Child slavery.
 

Well ok, not child slavery, but were you forced to join any youth movements as a child?

I was in the Boys Brigade from the age of seven to fourteen. I also did a short stint at the same time in the Scouts and the Saint John's Ambulance.

At the time I hated having to go every Tuesday evening. Marching about, following orders and team games etc., never having been my favourite pursuits. I did learn how to sew a button on that will never come off again though.

I have the utmost respect for people that give up their time so that children can do things they may not otherwise get the chance to experience....just don't make me go again, brass all gleaming on my uniform.

Re: Child slavery.
 

I wasn't involved in any of the youth movements, but I DID think that I was involved in child slavery.....being made to do chores around the house AND getting no spending money. It was not being paid that really rankled.
I used to run errands for neighbours with a light heart.......but that was because I was getting a shiny sixpence. Filling the coal bucket, pegging out the washing, donkey stoning the steps, emptying the jerries....and other such sundry stuff which I did at home felt such an imposition....especially when I could see other kids playing out. And then when I DID get to play out, I had to take three of my younger brothers with me......and make sure they didn't get into any mischief. In those days the phrase 'child abuse' wasn't thought of.....but I felt abused. Looking back now, I realise that my parents could not afford to give me spending money....and all the things I did made sure that I could do many more things when I grew up.

Welcome back G........you have been missed, in fact I was getting a bit worried :D

Re: Child slavery.
 

I went to Brownies but no-one paid out for a uniform for me. I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb so gave it up.

My father said 'I'm glad I never got you a uniform, I knew it would be a waste of money'. All very confusing to a nine year old.

Re: Child slavery.
 

I was in the girl guides ,robin patrol..i loved it until the day the queen came to Burnley ,,our lot were on the front of the pavement but they stuck me about ten rows back because i could not do the salute,my thumb and little finger wont reach each other so my three other fingers curled up...:sad8: i remember getting an ice cream off my mum when i got home though.,,,,wernt much compensation,

Re: Child slavery.
 

Which BB where you in, the Ossy one, I was in Ist Accrington, springhill methodist.:)

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...n/scan0002.jpg

Re: Child slavery.
 

i was never forced but i did go to the scouts...and im proud of myself i was actually troop leader :D ;) ...used to love marching on remembrance sunday holding my flag proudly :engsmil:

Re: Child slavery.
 

My parents were borderline hippies and far too progressive in their parenting to force me to anything like that - upshot was, I took the lazy option and didn't go!

Re: Child slavery.
 

My father is a keen football fan; he’ll watch it all day but has never played the game as such himself. So for some strange reason he must have thought that his sons would be good footballers.
From the ages of around 10,11 and 12 I had to play soccer for our local youth club. I absolutely hated it, I mean hated it, especially the training evenings. Running round the perimeter of a soccer pitch like a bunch of loonies wasn’t fun to me and when ever the trainer wasn’t looking I walked but often I got caught and had to run around again, I didn’t want to be there but we had to go.
My bro did well but I was useless and boy did I know it. In the three years of playing?? I only ever scored one goal and that was an accident, someone kicked the ball and it bounced off me and into the net, if I had seen it coming I would have dodged out its way. :eek: hehe
Even today I will not attempt to kick a ball again.
It was a complete nightmare, so don’t force ya kids.

Re: Child slavery.
 

Both my youngest sons went to Boys Brigade.. Eldest stopped after a year and my youngest son is now in his third year and loves it.. You couldnt force him not to go..

Both young sons are in football teams and train at different times during week.

One of my elder sons did many many years at karate and finished as a black belt 1st dan. he loved that.

My eldest Daughter did same.. takes years and years to get to Black belt.. between them they have loads of karate trophies and Sarah has a british champion gold medal.. sadly both dont do karate anymore but keep there licence and always have it.


Other daughter did brownies and the twirling a stick thing but never took to it... one son did duke of edinburough bronce and silver but never got to gold.. cus he grew up he says :)


My kids have been encouraged to do all manner of things.. but never forced.. dont see the point... we try to get them to do things.. but if they dont like it then it wont do them any good.

Re: Child slavery.
 

I was a Girl Guide in the days when the uniform shirt had 2 large breast-pockets where you kept note-books, first-aid kits etc. so we all looked like Jayne Mansfield (for those who remember her). I wasn't made to go, I just enjoyed it.

I never made my children join anything. My son was in the Cubs just long enough for me to buy him the full uniform, then he decided he didn't want to go any more (and he's still alive!). My elder daughter was a Brownie then a Guide until she was 15. She then joined the Girls Venture Corps, which was the female side of the ATC, but it didn't last as she didn't fancy any of the lads. :D

My younger daughter was a Brownie, didn't go on to Guides, became a Brownies Young Leader when she was 16 and is now, 14 years later, Brown Owl of the same pack. My grandson was a Cub, then a Scout until he was 16. My granddaughter is a Rainbow (baby Brownie) and can't wait until January when she will be in her mum's Brownie pack.

Oh yes, and my husband was a Scout in the days when they wore those big hats and wore shorts. Baden-Powell would have been proud of us lot, wouldn't he? :)

Re: Child slavery.
 

There was an article in the Guardian this week about parent pressure

http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/art...838396,00.html

Re: Child slavery.
 

I thought it was just me that hated playing football :)
Anyway, I was in the cubs, and although I got stick cos I was useless, I did actually quite enjoy it, and was in the gang show once.

Re: Child slavery.
 

I was in the 1st Oswaldtwistle BB, so since there was a lot of inter Brigade meetings we probably have met.:)

Although I didn't like going at the time I'm glad that I did, as I learnt a lot of things I wouldn't know about now.

The highest achievement whilst there was for six years in a row winning the national painting competition. Much was expected of my younger brother when he joined two years after me. Sadly his mad daubings didn't win any prizes for the 1st Ossy BB. Either he was as rubbish at art as I was at football or a misunderstood genius.

We were encouraged to go after my Dad had a wonderful time in the Scouts in his boyhood. He really had to fight to join after his staunchly Methodist and pacifist father saw the Scout movement as some quasi militaristic fighting machine founded by Baden Powell. Most of the friends he made there in the fifties came from all corners of the country to attend his funeral thirteen years ago.

Re: Child slavery.
 

Was a Brownie, Girl Guide and even made Akela. Ok, so what if I had to retire when I had an 'unexpected' pregnancy? :rolleyes: Had the best troop in town along with the best football team for those years. Sorry, Garinda, slightly off-thread, not exactly slavery, must have enjoyed or would not have stuck it so long.

Not tellin' ya' which is me:-

Attachment 6570

No prizes for guessing where that was taken either. x

Re: Child slavery.
 

Rindy, my cousin, Derrick Turner, was the leader of that Brigade at one time but he died 30 years ago which, I suppose, was before your time.

Re: Child slavery.
 

Easy. The one with the cheeky coquettish smile that looks as if a cooling gust of wind as just passed between her long legs.:D



Marg P's post has made me realise that it was a stupid title for this thread, especially as there are children working as slave labour in the world today, and I was lucky enough to be encouraged to join the BB, Scouts, St. John's Ambulance....as well as the guitar tuition, tennis lessons, etc.

I'm still hoping to be the next English Wimbledon champion since dear Ginny Wade....but in the men's competition.:D

Re: Child slavery.
 

Showing my potential even at that young age, was I then ?

Wimbledon : Sorry, can't make ballboy, but will ballgirl help. :D

Re: Child slavery.
 

Like most kids of my age group I was the family slave and my older brother never seemed to do anything. Pocket money was top of my wish list but I rarely got any.

I wanted to join the scouts and did at Sacred Heart Church. I never had a full uniform though but my older brother did have. I had a neckerchief and my very own woggle and eventually a hat and shirt but they were cast offs from some kid who left the scouts. The weekly meetings were fun with learning and games. British Bulldog was my favourite ‘cos we could scrag the scoutmaster and get away with it. But the senior scouts would treat us kids as slaves.

During the summer school holidays we would live under canvas for a weekend and guess who the slaves were? Once a month the scoutmaster would organise a hike to somewhere, which meant a bus ride to Whalley a long, long hike over Pendle or somewhere with stopovers en-route to make a fire and make a brew. No prizes for guessing who the slaves were.

It was on one such hike that I discovered that a saucepan on an open fire is not like a saucepan on the gas cooker. In other words the handle got hot, very hot. I grabbed it to pour out the boiling coffee and let go faster than I grabbed it and burned my hand quite severely. Being a scout I wrapped my hand in a dry and clean handkerchief (that was the teaching for burns - we had got past the coat a burn with butter or flour thinking) and discovered that if cold air flowed over my hand the burning sensation eased. I then reasoned that a wet handkerchief would do the same thing so I plunged my hand in a nearby stream. It worked too until it got warm. I played on that injury for weeks at school because being my right hand I was not able to write.

The best part of these hikes was getting back to Whalley and whilst waiting for the bus to Accy we would descend on a little café that made the best coffee that I have even tasted.

Miffed at not being able to have a complete scout uniform I chucked them in favour of the Air Training Corps because they gave each person a full uniform. I also had another reason for quitting. The scouts wouldn’t let me join the cast for the annual ‘Gang Show’. The ATC was much like the scouts with marching and rifle drill thrown in. The highlight was a weeks camp at RAF Anglesey where we all got a flight in a Tiger Moth AND we were allowed to actually fly it. In reality we were allowed to hold the ‘stick’ and move it (gently, ever so gently) from one side to another and forwards and backwards to make the plane turn left and right and rise and dive. I guess the pilot had a firm grip on his stick just in case.

Strange that I should opt to join the Royal Navy!

The point of all this is that in the late forties and fifties there WERE youth clubs run by churches and some schools and scouts, sea cadets, ATC, Boys Brigade and Army Cadets where kids could occupy their leisure hours without getting into trouble.

Sadly today there isn’t a great deal for the kids to occupy their leisure hours except how they do.

Re: Child slavery.
 

I joined the brownies when i was 7 and left when i was 8. But ended up as an assistant Scout Leader and Akela at Church Kirk even though living in Rossendale. My mate was scout leader and i was her assistant and I was Akela and she was my assistant! Our scout hut then was next door to the Stag! We took the scouts over to Bowley for training camping weekend and it chucked it down all weekend. They took pity on us and gave us a hut to sleep in! I found out and the kids found out i sing in my sleep! Mind you they all snored! Took them on a walking holiday in the Lake District. We showed them how to pack a rucksack and told them not to bring tins because they would have to carry them and they were heavy etc. When we were halfway up a hill in the lake district on our way to the campsite one of the kids said he couldnt go no further and his rucksack fell apart! What rolled out - tins of soup, baked beans, peas etc. When we asked him why he'd brought them when we said not to bring cans and why didnt he put them at the top of his rucksack, he said his mum had packed the rucksack and she didnt want the tins to crush his bags of crisps! The fun of being a scout leader!!

Then when I finished there was Tawny Owl for a few years a lot closer to home but had to give it up when i got retired.

Re: Child slavery.
 

Not . :D

Re: Child slavery.
 

I was in 1st Accy BB from ~1976 till I went to Uni ~87. I got teh Queens Badge in 84. I played in the Brass band including in front of the queen(no not you rindy!) at Holyrood and also at the centenary do at Ibrox. I also played a solo at the regional do at Blackpol Tower.

My sisters were both in teh Girls Brigade (slightly earlier) than me as they are older.

Re: Child slavery.
 

Just to show it can't all be bad my dad was in the Boys Brigade around the Accrington area, just after WW1, and he learned to play the drums in their band. That led to him playing drums in dance bands and he played, semi-professional, up to the mid 1940s so at least he made a profit out of the BB. :D

Re: Child slavery.
 

When I was 7 (1963) joined the Boy Cubs at St James Church Accrington, stayed in til 12. Had a few weekends camping with them and thinking that we had gone a long way on foot (to Gt Harwood) but had a great weeks camp in Lakes one year.

Later on in life I became a Civy Instructor in the Sea Cadets and later on became a PO and about that time joined St John Ambulance and now hold rank of Div Supt.

Re: Child slavery.
 

Me and a fue mates joined the Army cadets had 2 years of fun still have found memores

Re: Child slavery.
 

Well I was in the St.Johns cubs, scouts. Boys brigade. short stint with the brass band or military( I forget)upstairs practice room at the Castle Inn then Accy pipe band Didn't get past the chanter stage. Forced? not on your life. I wanted and liked all of it. Slavery? don't know about any of that at home. Even if I did have to wash the dishes occasionally:D

Re: Child slavery.
 

xxxxxxxxxx

Re: Child slavery.
 

if ive got this right that makes you brown owl i think what group do you take i was a brownie and then a girl guide and my auntie still runs it today :o

Re: Child slavery.
 

I too was in the BB, but in the 4th. Southport Company. I played the side drum and later progressed to a 'proper' kit and started playing with a pop group around 1960. Being able to play the drums was the best thing I ever did in my life. Like Entwistle, I appeared in the Blackpool Tower Circus Ring on two or three occassions at the regional display which was an annual event if I remember correctly. Summer camp was the highlight of the year and I attended camps at Lindfield in Sussex, St. Bees Head in Cumbria, and Port Erin on the Isle of Man.

Re: Child slavery.
 

I was in the Brownies - that old brown dress & yellow cravat thing with the clover badge to hold it together oh & the hat :eek:, went to Bowley Scout camp & i was a sixer for most of my brownie time:D Then moved onto to Girl Guides for a year or 2 then teenage life got the better of me hehehehe:D