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The 4th Seven Kings Sea Scout Group (4SK) existed from 1956 to 1988 based in Seven Kings in Ilford, East London. The group was very successful due to its remarkable leaders and scouts and becoming one of the top Royal Navy recognised sea scout troops.

 

The group came from a sea scout patrol in the 1st Aldborough Hatch scout group. In 1954 they had built  an 18 foot National dingy and named it Eagle.

For several years sailing was from Leigh on Sea.

The group built the yacht Seven Kings at Hargreaves campsite between 1961 and 1969 under the directions of Group Scout Leader Derek Williams. The yacht was launched at Maylandsea and then based there on a mooring in Lawling Creek. It was moved to Woolverstone Marina near Ipswich for the final few years of the 4SK. The scouts sailed the yacht at weekends  and cruised in school holidays. The season was from Easter to October each year and it came out of the water for maintenance in the winter. Most of the cruises were to Holland but 1974 was a special year when the destination was Norway.

The group had three Bosun sailing dinghies moored near Seven Kings. They were usually sailed on day trips from Hargreaves in the group coach until 1973 when Sea Base was built and also moored near Seven Kings. 

The launch of yacht Seven Kings at Maylandsea.

These drawings are by David Cork (dgc2japan@gmail.com), a distant relative of Doug's. David is a freelance artist based in Japan, who takes commissions for drawings and crafts, including portraits of family and pets.

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