100 years of Scouting in
Hampshire
Beginnings
The first Scout troop to be formed in Hampshire would
appear to be 1st Lymington in 1908. The second oldest
troop is believed to be 1st Eastleigh, formed in 1909, and
this was soon followed the same year by 7th Bassett and
14th Highfield in Southampton.
5th Romsey Troop
The Chief Scout, General Sir Robert Baden Powell toured
Hampshire Scout troops in 1910. There were at that time 22
Local Associations comprising 104 troops totalling 2,965
members across the County. Almost half of those members
represented Hampshire at a Royal Review of Boy Scouts at
Windsor in July 1911.
Baden Powell inspecting troops
The first County Commissioner for Hampshire was Sir Harry
Crichton (Colonel The Honourable, H.G.L. Crichton ADC),
appointed in 1909. The Marquis of Winchester, Lord
Lieutenant of Hampshire, became President of Hampshire
Boy Scouts Association in Nov 1910 and the Earl of
Northbrook was made Vice President.
First County Rally 1912
The first County Rally
The first County Rally of Hampshire Boy Scouts, attended
by the Chief Scout General Sir Robert Baden Powell, took
place on Southampton Common in October 1912 where
2700 Scouts were inspected. Expenditure and receipts for
the event amounted to £94.0.1. We are very fortunate in
having archive film of this great event which demonstrates
amongst other things the agility and enthusiasm of the
County’s Boy Scouts through their various displays and
competitions. The film was shown twice nightly for a week at
The Empire, Bugle Street, Southampton.
To view a clip from the film online, visit the web-page below.
http://www3.hants.gov.uk/wfsa
Training
A Patrol Leaders Camp was arranged for one week at
Lymington in May 1913. Each Patrol Leader was to pay five
shillings for the whole week or half that for the weekend.
Tents, food and eating utensils were to be provided but each
Patrol Leader had to bring with him: 2 blankets, 1 spare
uniform or suit of clothes, 1 top coat, 1 spare shirt, 2 towels,
2 spare pairs of stockings, bathing drawers, 1 spare pair of
boots, tooth brush, soap, blacking brush and hair brush.
Patrol Leaders Camp, Lymington 1913
1914 – 1918 War
A second County Rally was organised for 4 July 1914,
exactly one month before the outbreak of what was to
become the First World War. The Government recognised
the contribution which Scouts could make to the war effort
and Boy Scouts became messengers to the army and
conveyed mobilisation and billeting notices among other
things for which, after 100 days, they were awarded a War
Service Badge. Winchester’s Boy Scouts were actively
engaged in wartime activities at this time.
1st Winchester Troop with soldiers on Hook railway station
1930s & 40s
Numbers of Scouts across Hampshire declined during the
early years of the Second World War. In Winchester District,
for example, they fell to around 106. However, they rallied
against the odds for numbers to climb up to 335 in 1942, with
Scouting competing with the likes of Sea and Army Cadets
and the Air Training Corps. By 1949 the numbers had
reached pre-war levels again.
Scouts collecting scrap for the War effort
1950s & 60s
The first official ‘Bob a Job’ week took place in April 1949
partly in aid of collecting for ‘Starving Europe’. Many fund
raising initiatives followed including annual Bob a Job weeks
as well as Scouts contributing to local and national appeals.
The Gang Show, a favourite activity amongst Scouts, made
an appearance for the first time in Winchester District in
1955. By the close of the 1950s Scout numbers in the
District stood at 229 Cubs, 240 Scouts and 57 Senior
Scouts.
Major Goodman, District Commissioner, 1964
Scouting in Hampshire in the 21st Century
There are currently 27 Scout Districts in Hampshire. With
over 16,000 members across the County, Hampshire is the
largest Scout County in the Country.
To find out more about Scouting in Hampshire and what
activities are planned to celebrate the Centenary visit the
Hampshire Scouting website
http://www.scouts-hants.org.uk/Portal/