History

The Hull (East) Kingston Scout Group opened in the late 1950s predominantly to give access to Scouting to the 'Hard of Hearing'. Over the next few years it expanded to include youngsters with a wide range of disabilities.
In 1957, members of the Group, along with members of St Albans went to a camp called 'The London Agoonoree', which catered specifically for members of the Scout movement with disabilities. They decided that some of the ideas were just what the Yorkshire area was missing. In 1960 the first Yorkshire Agoonoree took place at Pateley Bridge. Still going today, the Yorkshire Agoonoree was instrumental, in 1975, in the setting up of the Cleveland Agoonoree.
During the 1970s, Kingston enjoyed life at its Scout hut down Telford Street in Kingston upon Hull. John Glenton was the Group Scout Leader, the Scouts were run by Allan Taylor and the Cubs by Mary Walker - until 1975 when Ted Caulfield joined and took on the role as Cub Scout Leader on the retirement of Mary Walker. The Group was thriving and took an active role in most activities organised by East Hull district, a tradition which still happens today.
In late 1979 Ted Caulfield left to start a different Scout Group and Roy Hollingsworth took on the role for a couple of years. In the early 1980s, Mike Shakesby came on board as Cub Scout Leader until in the later part of the decade a change in school age ranges meant very few Cub age children were coming through (much of the recruitment had been done through the Frederick Holmes Special School).
With no new Cubs joining this soon gave way to just the Scout section remaining. John Glenton had left for a new job in Doncaster and Allan Taylor took on the role of GSL. Mike Shakesby became Scout Leader. Allan had been Assistant District Commissioner for Handicapped Scouts since 1963 and then became County Adviser (Special Needs). During this period, the hut down Telford Street suffered from a lack of investment, age began to tell on the building and it was decided it was no longer safe. The committee decided it could no longer afford to run the hut and so it was sold and houses were built on the land. This was the start of a transitional period for the group as it began looking for a permanent home.
Eventually, someone at County suggested that the Group should be renamed the 'Nomads' because they had spent time in each of the three City Districts. Locations included the Schultz Centre and Court Park School before they finally settled into the Walker Street Scout Centre in 1996. Kingston was now part of West Hull district but maintained close links with those from East Hull by attending their annual Open Weekend at Bail Wood, Aldbrough.
In 1995, Allan Taylor retired and handed the reins over to Mike Shakesby, who became Group Scout Leader and County Adviser (Special Needs) (later 'upgraded' to Assistant County Commissioner). Allan died the following year. Mike himself retired in 2001. Tony Shakesby had been Scout Leader and succeeded his father as GSL. Steve Caulfield (Ted's grandson) took on the role of SL. At about the same time, a series of discussions resulted in the Group becoming 'directly administered' by Humberside Scout County.
The City Council's redevelopment of Walker Street and the Goodwin area early in 2004 forced a move, at uncomfortably short notice, to Raywell Park. This was only ever going to be a temporary home, though, and they moved to Portobello Scout Headquarters (thus returning to East Hull) later the same year. Meetings continue to be held on a Thursday evening from 7:30 to 9:15.
In 2005, Tony Shakesby acknowledged that work and studies made it impossible for him to commit himself to either regular meetings or camps. As we write, Graham Meyer is in the process of taking up the reins as Group Scout Leader. Graham has been a warranted Leader, spent more than a quarter of a century as a Group Chairman in East Hull and has been a member of Kingston Group Executive for several years. He has also attended 22 Agoonorees.

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