The total cost of the holiday including rail fares and then ferry fares:
26 x Staff @ £2-5s-6d = £54-3s-0d
106 x Boys @ £1-2-6d. = £119-9s-0d
£119-9s-0d + £54-3s-0d = £173-12s-0d
Total: £173-12s-0d Today’s equivalent = £173.60p
Reverse calculation to check that my total is correct =
£173-12s-0d - -£54-3s-0d - £119-12s-0d = £0
1954 £173-12s-0d value 2023 - £6,060.24
To find out the value I had to search the web to use a value of past and present to gain this figure.
This shows the value of then and now.
Calculated £173.60p as increased by 3,403.03% since 1954.
Original Price = £173.60p
New Price = £6060.24
Now, Increase = £6060.24 - £ 173.60
= £5886.64% Increase =£173.60
= 3403.03%
