The role of the archives that Havant Scouts have amassed over the 111 years that Scouts have been active within the region is varied and often under-appreciated. By giving this insight into the archives I intend to demonstrate the value of the archival material in demonstrating how the values of Scouting have changed, how the membership has changed and the ways in which the programme has adapted to suit the current world and the needs of current Scouts.
Scouts formed in 1907 after an initial camp led by Sir Robert Baden-Powell on Brownsea Island, Poole. The earliest troops were essentially formed by non-affiliated youth groups, such as 1st Portsmouth Sea Scouts which was formed by a group of children being taught sailing by W. L. Wyllie in 1908. Early troops were also formed by an adult who became the primary leader such as Fred T. Jane, the leader of 1st Bedhampton from 1908 until at least 1914, perhaps even until his death in 1916. Jane formed the troop as he was inspired by Baden-Powell’s military career. These stories, well known by their groups, seem to contrast the traditional story of the start of Scouting where boys read Scouting for Boys and started their own patrols and troops before finding a leader. This is a romanticised view of the start of Scouting, very few records from this period exist so the history we tell has largely developed from generations of stories passed through the group. In some cases these stories have been lost, but in many cases there are still records such as census records from which the success and longevity of a group can be traced. This is particularly prevalent for Havant Scouts as almost all of the records are missing between 1907 and 1923 apart from a few troop magazines and a troop log from 1st Havant, this therefore makes it hard to trace what happened to any of the early troops.
The initial troop in Bedhampton may have been the very first troop in Havant District, it’s success is largely forgotten due to the loss of records. There are considerable records from long lasting groups such as 1st Emsworth (formed 1919) and 3rd Hayling (formed 1929) have created large amounts of records from their long existence. These long existing groups are not the only stores of Scouting knowledge, some leaders have been kind enough to leave Havant Scouts a variety of materials from their time as leaders. A. J. P. Gedge (1st Havant) and W. H. Boxhall (2nd Havant) left records and photos, mostly relating to camps in detailed logs specifically designed for the purpose. These records give a valuable insight into the activities Scouts participated in during the 1920s, enabling us to be inspired by previous Scout programmes. Records such as this demonstrate the commitment of leaders to leaving behind a record of the young people’s experiences. However, these leaders are not the only ones which were enthusiastic, as shown by the awards given to leaders such as Kathleen Madgwick. Madgwick’s collection of awards that were presented to her, as well as notes thanking her from Scouts and leaders alike, demonstrating the appreciation others have for the enthusiasm and commitment of leaders.
For current leaders, knowing that this level of appreciation is there among their fellow leaders and their Scouts is appreciated, but not as well appreciated as knowing that there are previous programmes available. The collection of programme materials left to Havant Scouts by F. McCulloch is particularly valuable for this reason. The programme materials and documentation from events which occurred between the 1930s and the 1960s contain a wealth of activities and events which could inspire an experienced leader, let alone a very new leader. These resources, particularly an old copy of Policy, Organisation and Rules, (POR), also enable us to compare the ways in which the activities available to Scouts have changed, both through developing technologies, as well as through a developing knowledge of safety. McCulloch’s collection is not the only one which demonstrates the changes in programme, the photos within the log books left by Gedge also demonstrate this. The most notable activity the 1920s Scouts of 1st Havant participated in, which today’s Scouts would not, is bare knuckle boxing. Despite the obvious health and safety reasons not to participate in this activity, it is not an activity which is often considered in wider society. The loss of this activity is not necessarily felt by Scouts as among traditional Scouting activities, developing technologies have enabled the use of inflatables such as bucking broncos and surf boards for special occasions, such as Havant District’s Millenium Camp in 2000. This, therefore, demonstrates that activities change to suit and benefit the current generation of Scouts.
Not only do photos demonstrate the way in which activities changed, perhaps better than written programmes would, they also help us to visualise the changes which have occurred throughout the history of Scouting. By comparing photos of different generations of Scouts it is much easier to see how significantly the uniform has changed in the last century. The original uniform consisted of a khaki shorts and shirt, with a wide brim hat and standard; early photos of Scouts, particularly from 1st and 2nd Havant, show how this was worn both formally, and how it adjusted to be more comfortable at camp, for example. Photos of subsequent Scouts demonstrate the changes in uniforms in the 1980s and in the early 2000s, with the uniform gaining long trousers and swapping the wide brim hat for a beret, and today no longer wearing a hat. Photographs not only show how dramatic the changes to the uniform were, but also show that despite the changes, the uniform still made the Scouts recognisable. In fact, even today’s less formal uniform without a hat and activity trousers rather than smart trousers, Scouts are still recognisable, largely due to the coloured scarf, or neckerchief which Scouts wear. These neckerchieves are so recognisable that a group’s history can be traced in photos via their individual neckerchieves.
Photographs also show how the face of Scouting has changed over the last 111 years, as well as helping to contextualise the statistics which are put forward in each year’s census records. While census records provide the numbers of those who were involved, particularly those from minority backgrounds, however, photographs are a real aid in seeing what that really means in terms of inclusivity. That is not to say that Scouting has been an exclusive movement, while Scouting has not always been the inclusive movement it is today, however, the only people who were actively excluded were non-Christians and girls. These are huge groups to exclude, but the Scout Association has made great attempts to to correct this. The move to include girls is an older scheme, and is therefore easier to trace the extent to which girls were joining the movement. This change is also easier to trace due to its more visual nature, using photos from the archive, although other records such as awards aid tracing this change, it is possible to verify the numbers of girls recorded in the census. In 2007 not only did the centenary of Scouts occur, but girls had to be accepted into all sections, rather than on a voluntary basis. In the subsequent years the number of girls has increased and this is visible within contemporary photos, particularly when compared to those from the archives. This evidence is particularly important as, in the Scout section in Havant for example, between 2007 and 2018 the membership only increased by 10. Without taking any other factors into account, or comparing this to photographs, it would be easy to suggest that the inclusion of girls made little difference to the membership, when in fact nationally girls make up half of the membership.
It is, therefore, apparent that the vast array of materials contained within the Havant Scouts Archive helps to embody the written history of Scouting. Without these, not only would we all lose touch with our roots and heritage, but we would lose sight of what we have gained throughout the movements history. We wouldn’t be where we are now without what came before us, it is important that we use this to create a movement we want to be apart of.
The Colourful Historian 