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In 1852 a clergyman who had returned from the Crimean War was so concerned with the plight of orphaned boys he established an orphanage in Whitstable, Kent and enlisted the help of sailors that had also returned from the war. This was the beginning of the history of the Sea Cadet Corps. In 1856 an organisation evolved that took the name of "Naval Lads Brigades". In 1910 a pressure group called The Navy League decided to sponsor a small number of independent units. It’s aim was to remind Parliament of the country’s naval history and dependence on the sea.
The modern day Stockport Sea Cadets emerged from the St Paul’s Boys Brigade Unit that paraded from 1913 to 1916 under Captain McGregor who was the Curate of St Paul’s Church in Portwood. The Portwood Boys Naval Brigade (PBNB) was formed in 1916 by the then Curate, Mr Owen Davis and Mr Stretford (late Royal Navy) under Lt E W Oats, the Commanding Officer. It was affiliated to the Navy League, the forerunner of the Sea Cadet Association, on the 5th February 1917. It was recognised by the Admiralty on the 1st March 1919 after a rigorous inspection from Commander V D Bowring RN. After official recognition was received the PBNB’s name was changed to either 1st Cheshire (Portwood) Sea Cadet Corps or 1st Cheshire, Sea Cadet Corps, (St Pauls) Stockport. It is unclear why both these names were used. This makes the Unit the oldest in the North West. This information was gleaned from a hand written log of the minutes of the Officers’ Meetings (the forerunner of the Unit Management Committee) kindly lent to the Unit by Mr George and Mrs Doreen Bury (nee Walton). The log has the minutes of meetings from the first one held in the Carrington Road Classroom on Monday 18th June 1917 to 21st December 1937. In the 1920’s and 1930’s the unit would arrange camps in North Wales and whilst there would give band concerts to raise money. The cost to cadets was 10/6d which included travel and victualling. The Unit’s first home was at St Paul’s Church Hall in Mersey Street, Portwood and it is understood to have used various locations for parades. St Paul's Church was used for Sunday morning parades on the last Sunday in the month. At this time the reported strength was over 150 cadets. Mr Charles Thornton aged 90, a resident of the Portwood estate at that time, has early memories of the Unit band marching down Portwood Street on Sunday mornings. What is certain is that the Unit was very strong and many cadets from it joined the Royal Navy.
During War Ship week in the Second World War the Borough of Stockport officially adopted HMS Hawkins, a light cruiser. From that day the Unit was affiliated to HMS Hawkins and was named TS Hawkins, although the cruiser was broken up after the war the Unit has still retained the name. A brass deck plate from this ship was presented to the Unit and is placed outside the Commanding Officers cabin.
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| Band marching through Stockport 1949 | Ritz Cinema 1944 | Unit outside St Paul's 1950 |
The Unit moved around the Borough to successive buildings and eventually went to Grenville Street, Brinksway, in November 1948. The unit was officially opened by Admiral Lord Mountevans of the Broke. This was a very successful time for the Unit; the numbers were high and the band was in constant demand, winning numerous competitions and performing at functions and parades around the North West. Training was done in North Wales or the Yorkshire Coast when the Unit moved en bloc for a week during the summer. There was not much money around in those days especially for luxuries such as holidays, so this was a chance for the cadets to get away, places on these courses were at a premium and only good smart cadets were given the opportunity to go. The Unit had to move from Edgeley in 1965 due to a compulsory purchase order on the building.
The Unit approached Mirrlees Blackstone in Hazel Grove for permission to erect a purpose built building at the end of their golf course in Woodsmoor, the rent was £1.00 a year on a 21 year lease, the building was completed in 1966 and commissioned in 1967. Lt Cdr Finlay Finlayson RNR was the force behind the move, he was Unit Chairman and also the NW Area Chairman. In September 1968 the Unit formed a Girls Nautical Training Corps Contingent under First Officer Dorothy Addison. The Chairman, the Commanding Officer, Lt Cdr Jim Yendley RNR, and Dorothy Addison all agreed that it would be more beneficial if the GNTC and the Sea Cadets paraded on the same nights (other units had separate parade nights). This was met with some scepticism and resistance but they prevailed and the unit prospered. On the 1st January 1992 Girl’s Nautical Training Contingents were fully integrated into the Sea Cadet Corps being entitled to the same opportunities, insignia and rank. The decision taken 24 years earlier had been justified. Although the Commandant General Royal Marines had asked permission for a Marine Cadet Section to be fitted into the Sea Cadet Organisation as early as 1955 it was not until 1968 that the Unit Marine Detachment was formed under Lt George Goodman RNR and Colour Sergeants Keith Howe and Jack Pidler. Lt Cmdr Jim Yendley RNR retired in 1986 and became Chairman of the UMC. Lt Leonard Holden RNR, the First Lieutenant, took over command. Len had been associated with the unit firstly as a cadet and again after the Second World War during which he served in the Royal Navy. After he retired in 1989 he served on the UMC eventually becoming Chairman in 1994, sadly Len died in 1997 he had been associated with the unit for over 60 years.
