The launch of 100 Objects Exhibition in Glasgow this weekend tells the the story of Woodcraft in Scotland. In 1976, Jim Barr and a few friends were packing up their gear on the Isle of Arran when they crossed paths with a Woodcraft Folk group from Sheffield just arriving for their summer camp.
“A couple of friends got invited back to go to their [Sheffield Woodcraft] camp,” Jim recalls. “It wouldn’t happen nowadays with child protection…couple of adult strangers just getting invited to stay…but they had a fabulous time. Most of us had been involved in the Scouts, but we didn’t like the regimented nature. Woodcraft seemed absolutely perfect. It was girls and boys. It was ideal.”
That chance encounter sparked a mission. Soon after, Jim and his friends contacted the London Woodcraft Office to begin reinvigorating the movement in Strathclyde and all over Scotland which had been strong before World War 2.
Celebrating Our History at the Mitchell Library
Decades after, Woodcraft is thriving in Scotland. We recently celebrated our history with ‘100 Objects Spanning 100 Years‘ exhibition launch at the Mitchell Library. We had: Scavenge hunts, friendship bracelet making, badge and postcard making and card games that brought generations together.
Members also brought in precious objects from their local groups, documenting the journey of Woodcraft in Scotland from its roots to the present day. Don’t miss out: The exhibition is currently running until February 27th, though due to popular demand, we are looking to extend the dates into mid-March!
Building a New Scottish Collection
While we celebrate where we’ve been, we are also looking toward the future. We are starting a new Scottish archive collection. We want to keep these stories, objects, and memories closer to the people who hold them dear. By housing our history locally, the legacy started by Henry Fair & John Fisher and then Jim Barr and his friends on Arran continues to inspire the next generation of Woodcraft Folk in Scotland.
The Stories Behind the Objects
Here are a few of the objects brought to the launch and the stories they tell…
“I’ve got two setlists and they’re both from the band, Fez, who performed at Common Ground and Camp 100, and they also camped with us in Scotland. That was my prized possession when I got it…[Keep your head up] I was feeling a bit rough at Camp 100 and I’m not who [sent it] but I have some suspicions. I really like it. That one came with a few lollipops…I think they’re all very, very Woodcraft in the way that they’re just like nice.”
‘So I got an honorary, leader award from the DFs on our Liverpool District camp at an award session as part of the Merry moot. I was a venturer, when I won this award it was kind of in honour of being someone who could round up the troops and I wasn’t frightened to be that young person’s voice, trying to get people to do things. I could galvanise people and get people to do clan duty and get people to join in with things’
How you can help:
Do you have old photos, camping gear, or journals from your time with Woodcraft? We’d love to hear from you as we build our archive!
