Scouting began with Lord Robert Baden-Powell, a successful member of the British military who fought during the Boer War. Baden-Powell was the author of an experimental guide for soldiers, ‘Aids to Scouting’, which advised on all matters of a soldier’s life. When Baden-Powell returned from service in Africa he was surprised to see that his guide – intended for grown men – was incredibly popular with the youth as well. He rewrote the guide in 1908 for his younger audience, and this revised version – ‘Scouting for Boys’ – went on to become one of the biggest selling books of all time. The guide’s immediate success saw the independent formation of hundreds of scout patrols, and eventually Baden-Powell felt compelled to set up a central office to deal with enquiries about the new movement. In 1910 Baden-Powell retired from military service so that he could devote his time to the Scouts, and in the same year he initiated the Girl Guides movement. 1916 saw the introduction of the Wolf Cubs (now the Cub Scouts), an organisation which allowed younger boys to join up; and in 1917 the Rover Scouts were introduced for older boys.
The movement was so successful in it’s early years that Baden-Powell decided to hold world gatherings to bring all scouts from all cultures together in one big celebration. These gatherings became known as World Jamborees, and the first was held in London in 1920. 1924 saw the second Jamboree in Copenhagen, and the success of the gatherings has grown exponentially ever since – the 2007 World Jamboree saw 44,000 scouts journey to Essex to celebrate the Scout movement’s centenary.
The movement was so successful in it’s early years that Baden-Powell decided to hold world gatherings to bring all scouts from all cultures together in one big celebration. These gatherings became known as World Jamborees, and the first was held in London in 1920. 1924 saw the second Jamboree in Copenhagen, and the success of the gatherings has grown exponentially ever since – the 2007 World Jamboree saw 44,000 scouts journey to Essex to celebrate the Scout movement’s centenary.