1929 Fete

On Whit Monday 1929 the Group held a large fete, following a parade through the town, at the West Street Cricket Ground in order to raise monies for building a new headquarters. The press report of the time describes the event as follows;

There are four essentials to assure the success of a fete, the weather, good organisation, a pleasant and convenient site and a worthy cause. It was no wonder then that the fete organised on behalf of the East Grinstead Boy Scouts Building Fund held on the West Street Ground on Whit Monday was a great success.

The weather turned out gloriously fine and who could resist the temptation of spending a few free hours amid such pleasant surroundings and under such delightful conditions as were afforded on the West Street Cricket Ground. Thousands of people were attracted to the town on Whit Monday and there must have been close on two thousand people on the ground. Regarding the cause one can call to mind few more worthy objects than the splendid organisation, the Boy Scout Movement. Here in East Grinstead it is a particularly healthy body and is fortunate enough to have at its head a gentlemen whose keenness is renowned, we refer of course to Dr S L Walker.

There was a host of attractions, commencing with Lord Slap Bangers Circus which paraded the town before the programme proper commenced. The circus which was an ingenious and comic affair, left the Scout Hall just before two o'clock and proceeded via Moat Road, Station Road, Railway Approach, London Road, High Street and West Street to the Cricket Ground.