British Boy Scouts

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The British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association
The British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association
National Peace Scouts Fleur-de-lys Badge, an official emblem of the BBS & BGS
Headquarters Church Hill, Tarrant Hinton, Dorset, England, UK
Location United Kingdom
Country United Kingdom
Founded 1909-05-24
Founder H. Moore
Colonel Frederick Charles Keyser
Major W.G. Whitby
Chief Commmissioner David Cooksely
Grand Scout The Reverend Dr Michael John Foster SSC MIWO
Grand Scout Emeritus Edward D Scott Esq [1]
Affiliation Order of World Scouts
Website
BBS & BGS Association

Scouting portal

The British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association (BBS & BGS Association; also known as "National Peace Scouts", The "Brotherhood of British Scouts") was a early Scouting organisation that split from the main Scouting organisation Boy Scouts Association in 1909 and led to the formation of the first international Scouting organization, the Order of World Scouts.

History

On my honour I will Love God; Honour the Queen; Respect all. On my honour I will, without fear or reward, protect the weak, defend the helpless, and assist my neighbour. On my honour I will live by the Scout Law.

In 1909, Battersea Scouts district withdrew from Baden-Powell's Boy Scouts Association and formed the British Boy Scouts (BBS), out of a concern that Baden-Powell's association was too bureaucratic and militaristic. Initially, the BBS was led by Major W.G. Whitby as Chief Commissioner and as fiancier. Assisting the new organisation were Colonel Frederick Charles Keyser, President BBS and H. Moore secretary of the Battersea Scouts. The BBS was launched on Empire Day, May 24th 1909.[2]

The BBS was able to ally with the Cassell and Company publisher of the CHUMS publication, who previously tried to develop their own league of 'CHUMS league of Scouts' with the CHUMS Scout Patrols. Cassell merged their Patrols with the BBS and allowed them to publish a weeky page June 1909 until mid-1911.[2]. From the beginning in 1909, the BBS had a 10 part Law, whereas the Boy Scouts Association Law, only had nine clauses,[3] the tenth being added in 1911 at the suggestion of the Reverend Dr A T Scholfield. [4]

Sir Francis Vane was the Boy Scouting Association's (BSA) London Commissioner. He believed that Scouting should be non-military and through mediation, reconciled the British Boy Scouts(BBS) with the B-P Association, by having BBS as an affiliated organisation. With Vane pushing for more democratic BSA, his position was eliminated by Baden-Powell's BSA headquarter staff. In a protest meeting, the London area Scoutmaster voted overwealming in support of Sir Francis Vane, however Baden-Powell even though he promised, never reinstated him. Members of the National Service League, a pro-military group, were appointed to BSA headquarters. In December 3rd 1909, he accepted the presidency of the British Boy Scouts taking most London area Troops with him. The Quakers' Birmingham and Midland Troops also followed as Vane was a key influence in getting the Quakers to sponsor Scout Troops.[5]

1. A Scout is honourable, truthful and reliable. 2. A Scout is loyal to the Queen, his/her Country, his/her Parents, his/her Officers and to comrades high and low.
3. A Scout is helpful to others, whatever it may cost him/her.
4. A Scout is a friend to all and a brother/sister to all Scouts.
5. A Scout is courteous to all.
6. A Scout is kind to animals.
7. A Scout is obedient and follows orders from his/her Parents and Officers promptly.
8. A Scout is cheerful and takes trouble with a trusting grace.
9. A Scout is self reliant and a good steward of his/her possessions.
10. A Scout is upright in his/her conduct. With spread of the alternative British Boy Scouts program through out the world via CHUMS publication[6] and Vane's efforts, Vane informally alligned the various groups as the Legion of World Scouts, the first international organization, in 1911 then formally launched as the Order of World Scouts (OWS) in 1911.[7][8]

By the mid-1911, the original organisers had resigned from the BBS, losing the organisation sponsorship from CHUMS.[2] Vane put his wealth behind the organisation: providing a London headquarter and financed the organisation, even the manufacture of BBS uniforms. This over burdened his finances to the point of having to declare bankruptcy. Thus the British Boy Scouts and the Order of World Scouts lost their headquarters, source of equipment and uniforms and their leader, Sir Francis Vane.[9][2] By the end of 1912 Captain Masterman, then Assistant Grand Scoutmaster - Britain, led Troops and Junior Troops in joining the Boy Scouting Association while in 1913 some troops were led by Mr. Barrow Cadbury to join the Boys' Life Brigade (BLB), becoming the BLB Scouts. This left about 100 Troops under the new Grand Scoutmaster, Albert Jones Knighton. Vane kept in contact, and in 1915, home from leave from his duties for the Army in Ireland, inspected a Troop under London Commissioner, Mr Percy Herbert Pooley. Under Knighton and Pooley, the BBS & BGS became a definite Christian association.[10]

A Junior Scout respects his/her Parents and his/her Officers;
2. A Junior Scout respects himself/herself.

The UK Parliament had a bill in 1921 before it to restrict use of "Boy Scout" and Scout uniform and Badges to the Boy Scouts Association but the measure failed. In 1926, a broader bill to protect all Chartered Associations was passed but with a clause by Herbert Dunnico a Labour MP, and a BBS Scoutmaster that exempted any 'bona fide national organisation' from the act, such as the British Boy Scouts. Knighton had resigned without waiting for the outcome of the legislation and formed the "the British Boy Sentinels", a non-scounting organization. Pooley took over as Chief Commissioner with Rt Hon. Lord Alington as Grand Scoutmaster. Some Boy Scouts Association Troops from Shoreditch, East Ham and Lewisham allied with the BBS until 1932 forming 'The Independent Scout Alliance'. Some BLB Companies affiliated with the BBS as the 'Young Life Pioneers' when in 1926 when the Life Brigade merged with the Boys' Brigade. Sir Francis in vain tried to reconcile the BBS with the BSA after returning from Italy in 1927 [10]. This initiative failed due to a lack of a positive response from the B-P HQ. They required the BBS to disband, and Troops and individuals apply in the normal way - without any reassurance as to the acceptance of units.

The Young Life Pioneers by 1930's either join the Boys' Brigade or became BBS Troops. About 40 Troops exist in the 1930's mostly sponsored by Free Churches. With reduced membership and lacking a Parliamentarian supporter, the Boy Scout Association used the "The Chartered Associations (Protection of Names and Uniforms) Act" to stop the BBS from using the term "Boy Scouts" which prompted a change in name to "The Brotherhood of British Scouts" to avoid any further legal action. In response some Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire Troops under the Assistant Chief Commissioner W. Hanley broke off from the main group using "British Boy Scouts" for about a year only to return.[10]

With World War II's call up of Scoutmaster and youth evacuations reduced the BBS to 8 Troops. This slide continue into the 1950s with only 6 Troops existing; 1st Lewisham (St Stephen's) Loampit Hill (under Charles A Brown, Assistant Chief Commissioner), 1st Wimbledon (Samuel Manning, Grand Scoutmaster) 1st Cirencester (Pooley, Chief Commissioner), 1st Stroud (Pooley, Chief Commissioner), 1st Beckingham, and 1st Huddersfield. By 1971, Brown was Chief Commissioner and led the lone BBS Troop.[10]

The Oxford University Rover Crew led by Michael Foster joined the BBS in 1979. This resulted in additional BBS groups in the 1980's. In 1983, The Reverend Michael Foster (who was now a Parish Priest in the Church of England, Vicar of Holy Trinity Clifton, Nottingham) was appointed Chief Commissioner by Charles Brown, who then became the Grand Scoutmaster. Other groups join up with the British Boy Scouts: in 1985, 1st Waltham Forest, an Independent Scout Group, and in 1988 the Outlanders association. Several Troops which left the Baden-Powell Scouts' Association joined up with the BBS in 1990s.[10]

The re-expansion of the Order of World Scouts began in the early 1980s with membership in the USA State of Hawaii, and then in 1990s with appointments of a BBS Commissioner for Australia in 1991 and a Chief Commissioner of BBS & BGS in Canada in 1999.[10]

Ted Scott, a friend of Pooley and long time BBS member, became the Grand Scoutmaster (January 1993) after the death of Charles Brown in November 1992 and served seven years become the first Grand Scout Emeritus while Dr Michael Foster replaced him. David Cooksley replaced Dr Michael Foster as the Chief Commissioner.[10]

[11]

British Girl Scouts

Girls Scouts were a part of the British Boy Scouts from the start. With public out cry over girls in the Scouts, the British Boy Scouts launched The British Girl's Nursing Corps (BGNC) under a Scoutmistress reporting to the BBS executive and becoming a separate organisation and journal ("The British Girl Nurse") in June 1910. Vane however had other ideas and allow Girls to continue as Girl Scouts and brought whole Troops of Girls with him from the Boy Scout Association. Many Girls Scouts did not wish to become Guides under the BSA scheme and move over with Vane. Both the British Girls Scouts and The British Girl's Nursing Corps became members of the Order of World Scouts. The BGNC was disassociated from the British Boy Scouts and the British Girls Scouts remain as their counterpart.[12]

British Boy Scouts in Australia

Chums Scout Patrols started forming in 1908 Australia due to the circulation of the CHUMS publication there. Only local Scouts group previous formed in 1907 existed in Western Australia. & Victoria. Troops under the British Boy Scouts (BBS) program began operations in 1909. In 1910, CHUMS Scout Patrols merged with the BBS. Australian activities continued until the 1930s while members continued to exist in the organization. The Independent Australian Scouts, a new organization was found in 1986 and became affiliate & successor to British Boy Scouts in Australia.[13] Several Scoutmasters joined the BBS from the The Boy Scouts Association Queensland Branch with an attempt at reconciliation in 1911. A single Brisbane troop exist there after until 1921.[14]

British Boy Scouts in South Africa

E.P. Carter turned his Boys Guides' Brigade, founded in 1902 into the South African (SA) British Boy Scouts (BBS). The Boys Guide Brigade was found by Carter in 1902. With the turmoil after 1912, the SA BBS rebuffed Baden-Powell's effort to have them join the The Boy Scout Association instead renaming themselves Naval Cadets.[15]

Elsewhere

The British Boy Scouts also were organized in Canada, New Zealand, India, Creillos, South America and Egypt. All of these were original members of the Order of World Scouts. Most of which lost most or all of there members during the First World War.[16]

See also

References

  1. "The Constitution of the British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association Version 18/06/2002: APPENDIX G" (html). boy-scout.net. Dorset, England, UK: The British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association. 2002-06-18. pp. 32. http://www.boy-scout.net/en/page8/page12/page12.html. Retrieved 2008-10-08. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "The BBS Story" (html). boy-scout.net. Dorset, England, UK: The British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association. 2002-06-18. http://www.boy-scout.net/en/page8/page9/page9.html. Retrieved 2008-10-06. 
  3. Baden-Powell, Lieut. Gen Robert, Scouting for Boys by B-P, Horace Cox, London Part I 8th January 1908, pages 49-51
  4. Woodcraft and World Service, I O Evans, Noel Douglas London 1930, Page 43
  5. "The BBS Story" (html). boy-scout.net. Dorset, England, UK: The British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association. 2002-06-18. http://www.boy-scout.net/en/page8/page9/page9.html. Retrieved 2008-10-06. 
  6. "The Order of World Scouts history" (html). boy-scout.net. Dorset, England, UK: The British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association. 1997. http://www.boy-scout.net/worldscouts/ws.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-08. 
  7. Christopher Wagner (2002-02-06). "Boy Scout Movement: Internationalism--Order of World Scouts" (html). Historic Boys' Uniform Web Site. Christopher Wagner. http://www.histclo.com/youth/youth/org/sco/int/sco-intows.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-08. 
  8. Victor M. Alexieff (September 1982). "Other Youth Programs" (html). SOSSI Journal Vol. 37, No. 9. SOSSI. http://www.sossi.org/others/others.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-08. 
  9. Christopher Wagner (2002-02-06). "Boy Scout Movement: Internationalism--Order of World Scouts" (html). Historic Boys' Uniform Web Site. Christopher Wagner. http://www.histclo.com/youth/youth/org/sco/int/sco-intows.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-08. 
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 "The Constitution of the British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association Version 18/06/2002: APPENDIX D -- A History of the British Boy Scouts" (html). boy-scout.net. Dorset, England, UK: The British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association. 2001-03. pp. 24-27. http://www.boy-scout.net/en/page8/page12/page12.html. Retrieved 2008-10-08. 
  11. The Constitution of the British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association. Version 18/06/2002. page 10, 20.
  12. "The British Girl Scouts Story" (html). boy-scout.net. Dorset, England, UK: The British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association. 1997. http://www.boy-scout.net/en/page8/page10/page10.html. Retrieved 2008-10-06. 
  13. "Australian Scout History" (html). boy-scout.net. Dorset, England, UK: The British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association. 1997. http://www.boy-scout.net/en/page14/page17/page17.html. Retrieved 2008-10-07. 
  14. "BADEN-POWELL: BOY SCOUTS CENTENARY JUBILEE 1857-1907-1957" (html). Queensland, Australia: The Boy Scouts Association Queensland Branch, Australia. 1957. http://www.boy-scout.net/en/page1/page28/page28.html. Retrieved 2008-10-16. 
  15. "Order of World Scouts Story" (html). boy-scout.net. Dorset, England, UK: The British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association. 1997. http://www.boy-scout.net/en/page3/page3.html. Retrieved 2008-10-08. 
  16. "THE CONSTITUTION OF THE ORDER OF WORLD SCOUTS" (html). boy-scout.net. Dorset, England, UK: The British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association. 29. http://www.boy-scout.net/en/page3/page0/page0.html. Retrieved 2008-10-23. 


External links