Titsey School Camp 1934

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In the Spring of 1925, the School set up its first school camp (called "Merry Hollow") on the North Downs at Pilgrim's Farm, Pilgrims Lane, Titsey in Surrey. This camp, just north of Oxted and Limpsfield, and 4 miles from Westerham, would today be east of Junction 6 on the M25 and near to the Clacket Lane Services on the M25. The camp is approximately in the centre of the map below.

This camp, run by Mr. Ronald Hitchcock and Miss Hilda Gould, was used regularly by the School (and Old Uffs) until 1934, when it was forced to move to "Happy Valley" at Princes Risborough.

From the notes for the Third Camp on April 21-27th 1925:-

"Adventures
The rigours of camp were softened for us, by who met us and took care of us and entertained us, and by the sun which dried some of the mud- even so Amy fell down in it 14 times one day.

We spent the first night in the hut politely assuring each other of our well-being but ever afterwards we retired to tents and slept as campers should.

We made food-raids on Limpsfield, we tried our 'prentice hands at carpentering, we made toffee and other strange concoctions - later the toffee had to be removed from the plate with a chisel.

There was a picnic in Titsey Woods; Olive's loaf rolled down the hill into a bramble bush; we told stories and Phyllis fell fast asleep in the midst; we picked primroses, violets and cowslips.

The tin of boot-polish which found its way into camp was in great demand on Sunday, before church and the arrival of the visitors, but the supply was exhausted and so were the boot-cleaners and there was no difference in the state of the boots.

We had Olympic games and a band."

*Third Camp* on April 21-27th 1925
The Campers:- Winifred Jobbins, Amy Lee, Irene Symonds, Olive Burns, Phyllis Humphries, Ruby Miles, Eva Kimber and Hilda Gould with ...........
............. their Visitors:- Mr. L. F. Wallis, Margery Hitchcock and Ronald Hitchcock
The Water Carrier
The Pilgrims .......
........ and at play
*Other photos from camps during 1925 & 1926*
Making a Blanket Box at the first camp on April 14-17th.
At the fifth camp on May 29 - June 2nd; breaking the coconut into two cups to hold food for the birds
At the sixth camp on June 5-7th; Ethel Buckingham, Olive Rogers, Irene West & Rita Baker
At the seventh camp on June 19-21st, riding the downs
At the seventh camp on June 19-21st
At the seventh camp on June 19-21st
Finishing-off the hut at the ninth camp on July 10-12th
Camps continued throughout the summer and autumn up to the seventeenth camp on December 11-13th
The twenty-fifth camp on July 2-4th 1926 with Muriel Mitcham, Rene Symonds, Ethel Buckingham, Connie Tozer, Iris Brixey, Catherine Forgan, Barbara Croft, Edith Brooks, Phyllis Legg, Irene Chillcott, Ronald Hitchcock and Hilda Gould
The twenty-sixth camp on July 9-11th with ..........
............ Gordon Main, Horace Bates, Eric Thomas, Raymond Tyler, Albert Rounding, Leo Tyler, Jack Clarkson, Stanley Willingdale, Albert Worsley, Hilda Gould and Ronald Hitchcock
The twenty-seventh camp on July 16-18th
School Party from this period
School Party from this period