3rd Alton started life in the Alton District and was transferred to Rotherfield District on 1st April 1994 when the Alton District was dissolved.

Although the Group was not registered until 1946, the Group records mention the Troop was active in 1935 until 1938 when Leaders were called up for war service, at this point they were meeting at All Saints Church. The first recorded Leader was Assistant Scout Master P P Plunket in July 1938.

The Troop carried on for the duration of the war under the watchful eye of C W Hawkins and Brother Cuthbert of Alton Abbey. In 1945, the Troop was revitalised under the leadership of Messrs Owen and Spencer meeting at the Iron Room in Queens Road behind the church. In 1948, they moved to the All Saints Parish Room in Tower Street with Assistant Scout Masters K Morris and H R Self, but without adult leadership, the church decided they couldn’t stay. Meetings were held outdoors until 1949 when W J Lailey was asked to become Scout Master and received his warrant in March 1950. The Troop then returned to Tower Street. The first Wolf Cub leaders mentioned are Wolf Cub Master P R Bishop and Assistant Wolf Cub Master Mrs R O Lailey on 13th June 1952.

The first Queen’s Scout of the Alton District was John Rowell in 1953.

On 17th June 1957, the Groups named changed to 3rd Alton and the Group Executive purchased the All Saints Parish Room for £200.00, District Commissioner John Stevens putting up the money. H R Self became the first recorded Group Scout Leader in 1969.

Cub Packs St Andrews and St Patrick’s were formed in 1976 with the St Georges Pack starting in 1978, a second Scout Troop also started in 1978, but closed sometime before 1984.

The Group purchased a section of the old railway embankment in Chawton Park Road in 1977 after the threat of the compulsory purchase of the Tower Street building for a new road. In 1984, Tower Street was sold and the Troop met at Beech Village Hall whilst the Cubs met in Holybourne until the completion of their new building in 1985. Before the sale of Tower Street St Georges Cub Pack had closed and the two remaining packs were renamed Lion and Tiger hence the name ‘The Den’ for their new HQ. Lion Pack closed in 2002 due to a lack of Leaders.

Beaver Scout Leader Mrs F Chapple and Assistant Beaver Scout Leader Miss N Guy started a Beaver Colony in 1988. A second Colony was started 1994. The Colonies were called Merlin and Kestrels, but unfortunately, the Merlin Colony closed in 1996.

In 2007, the Group was listed as having a Beaver Colony, Cub Pack and Scout Troop meeting at The Den, Chawton Park Road, Alton.

Medals of Merit were awarded in 1988 to Group Scout Leader Bryan Hughes and his wife Lynn, who was the Tiger Cub Pack Leader.

The Scout Troop won the Alton District Boy Scouts Challenge Cup – Tupper Cup in 1953 and 1956 – 1960. They also won the General Molesworth Cup in 1956 and 1957. Under the leadership of Scout Master ‘Skipper’ Lailey the Troop won the County Emlyn Camping Competition for the Alton District in 1959, the first Group in the District to do so.

The Cub Packs also had success winning the District Cub Totem – George in 1954, 1962, 1967 and 1969 and won the Alton District Cub Football Trophy in 1984 and The Rotherfield District Cub Football Trophy in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2005.

In 1963 Roger Street represented the District when he attended the World Jamboree in Greece.

The Endurance Venture Scout Unit

Formed 29th April 1970 under registration number 44282

Endurance VSU started life in the Alton District and was transferred to Rotherfield District on 1st April 1994 when the Alton District was dissolved.

Originally, meeting at Alton College, they moved to ‘The Loft’ at 3rd Alton’s HQ ‘The Den’. Miss S Cunningham and M Robinson ran the unit, which later became the 3rd Alton Venture Unit. This like most Venture Units they opened and closed from time to time until the HQ reshuffle turned Ventures into Explores in 2002.

The unit was awarded four Queen’s Scout Award, the highest award a junior member can gain - 1983 Gordon Revell, 1985 Sarah Revell and in 1986 Martin Collinson and Stuart Withey.