Hackney People
Phyllis Manning
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Generations of people in Hackney have grown up to always ‘be prepared’ – often thanks to the contribution of Phyllis Manning. Now 79, the retired school teacher first became involved with the 14th St John at Hackney group when she was asked to ‘help out with the Cubs’ just after the Second World War. |
More than 60 years later she is still there, helping teach them life’s necessities such as how to cook, sew and build campfires – and still regularly taking them on camping trips.
Eleven years ago she was awarded an MBE for her services towards scouting, although she modestly shrugs off this achievement.
Now widowed and still living near the church from which the scouting group takes its name, what keeps her taking an active role in the organisation?
She explained: “I’ve always been interested in children. That’s the beginning and end of it.”
Indeed, she has four grown up children of her own and her two sons were – perhaps not surprisingly – scouts themselves. She worked in teaching from 1950 when she started at St Thomas’s Primary School near Clapton Common, before moving onto various schools in the borough and outside and finally retiring in the early 1990s from an advisory role at Haringey council.
Lieutenant General Robert Baden-Powell started The Scout Association in 1907 with the aim of supporting boys in their physical, mental and spiritual development and girls have been able to join since 1976.
There are now 38 million Scouts and Guides in 216 countries – with only Cuba, China, Korea, Andorra, Laos and Myanmar not being involved.
There are 33,000 people aged between six and 25 waiting to join the organisation in Britain, according to The Scout Association. And yet the popular belief is that membership is dying off.
“There is more for children to do these days and more organisations which mirror the activities we do, such as going camping,” Phyllis explained.
So what does she think are the benefits of scouting?
She said: “It gives children what they want and what they need.
“Gradually as they develop and grow older they need to grow away from their family and become members of teams and this gives them that opportunity. Also, children love to learn, although if you ask them that about school they might not agree. But if we take them to camp, show them how to light a fire or put up a tent, or even do a lot of the things they do at school, reading for instance, they will enjoy it more because we have different ways of putting things over and making it more fun.”
Speaking about her long years in Hackney she explains: “It’s an amazing area. There are tremendous libraries. We’ve got more parks than any of the other London boroughs. If you want to go anywhere – be it for entertainment, sport or anything else – you can get to it from here easily. The people are mixed, very interesting and lovely.”
Curriculum Vitae
- 1930 Born in Hackney
- 1946 Started helping the 14th St John at Hackney scout group
- 1948 Teacher training in Coventry
- 1950 Started teaching at St Thomas’s Primary, Clapton, since closed
- 1992 Retired from Haringey council
- 1998 MBE for services to scouting
More information
To find your nearest Scout group call: 0845 300 1818 or visit: www.scouts.org.uk
Page updated: 19 Oct 2009