The Carter Home was transferred to Dr. Barnardo's in 1902. The home became know as the Clapham Home which had a very successful Scout troop and pipe band, the boys became know as the Clapham boys. There were two bands A and B with only one practice room which was the corridor so band A would be at one end and band B the far end.

78/8 Childhood Memories a photographic history of Dr Barnardo's

In 1908 many of the boys emigrated to Canada. On the 4th August 1933 the boys went off to summer camp (read below) and the old home closed for good. The boys and staff were moved to their new home Kingston on the 26th August 1933 and were to become known as "Dickies Boys". The photograph below shows the Dr. Barnardo's Handbell Ringers and Mr. H. Aaron (instructor),  who went to Australia and assisted the Rev. W. J. Mayers.

SCOUTING NEWS FROM KINGSTON BUT WITH MEMORIES OF CLAPHAM

This little narrative may well be named "Three weeks in a Cowshed", for maybe the most thrilling of thrillers could not relate such wonderful times that could be compared with those of the Scouts of the above Home, or to give them their title for the last time as "The 24th Clapham (Barnardo's) Troop Scouts (Duchess of Somerset's Own)", now at Kings­ton Hill, for they have recently returned from camp, again spent this year in Witley Park, through the kindness and generosity of Sir John and Lady Leigh.

So it was on 5th August that the great day arrived. It may well be termed as a "Red Letter Day", for not only did it mark the commencement of the Annual Camp, but it also marked the day when the Clapham Scouts officially bade farewell to their old Home. To the younger members there were thoughts of not only three weeks' holiday, but the thrill of a new house at the end of the time, but to the older members, perhaps one could trace just a little note of sadness behind the cheers for Camp, for do they not take with them happy memories of the dear old home, yes, even in the Troop itself, perhaps we may be forgiven if we gave just a few of our thoughts to the many, many happy days spent behind that drab-looking building in Clapham High Street.

However, Clapham was soon left far behind, and after sweltering like so many sardines packed tightly in lorries (but what did we care!), with the beautiful country around us and the thought of three weeks ahead, Witley Park was eventually reached and then the farm that was to be our home pro tem. Please let this be quite clear, that the cowsheds mentioned above were no ordinary, mean cowsheds, but were modern, tiled buildings that had been re-decorated out for us by the kindness and thought of Lady Leigh, and of course were only used for sleeping in at night, many other activities naturally taking place in the open.

After a brief meal came the arduous task of unpacking, but zealous hands soon made light work of this and very shortly tents, kitchen, beds and everything was ready for a temporary home, then everyone turned in but not to sleep for long; the excitement was too great, and We feel sure that many of the lads spent all the first night planning and plotting. During the period spent in Camp, three Church Parades were held at Thursley Church; the four-mile walk to the church was greatly shortened by the assistance of bagpipes, and we feel sure that anyone who has said unkind words about the "skirl of the pipes" has never heard them in a country lane or being played through the woods.

Football and cricket matches were a daily feature, the games being played between the staff (both of them) and the boys. However, the staff borrowed a few boys and though they blushed when the results of such games were announced, they did their best, but, of course, it isn't done, even in the best of circles, to stand in goal with a cricket bat, is it? Swimming was also a daily event, and to see the lads doing their daily trek of four miles for a swim was medicine to any slacker; some enterprising people even went before breakfast, but even they could not resist the temptation of broadcasting the fact with an alarm clock at 5 a.m. Those of the swimmers who were lucky came home in style, packed in a sidecar. It's surprising what one sidecar will hold when being used on its many journeys in camp! A great many scouting games were played in the surrounding country, the result of one being a big win for a band of wasps even the wasps object to being disturbed sometimes.

One could fill volumes of mere details of camp life, and so it was that on Friday night of 25th August saw the whole troop gathered round their final campfire. Each patrol had undertaken to do something, and it is surpris­ing what talent can be found at such short notice. If there are any readers who have not experienced the thrill of a camp fire, let them go right away now and make one, for sitting in front of those burning embers, singing and thinking, one gets nearer to the real things of life. Our final campfire being brought to a close. Everyone turned in with thankful hearts for the glorious holiday, which was now draw­ing to an end. Saturday, the final day, was devoted to packing up and replacing things where they had been found. So, eventually, the troop found themselves back once again in familiar, if new, surroundings, thus bringing to a close one more chapter in the troop's history, and starting a fresh chapter under a new heading. The troop's song: "The 24th will never die", never sounded truer than at the present time, for the 24th Clapham have not died but have merely faded out of Clapham to be resurrected in Kingston.

So we extend to one and all, boys included, far and near, our grateful thanks for all that has been done during the past years to help the Scouts of this Home to become important history in the life of Dr. Barnardo's Homes.

W.E.H.