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Gilwell Park: Difference between revisions
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=== Rich estate in 18th century === | === Rich estate in 18th century === | ||
The Chinnerys were wealthy and influential. William Chinnery's father, also named William, owned trading ships and named one Gilwell in 1800. William and Margaret Chinnery initially resided in London, and after three years of marriage and inheriting Gilwell in 1792, they moved to Gilwell in 1793. They soon shocked the local populace by renaming Osborne Hall to "Gilwell Hall". William Chinnery expanded Gilwell's land holdings through significant purchases over the next 15 years and, along with his wife, transformed it into a country estate with gardens, paths, and statues. Parts of the garden, paths, and dwelling modifications exist into the | The Chinnerys were wealthy and influential. William Chinnery's father, also named William, owned trading ships and named one Gilwell in 1800. William and Margaret Chinnery initially resided in London, and after three years of marriage and inheriting Gilwell in 1792, they moved to Gilwell in 1793. They soon shocked the local populace by renaming Osborne Hall to "Gilwell Hall". William Chinnery expanded Gilwell's land holdings through significant purchases over the next 15 years and, along with his wife, transformed it into a country estate with gardens, paths, and statues. Parts of the garden, paths, and dwelling modifications exist into the 21st century. William Chinnery was exposed as the embezzler of a small fortune from the British [[Treasury]] where he worked and was dismissed from all his posts on [[March 12]], [[1812]]. Margaret Chinnery was forced to sign over Gilwell Estate to the [[Exchequer]] on [[July 2]], [[1812]].<ref name="historyofficial"/> | ||
The Chinnery family was prominent enough that members of the English nobility visited often during the [[1790s]] and early | The Chinnery family was prominent enough that members of the English nobility visited often during the [[1790s]] and early 1800s. King George III visited on occasion, and the Prince Regent, who later became George IV, was a regular visitor. George III's seventh son, [[Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge|Prince Adolphus]], became a family friend, lived at Gilwell for awhile, and even tutored their eldest son George.<ref name="historyofficial"/> | ||
Gilpin Gorst bought the estate in 1815 at public auction, and his son sold it to Thomas Usborne in 1824. When the original London Bridge was replaced in 1826, Usborne bought pieces of the original stone [[baluster|balustrades]], which date to 1209, and erected them behind the White House around the Buffalo Lawn. The estate changed ownership more times, but these families did not maintain the property and it fell into disrepair by 1900. Reverend Cranshaw, a local resident, bought the estate in 1911 and was the last owner prior to the Boy Scout Association, as it was then known, becoming owners. | Gilpin Gorst bought the estate in 1815 at public auction, and his son sold it to Thomas Usborne in 1824. When the original London Bridge was replaced in 1826, Usborne bought pieces of the original stone [[baluster|balustrades]], which date to 1209, and erected them behind the White House around the Buffalo Lawn. The estate changed ownership more times, but these families did not maintain the property and it fell into disrepair by 1900. Reverend Cranshaw, a local resident, bought the estate in 1911 and was the last owner prior to the Boy Scout Association, as it was then known, becoming owners. | ||
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The estate's condition declined even more during the 1910s. William F. de Bois Maclaren was a publisher and [[Scout Commissioner]] from [[Rosneath]], [[Dumbartonshire]], Scotland. During a business trip to London, Maclaren was saddened to see that Scouts in the [[East End]] had no suitable outdoor area to conduct their Scouting activities. He contacted [[Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell|Lord Robert Baden-Powell]] about this, who appointed [[P.B. Nevill]] to handle the matter. Nevill was the Scout Commissioner of the East End at the time. On [[November 20]], [[1918]] over dinner at Roland House, the Scout Hostel in [[Stepney]], Maclaren agreed to donate £7,000 to the project. Part of the agreement included narrowing the areas to look for suitable land to Hainault Forest and Epping Forest. [[Rover Scouts]] searched both areas without success, but then John Gayfer, a young Assistant Scoutmaster, suggested Gilwell Hall, a place he went [[bird-watching]]. Nevill visited the estate and was impressed, though the buildings were by then in poor condition. The estate was for sale for £7,000, the exact price Maclaren had donated.<ref name="historyofficial"/> The estate totaled 21 hectare (53 acres) at the time. | The estate's condition declined even more during the 1910s. William F. de Bois Maclaren was a publisher and [[Scout Commissioner]] from [[Rosneath]], [[Dumbartonshire]], Scotland. During a business trip to London, Maclaren was saddened to see that Scouts in the [[East End]] had no suitable outdoor area to conduct their Scouting activities. He contacted [[Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell|Lord Robert Baden-Powell]] about this, who appointed [[P.B. Nevill]] to handle the matter. Nevill was the Scout Commissioner of the East End at the time. On [[November 20]], [[1918]] over dinner at Roland House, the Scout Hostel in [[Stepney]], Maclaren agreed to donate £7,000 to the project. Part of the agreement included narrowing the areas to look for suitable land to Hainault Forest and Epping Forest. [[Rover Scouts]] searched both areas without success, but then John Gayfer, a young Assistant Scoutmaster, suggested Gilwell Hall, a place he went [[bird-watching]]. Nevill visited the estate and was impressed, though the buildings were by then in poor condition. The estate was for sale for £7,000, the exact price Maclaren had donated.<ref name="historyofficial"/> The estate totaled 21 hectare (53 acres) at the time. | ||
The estate was purchased in early 1919 by Maclaren for the Boy Scout Association. Nevill first took his Rover Scouts to begin repairing the run-down estate on [[Maundy Thursday]], [[April 17]], [[1919]]. On this visit, the Rovers slept in the gardener's shed in the orchard because the ground was so wet they could not pitch tents. They called this shed "The Pigsty" and though dilapidated, it still stands, as it is the site of the first Scout campsite at Gilwell Park. Maclaren was a frequent visitor to Gilwell Park and helped repair the buildings. His dedication was so great that he donated another £3,000. Maclaren's interest had been in providing a campground, but Baden-Powell envisioned a training centre for Scouters. An official opening was planned for [[June 19]], [[1919]] but it was delayed until Saturday, [[June 26]], [[1919]] so that Scouts could participate in the Official Peace Festival commemorating the end of World War I. Invitations were changed by hand to save money.<ref name="historyofficial"/> Significant remodeling and construction was done in the 1920s. Because of limited finances, few improvements were made during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Baden-Powell never lived at Gilwell Park but he often camped, lectured, taught courses, and attended meetings on-site. He emphasized the importance of Scouter's training at Gilwell Park for Scouting by taking it as the territorial designation in his | The estate was purchased in early 1919 by Maclaren for the Boy Scout Association. Nevill first took his Rover Scouts to begin repairing the run-down estate on [[Maundy Thursday]], [[April 17]], [[1919]]. On this visit, the Rovers slept in the gardener's shed in the orchard because the ground was so wet they could not pitch tents. They called this shed "The Pigsty" and though dilapidated, it still stands, as it is the site of the first Scout campsite at Gilwell Park. Maclaren was a frequent visitor to Gilwell Park and helped repair the buildings. His dedication was so great that he donated another £3,000. Maclaren's interest had been in providing a campground, but Baden-Powell envisioned a training centre for Scouters. An official opening was planned for [[June 19]], [[1919]] but it was delayed until Saturday, [[June 26]], [[1919]] so that Scouts could participate in the Official Peace Festival commemorating the end of World War I. Invitations were changed by hand to save money.<ref name="historyofficial"/> Significant remodeling and construction was done in the 1920s. Because of limited finances, few improvements were made during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Baden-Powell never lived at Gilwell Park but he often camped, lectured, taught courses, and attended meetings on-site. He emphasized the importance of Scouter's training at Gilwell Park for Scouting by taking it as the territorial designation in his peerage title of ''1st Baron Baden-Powell of Gilwell'' in 1929 when the [[baron]]y was conferred upon him by the king.<ref name='thurman-1951'>{{cite book | first = John | last = Thurman | series = The Patrol Books | number = 13 | title = The Scout's Book of Gilwell | publisher = The Boy Scouts Association | location = London | year = 1951}}</ref> | ||
=== Wartime and later development === | === Wartime and later development === | ||
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=== Camp Chiefs, and other staff === | === Camp Chiefs, and other staff === | ||
[[Francis Gidney|Captain Francis "Skipper" Gidney]] became the first Camp Chief in May 1919 and served until 1923. He organized the first Wood Badge training, and contributed to setting up Gilwell Park as the Scouters' training centre. The Gidney Cabin was built and named in his honour in 1929 to serve as a training centre.<ref name="historyofficial"/><ref name='thurman-1951'/> The second Camp Chief was [[J. S. Wilson|John Skinner Wilson]], who served from 1923 until 1939. Wilson was Colonel with the British Indian Police when he became a [[Scout Leader]] in 1917. In 1921 he traveled to Gilwell Park to take leader training, which led to his retirement from the Indian Police in 1922 to become a full time Scout Leader. He was honoured with the [[Bronze Wolf | [[Francis Gidney|Captain Francis "Skipper" Gidney]] became the first Camp Chief in May 1919 and served until 1923. He organized the first Wood Badge training, and contributed to setting up Gilwell Park as the Scouters' training centre. The Gidney Cabin was built and named in his honour in 1929 to serve as a training centre.<ref name="historyofficial"/><ref name='thurman-1951'/> The second Camp Chief was [[J. S. Wilson|John Skinner Wilson]], who served from 1923 until 1939. Wilson was Colonel with the British Indian Police when he became a [[Scout Leader]] in 1917. In 1921 he traveled to Gilwell Park to take leader training, which led to his retirement from the Indian Police in 1922 to become a full time Scout Leader. He was honoured with the [[Bronze Wolf]] Award in 1937, the only distinction of the [[World Organization of the Scout Movement]].<ref name="wilson1">{{cite web | url = http://pinetreeweb.com/departures.htm | title = Departures: John S. Wilson | publisher = Pine Tree Web | accessdate = 2006-08-30}}</ref><ref name="wilson2"> {{cite web | url = http://www.woodbadge.org/wbgbbWB.htm | title = Green Bar Bill Hillcourt's Impact on Wood Badge | publisher = Wood Badge.org | accessdate = 2006-08-30}}</ref> | ||
[[John Thurman|R.F. "John" Thurman]] was a British Scout Leader who served as Camp Chief from 1943 until 1969 and was awarded the Bronze Wolf Award in 1959. He was a strong promoter of Scout training and wrote books on the subject that were translated into other languages. The Thurman Memorial stands near The Pigsty.<ref name="historyofficial"/><ref name="thurman"> {{cite web | url = http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/library/hqdocs/facts/pdfs/fs145001.pdf | title = The Origins of the Wood Badge | format = {{PDFlink|304KB}} | publisher = The Scout Association | accessdate = 2006-08-30}}</ref> Thurman was succeeded by John Huskin.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.scouts-europe.org/grandir/eclaireurs/6-coin-maitrise/MacLaren/histoire-gilwell.shtml| title = De Gilwell au MacLaren | publisher = Guides et Scouts d'Europe | language = French | accessdate = 2006-09-10}}</ref> | [[John Thurman|R.F. "John" Thurman]] was a British Scout Leader who served as Camp Chief from 1943 until 1969 and was awarded the Bronze Wolf Award in 1959. He was a strong promoter of Scout training and wrote books on the subject that were translated into other languages. The Thurman Memorial stands near The Pigsty.<ref name="historyofficial"/><ref name="thurman"> {{cite web | url = http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/library/hqdocs/facts/pdfs/fs145001.pdf | title = The Origins of the Wood Badge | format = {{PDFlink|304KB}} | publisher = The Scout Association | accessdate = 2006-08-30}}</ref> Thurman was succeeded by John Huskin.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.scouts-europe.org/grandir/eclaireurs/6-coin-maitrise/MacLaren/histoire-gilwell.shtml| title = De Gilwell au MacLaren | publisher = Guides et Scouts d'Europe | language = French | accessdate = 2006-09-10}}</ref> | ||
Don Potter (1902-2004) was an English [[sculptor]] and [[wood carver]] who was a lifelong staff member at Gilwell Park, serving as a Gilwell Master Craftsman.<ref name="donpotter"> {{cite web | year = 2002 | url = http://www.bryanston.co.uk/news/pdf/Newsletter%2012.pdf | title = Don Potter's 100th Birthday | format = {{PDFlink|140KB}} | publisher = The Bryanston Newsletter | accessdate = 2006-08-30}}</ref> Potter created wood carvings at Gilwell Park, including the Jim Green Gate, Gidney Cabin, the Leopard Gates, and totems he carved for the 1929 [[World Jamboree]].<ref name='light-2002'>{{cite book | last = Light | first = Vivienne | title = Don Potter: an inspiring century | location = [[Brook, New Forest, Hampshire]] | publisher = Canterton Books | year = 2002 | id = ISBN 0-9541627-1-4 }}</ref> | |||
== Activities == | == Activities == | ||
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=== Outdoor activities === | === Outdoor activities === | ||
The Scout Activity Centres of The Scout Association provide camping, hostelling or conferencing for Scouts and Scout Leaders from around the world. Activities at Gilwell Park include: camping, leader training, a rope swing, high rope course, [[archery]], pedal go-karts, grass sledging, [[canoeing]], | The Scout Activity Centres of The Scout Association provide camping, hostelling or conferencing for Scouts and Scout Leaders from around the world. Activities at Gilwell Park include: camping, leader training, a rope swing, high rope course, [[archery]], pedal go-karts, grass sledging, [[canoeing]], rifle shooting, crate stacking, wall climbing, revolving wall climb, jump mats, rafting, team building, horse riding, [[orienteering]], [[pioneering]], tours, [[hiking]], photography, obstacle courses, and aeroball.<ref name="gillact">{{cite web | year = 2005 | url = http://www.scouts.org.uk/nationalcentres/gilwellactivity.html | title = Gilwell Park Activities Centre | publisher = The Scout Association | accessdate = 2006-08-01 }}</ref> | ||
=== Leader training === | === Leader training === | ||
[[Image:Gilwell Park Campfire Circle.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Campfire circle at Gilwell Park]] | [[Image:Gilwell Park Campfire Circle.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Campfire circle at Gilwell Park]] | ||
{{main|Wood Badge}} | {{main|Wood Badge}} | ||
While different leader training courses are conducted at Gilwell Park, the most prominent is Wood Badge. Francis Gidney, the first Camp Chief, conducted the first Wood Badge course at Gilwell Park [[September | While different leader training courses are conducted at Gilwell Park, the most prominent is Wood Badge. Francis Gidney, the first Camp Chief, conducted the first Wood Badge course at Gilwell Park [[September]] 8-19, [[1919]]. Gilwell Park became the home of leadership training in the [[Scouting|Scout movement]].<ref name="gillwbhist">{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url = http://pinetreeweb.com/woodbadg.htm | title = The Wood Badge Homepage | format = | work = | publisher = Pinetree Web | accessdate = 2006-08-01}}</ref> Leaders from all over the world receive automatic membership in [[1st Gilwell Park Scout Group]] ([[Gilwell Troop 1]]) on completion of the Wood Badge course. These leaders are henceforth called [[Wood Badger]]s or [[Gilwellian]]s. Any location in which Wood Badgers meet is called Gilwell Field. The 1st Gilwell Park Scout Group meets every first weekend of September in Gilwell Park for the [[Gilwell Reunion]].<ref name="historyofficial"/> | ||
The Training Ground, near the White House, is the hallowed ground of Gilwell Park as this is the world home of Wood Badge, the premier Scout leader training course. A large oak tree, the Gilwell Oak, separates the Training Ground from the Orchard.<ref name="historyofficial"/> | The Training Ground, near the White House, is the hallowed ground of Gilwell Park as this is the world home of Wood Badge, the premier Scout leader training course. A large oak tree, the Gilwell Oak, separates the Training Ground from the Orchard.<ref name="historyofficial"/> | ||
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{{featured article}} | {{featured article}} | ||
[[Category:Scout and Guide campsites in the United Kingdom]] | [[Category:Scout and Guide campsites in the United Kingdom]] | ||
[[Category:Scouting and Guiding in the United Kingdom]] | [[Category:Scouting and Guiding in the United Kingdom]] | ||
