1940s camps, in the Aymestrey School grounds
Mike Tibbetts (1937-45)

Part of the philosophy of camp was that we would be totally self-reliant.  One summer on the day that camp was due to begin, there was an absolute downpour combined with a very high wind, and it was clearly going to be impossible for us to set up our tents.  Now the school building was only a couple of hundred yards away and it would have been so easy for Mr Asterley to simply say “Let’s pack it up and sleep in the dormitories,” but instead of taking that easy way out he insisted that we take all our equipment and sleep in the gymnasium.  Even then he insisted that we cook our own food over a fire which we had to ignite using materials which were soaking wet from outside.  We had to find some wet dead nettles and dry them before gradually, and with the greatest of difficulty, getting a tine flame to ignite and burn on its own before getting a decent fire burning so that we could start cooking.

During camp we would play scout games, swim in the lake, keep the area tidy, cook our own food, gather firewood for the fires, have sing-songs and generally have a wonderful time.

Spud peelers, 1940

Camp Tea (1944)

The long hike (1945)