Foxlease 20
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The Post War Years
1 n the years that immediately followed the war there were few changes at Foxlease. In 1947, a House Committee was set up, composed of local residents and representatives of The Girl Guides Association, to be responsible under the Executive Committee of the Association, for the maintenance of the house and estate.
In 1948, with money given by South Africa to the King George V Jubilee Fund and by the trustees of that fund to the Guides. Old loose boxes in the Annexe were converted into a sitting-room and kitchen for Guiders who wished to spend a holiday in the New Forest.
In 1949, rot was discovered in the timbers of the Barn floor and these had to be renewed. The old, leaded windows were replaced by more modern ones.
In 1950, delegates on their way to attend the 13th World Conference at Oxford spent four days at Foxlease, to learn as much about British Guiding as possible. A pageant of the history of Foxlease House was presented to the delegates on the first evening.
Training innovations were the annual "Mothers and Babies" and "Mothers and Daughters" weeks. At the former, Guider-mothers were trained while their children under five years of age were cared for by a nursery staff specially provided for the occasion. At the latter, Guiders who would otherwise be unable to come, were accompanied by their mothers who enjoyed a holiday in the peaceful surroundings of Foxlease.
In January 1958, disaster struck at Foxlease when the beautiful, old, Thatched Barn was burnt down. However, the Guides were not to be deterred and they organised a Fete Day in July which was attended by 5,000 visitors. A new Barn was opened by Lady Baden-Powell in November the same year.
