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The Woodcraft Folk


fentonvillain

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Does anyone here recall The Woodcraft Folk, the junior arm of the Communist/Co-operative  Party. I was a member for a short while. We met at a large house in the grounds of Fir Vale Infirmary on Barnsley Road and went camping at Ford, near Ridgeway. Sadly, the school pal who introduced me to the group, Michael Law, has passed away but there may be others of my generation who took part. I believe there was also a group who met at the Co-op hall in Napier St.

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I remember the house on Barnsley Road….the bus from Shiregreen into town passed the place. I never came across anyone who was a member…Scouts and Boys Brigade being the norm back in the 1950s.

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The Mayes family, one time of Basegreen, were keen members and may have had some leadership roles, I can’t now quite recall but yes, there were connections with the  lovely, Ford/Moss Valley near Ridgeway....the local branch’s camping gear was kept on a farm down there - I went several times with a Mayes lad to help sort it. I think that the organisation had links with the then, Eastern Bloc.

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Just done a quick Google and the Woodcraft folk are still “wanting social change through education”…..or words to that effect.

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Was in Woodcraft folk late 70s at Hackenthorpe . Used to love the hiking on Sundays and camping at Oughtibridge and Thornbridge Farm 

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Ken and Kath Mayes were the leaders of the Basegreen Woodcraft, their son is called John.

Ken was promoting the Woodcraft around Basegreen and I and several friends joined up. The camping equipment was stored at Fiddlers Farm which was also the source of fresh water (2 of us carrying a large billy can) when camping at Robins Brook. Weekly meetings where held at Birley Spa School

Lots of great local summer camping holidays in the grounds of Losehill Hall near Castleton, and Wortley Hall as well as trips to Switzerland and East Germany

Had a great time in the Woodcraft

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The Woodcraft Folk had a outdoor centre in an old converted farm buildings high up on the Moors overlooking the Derwent Dams, worked up there on some plumbing repairs one winter in the early 70s, access was up a long winding track located a little way down the Snake Pass. I was told it was an old pack horse trail? 

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12 hours ago, southside said:

The Woodcraft Folk had a outdoor centre in an old converted farm buildings high up on the Moors overlooking the Derwent Dams, worked up there on some plumbing repairs one winter in the early 70s, access was up a long winding track located a little way down the Snake Pass. I was told it was an old pack horse trail? 

That was Thornbridge Farm

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The place above Derwent is still thriving and managed by Woodcraft, although any group at all can book this modern 30+ bed hostel, fully equipped for outdoor activities.- called Lockerbrook Farm, not Thornbridge. Stunning views, away from it all.

There are still lots of local WF groups in the city, meeting weekly and organising activities and outdoor trips, and have been continuously.

Needed now as much as ever, to promote our connections with and enjoyment of nature and with each other, and help us grow into responsible and caring adults.

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2 hours ago, Page Hall-er said:

The place above Derwent is still thriving and managed by Woodcraft, although any group at all can book this modern 30+ bed hostel, fully equipped for outdoor activities.- called Lockerbrook Farm, not Thornbridge. Stunning views, away from it all.

There are still lots of local WF groups in the city, meeting weekly and organising activities and outdoor trips, and have been continuously.

Needed now as much as ever, to promote our connections with and enjoyment of nature and with each other, and help us grow into responsible and caring adults.

Yes Lockerbrook Farm , sorry about that but it was a long time ago. 

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In a fit of recollection since my first posting, I remember that the charismatic leader in my time....about 1955/56 was a guy called Clews whose nickname, of course, was Ivor.   

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20 hours ago, Page Hall-er said:

The place above Derwent is still thriving and managed by Woodcraft, although any group at all can book this modern 30+ bed hostel, fully equipped for outdoor activities.- called Lockerbrook Farm, not Thornbridge. Stunning views, away from it all.

There are still lots of local WF groups in the city, meeting weekly and organising activities and outdoor trips, and have been continuously.

Needed now as much as ever, to promote our connections with and enjoyment of nature and with each other, and help us grow into responsible and caring adults.

Lockerbrook Farm, That's the place Page Hall-er,  remember having to make a quick getaway one afternoon, only myself and a workmate up at the farm, we`d been working away not noticing a change in the weather, stepped out side to be greeted with blizzard conditions and 3" of snow, jumped in the van and carefully made our way back down the snow covered track to the Snake Pass. 

Makes you wonder how the packhorse teams coped in conditions like that. Don't know the age of the farm but quite isolated, but then again! if it was located on a packhorse trail it would be well serviced with supplies, providing reciprocal services in return to the packhorse team`s.

I think we got the plumbing job through a guy called (Bill Emingham?) a Sheffield Woodcraft Folk leader in the 70s.

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I remember attending 'meetings' at Herdings school one evening a week for a while. It was basically, for me and a mate anyway, an excuse to play on the apparatus  and eat sweets, although I think there was some sort of swearing of an oath that we had to do. I wasn't too keen on that part as it felt too much like the Scouts!

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On 15/11/2021 at 13:47, southside said:

Lockerbrook Farm, That's the place Page Hall-er,  remember having to make a quick getaway one afternoon, only myself and a workmate up at the farm, we`d been working away not noticing a change in the weather, stepped out side to be greeted with blizzard conditions and 3" of snow, jumped in the van and carefully made our way back down the snow covered track to the Snake Pass. 

Makes you wonder how the packhorse teams coped in conditions like that. Don't know the age of the farm but quite isolated, but then again! if it was located on a packhorse trail it would be well serviced with supplies, providing reciprocal services in return to the packhorse team`s.

I think we got the plumbing job through a guy called (Bill Emingham?) a Sheffield Woodcraft Folk leader in the 70s.

Hi yes, that's right about Bill. Many Woodies were Woodies for life after their kids grown up. I was a local group "leader"  along with other families and we had great walks and gatherings in S6 and area. Kids games weren't about winning. Lots of singing, exploring nature, messing about. 
Do read the history page (link given) re Woodcraft. It was formed in a spirit of cooperation after devastating war .. but no formal link to Communist Party, as far as I know!!! 
Still no/poor mobile signal up there...? So you really feel a long way away when up there, but just a short but steep 15 min. walk up from Fairhomes. . View from farm is fantastic!

 

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On 09/11/2021 at 15:44, fentonvillain said:

Does anyone here recall The Woodcraft Folk, the junior arm of the Communist/Co-operative  Party. I was a member for a short while. We met at a large house in the grounds of Fir Vale Infirmary on Barnsley Road and went camping at Ford, near Ridgeway. Sadly, the school pal who introduced me to the group, Michael Law, has passed away but there may be others of my generation who took part. I believe there was also a group who met at the Co-op hall in Napier St.

The house was called the Beeches and demolished c 1969 due to safety concerns. 

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In the late 70's I was a member of the WF , our group met at Thornbridge School.  I can't recall a deal, other than enjoying a camping trip and being appalled at country dancing, which I think caused me to stop attending. 

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