Dick Erskine (back centre), possibly Wm. Wolfendale (left)
Bicycles to London
Unknown newspaper, January 7th, 1911
Lancaster Boy Scouts in London
Two Boy Scouts belonging to Lancaster (Scout Master J. R. Erskine of 102, Prospect-street and Patrol Leader W. Wolfendale* of Beaumont Hall), left Lancaster on bicycles at 8 a.m. on the 26th December, to deliver a despatch from the Mayor of Lancaster (Ald. Robert Preston) to the Lord Mayor of London (Sir Thomas Vezey Strong, KCVO, KBE). Their stages were Warrington, Rugby, Towcester, and London, where they arrived at 7.20 p.m. on the 29th, and delivered their despatch to the Lord Mayor and had an interview with him for an hour. During the ride they successfully resisted several attempts to capture them by the Boy Scouts of the districts through which they were travelling. The boys returned by train to Lancaster, none the worse for their adventure, and the Mayor of Lancaster has received the following letter from the Lord Mayor of London:-” The Boy Scouts from Lancaster arrived here last night (Thursday) at 7.30 p.m., and handed me your despatch I was very much interested in the details of their prolonged and arduous march, to which they have so patriotically devoted their Christmas holidays, and I trust they will return home safely and none the worse for their adventure.”
From Log Book kept by R.E. Wright, 4th Lancaster
* William Atkinson Wolfendale was born 1895 in Lancaster. Son of Caleb & Mary nee Atkinson.
Caleb was a Mechanical Engineer at a Linoleum Factory.
The Times, Monday, Jan 02, 1911
BOY SCOUTS AS DESPATCH CARRIERS, –
Bearing a despatch from the Mayor of Lancaster
two Boy Scouts from that town have presented
themselves at the Mansion House and been received
by the Lord Mayor. The boys, who bicycled from
Lancaster, took five days on their journey and
resisted many attempts to capture them by scouts
at places through which they passed. They are
now on their way back with the Lord Mayor’s answer.
