SCOUTING IN

[Although the premise for these notes was ‘Gravesend in Edwardian times’ the Scouting movement did not begin until 1907 and Edward died in 1910 it was therefore decided to extend the history of Scouting beyond this date.]

The Scout movement was started in 1907 by Lieutenant- General Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, [22 February 1857 – 8 January 1941) who was a British Army officer, and writer who was the founder and first Chief Scout of the world-wide Boy Scout Movement, and founder, with his sister Agnes, of the world-wide Girl Guide / Girl Scout Movement. Baden- Powell authored the first editions of the seminal work Scouting for Boys, which was an inspiration for the Scout Movement. He was to be universally known by his initials “BP”.

In 1907 Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour in Dorset was the site of the first experimental Scout camp that led to the formation of the Scout movement the following year.

In 1908, Scouting in Gravesend was started by Alwyne Tutton who registered the 1st Gravesend Troop. In May 1908 Tutton received a letter from BP himself confirming his appointment as “Commanding Officer”. It was about this time that Tutton picked up the title "Boss".

Alwyne Tutton 1888- 1975 was an architect and in 1914 was living in Lynton Road South, Gravesend but by 1926 he was at “Brockville” 21 Grange Road, Gravesend. Later he was practicing and presumably living in Shaftsbury. A sundial made from local flint, was placed at Hopehill, the District Scout campsite on the Wrotham Road, by "Boss" Tutton as a thank you to all those who helped to make Hopehill what it is today. In the registration document of 1908 the 1st Gravesend HQ is noted as being at “The School, Milton Congregational Church, Clarence Place, Gravesend”. Built 1873-4, the church closed 1955 and was then used as a warehouse until 1968 when it became a Sikh temple. A 10-year fight to decide the future of the old Gurdwara site in Gravesend has [at the time of writing] been settled – it’s being knocked down for new flats. A planning application before Gravesham Council has been passed by its regulatory board to allow demolition and the building of apartments on the site.

In 1907 Sea Scouts were formed and the official handbook for them was written by Warrington, BP’S elder brother. One of the first Sea Scout Troops was the 2nd Gravesend formed sometime between 1907 and 1910. [In 1921 2nd Gravesend Troop was one of the first to get Royal Navy capitation].

In 1909 the Rev S J Poole vicar of St James’s Church asked a Mr Cooper, an architect of Windmill Street, to form a sponsored Troop of Scouts. This was the 3rd Gravesend. In 1911 the leadership was taken over by Stanley Legg together with Mr C and Mr F Hockley, dentists in Pelham Road. With the outbreak of WWI Legg joined the forces in August followed by the Hockley’s in 1916.

By 1909 BP’s book “Scouting for Boys”, originally published in six parts, had been translated into five languages.

The first Scout Group outside Britain was formed in Chile and in September of that year the first Scout Rally was held at Crystal Palace attended by over 10,000 Scouts.

1909 saw the formation of the Central North Boy Scouts Association [Gravesend being a part] with Alwyne Tutton appointed as Secretary.

In 1910 the organisation was to be known as the “Boy Scouts Association”. By the time of The Boy Scouts Association's first census in 1910 it had over 100,000 Scouts. The Scouting movement developed momentum.

Scouting was now active all over the world, in many Commonwealth countries as well as foreign countries. Scouts were active in the USA by 1910. In 1911 a spectacular rally was held in Windsor Great Park with 30,000 boys.

1914 saw the formation of Wolf Cubs or “Young Scouts” aged eight to eleven with the “Wolf Cub Handbook” published in 1916. 1917 Census figures for the UK show 29,857 Cubs in 1,338 Packs.

The Registration document for the 7th Gravesend shows that it was registered as the Holy Trinity Scout Troop and was meeting in the St Andrews Mission Room, Waterside, and it is assumed that this was in St Andrews at Bawley Bay. [Holy Trinity Church was demolished in 1963 and incorporated into St. James' parish. In 1967 St. James' parish was renamed St. George's parish and St. James' Church was demolished in 1969, the new parish being served by the original St. George's Church and briefly until 1970 by St. Andrew's Mission Church, Waterside.]

It became necessary to create new troops and by 1910 we see the existence of:- 2nd Gravesend [Holy Trinity], 3rd Gravesend [to become St George’s], 1st Perry Street [now the 4th Gravesend], 1st , 1st , 1st Sutton-at-Hone, 1st Cobham,1st , 3rd Northfleet and a troop at Cliffe. 1914 Boy Scouts Called Up for Defence of the Home Front. The following telegram had been received by Commander Garrett, the Kent County Secretary of the Boy Scouts: "Hope you can supply about 1,000 Scouts, if required, to guard culverts and telegraphs against spies, or run despatches, billet troops, collect and transport etc in your county, provided exemption from school and employment granted. If so, please communicate with your Chief Constable. Have informed War Office, Baden Powell.” Measures to provide the 1,000 Kent Scouts asked for have been adopted. South East Gazette 11th August 1914. Noted in Kent Scout Annual Report for 1918 “4050 hours of war work done by Scouts in Gravesend during air raids etc”

At the time of the formation of “Gravesend and District” in 1918 the registration document showed that the district consisted of Gravesend, Milton, Northfleet, , Southfleet, Longfield, Fawkham, Ash, Kingsdown, Stanstead, Fairseat, Hartley, Nurstead, Ifield, Singlewell, Shorne, Denton, Chalk, Higham, Cliffe and Grain.

It was on 23rd November 1918 that the Central North Kent Boy Scouts Association was to divide into Gravesend and Dartford Districts, Gravesend Local Association was born and Alwyne Tutton was appointed District Commissioner over the two Associations.

Since its conception in 1907, the Scouting movement has spread from the to 216 countries and territories around the world. There are over 38 million Scouts and Guides worldwide, with 169 national organisations governed by the World Organization of the Scout Movement and a nearly equal number governed by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.

At the time of writing the total youth membership in the UK is 390,929. This includes 103,226 Beaver Scouts, 140,621 Cub Scouts, 113,058 Scouts, 31,976 Explorer Scouts and 2,048 Scout Network members..