An Outing of the Timberscombe Girl Guides, c. 1924 (and Agnes Baden-Powell and Olave Baden-Powell, founder and leader of the Girl Guides)
Title
An Outing of the Timberscombe Girl Guides, c. 1924 (and Agnes Baden-Powell and Olave Baden-Powell, founder and leader of the Girl Guides)
Subject
Description
The top photograph depicts the Timberscombe Girl Guides on an outing in a charabanc. It is undated but is likely around 1924, also the supposed date of SP-068, a photograph of the St. Petrock's Timberscombe bell-ringers on an outing in a similar charabanc. Also, the style of the girl's uniforms is very like that of the young woman's in the second photograph, which depicts the Girl Guides uniform as it was redesigned in the early 1920's. While founded in 1910, in the first years many girls organized their own troops and patrols with various and often homemade uniforms (1). By the time of these photographs, the uniform had settled as a navy coloured dress or overblouse and skirt, a scarf folded into a short, broad necktie and the broad-brimmed hat. The Guide Girl Service Star is always seen worn above the left top pocket.(2)
Horse-drawn carriages outfitted with wooden benches, known as charabancs, had been in use in France since the early 19th century (3). In Britain they were mostly called wagonettes, although as early as 1816, they were referred to as charabancs by Lord Byron (4). In the early 20th century, after becoming motorized, charabancs could be the size of this vehicle with three rows or could be even more elongated open-topped motor coaches with rows of benched seating, all facing forward (5). Charabancs became incredibly popular in Britain in the 1920's and 1930's. This charabanc, carrying the Timberscombe Girl Guides, could possibly be the same vehicle as the one being used by the bell-ringers -- likely there were not that many of them in and around Timberscombe at the time. It certainly could be the same strong-jawed driver as in SP-068. If so, he is likely Peter Quinn, born in 1895. He lived in Minehead and had served with the army in World War I, discharged in 1917 with a disability. He died in Exmoor in 1953 (6).
The Boy Scouts of Britain are said to have been founded on 24 January 1908, with the publication of the first of six instalments of "Scouting For Boys" written by Robert Baden-Powell (7). Born in 1857 at Paddington, London, Baden-Powell served as a young army officer in India, The Balkans, South Africa and Malta, while rising to the rank of Lieutenant-General. He was in Africa by 1899, at the start of the Second South African War, also known as the Boer War. Here he wrote a military manual, "Aids To Scouting", with instructions on tracking, observation and deduction, specifically for the South African forces (8).
Subsequently Baden-Powell was the commander at the Siege of Mafeking, a showdown lasting 217 days, from October 1899 to May 1900, between the British and the Boer armies, the latter massively outnumbering the former. The siege received national attention in Britain as Edward Cecil, the son of the Prime Minister and Lady Sarah Wilson, the daughter of the Duke of Marlborough and the aunt of Winston Churchill, were trapped with Baden-Powell's forces at the Mafeking garrison (9). The enemy were finally beaten back and returning home in 1903, Robert-Baden Powell found that he had become a national hero and "Aids to Scouting" was being read by multitudes of boys in Britain.
Robert Bawden-Powell recognised an opportunity and "Scouting for Boys" was quickly written, basically being "Aids To Scouting" revised for a younger audience. Its success was immense and became the foundation of the Scouting movement, to the extent that in 1910, aged 53, Baden-Powell retired from the army to devote himself to the Boy Scouts of Britain (10). Perhaps unexpected was the growing demand from girls for something similar.
Robert Baden-Powell was certainly not averse to the idea of Girl Scouts. In May 1908 he wrote a reply to a young woman who wanted to become a Scout, encouraging her to set up her own Patrol and in the 1909 edition of "Scouting For Boys", scout uniform suggestions included a recommendation of blue skirts for girls (11). A galvanising point for Baden-Powell seems to have been when over 1,000 girls stormed a national scout rally on the 4th of September 1909 at London's Crystal Palace--reportedly to massive applause from the crowds (12). Across the country, girls applied to join Boy Scout troops or start their own, but it was becoming apparent that the general public would only accept female scouts as members of their own organisation, ideally one with female chaperones. It was after being turned down by first aid organisations that Baden-Powell, when asked to take on forming the Girl Scouts, turned to his sister, Agnes Baden-Powell. A middle-aged and shy woman, Miss Baden-Powell accepted. She really had no choice as over 6,000 girls were already openly and officially registered (13). Agnes Baden-Powell is pictured in the third photograph.
During 1910, Agnes Baden-Powell set up a room at the central Boy Scout's Headquarters and by 1912 she had written the first girl's guidebook, "How Girls Can Help Build an Empire". To her credit, stalking, nature study, camping and physical training were emphasised as much as child care, laundry, household management and needlework (14). In that same year, Girl Guides, as Miss Baden-Powell now called them, had established troops in Ireland, Portugal and Norway (15).
Also in 1912, Robert Baden-Powell set out on a world wide trip to boost Scouting. While sailing to Jamaica, he met 23 year old Olave St. Clair Soames, the daughter of an upper-class family, having made their fortune in the brewery business. By October they were married in Dorset (16). Olave, 32 years his junior, applied for a post within the Girl Guides organisation but despite being Mrs. Baden-Powell, she was turned down because of lack of experience working with young people. Hoping for better luck with the Scouts and with the aid of her servants, Olave started a troop at their home, Ewhurst in Sussex. She also volunteered to work for the YMCA at respite huts for soldiers in France during World War I. In 1916 she re-applied to the Girl Guides and in that year she was appointed the County Commissioner of Girl Guides in Sussex. Mrs. Baden-Powell was instrumental in getting other younger women across the country to apply to similar positions, basically replacing the contemporaries of Agnes Baden-Powell (17). The bottom photograph depicts Olave Baden-Powell inspecting a Guide Guard of Honour at Battersea Park in 1916.
Within two years, Agnes quietly disappeared. She was given a position as honorary President of the Girl Guides, only to be replaced quickly by Princess Mary. (Agnes was made Honorary Vice President). Agnes Baden- Powell died in 1945 (18).
In 1930, Olave Baden-Powell was appointed to a newly created position, World Chief Guide. Robert Baden-Powell began having health concerns and he and his wife made trips to Kenya because the climate was deemed beneficial for him. In 1938 they traveled to Kenya but with the outbreak of World War II, they were not able to return to England. Robert Baden-Powell died at Kenya in 1941. As their home in England had been requisitioned during the war, when Olave was able to return to London after the war, she was granted a "Grace-and-Favour" apartment at Hampton Court Palace. From there, Olave Baden-Powell continued to tirelessly travel the world promoting the Girl Guides, as long as her own health allowed. She died in 1977 and her ashes were placed in her husband's gravesite at Kenya. No one else was ever again appointed World Chief Guide (19).
Unfortunately none of the Timberscombe Girl Guides in the top photograph have been identified but their troop meetings would have been held at Knowle House. Their Scoutmistress was Lady Audrey Anson, who shared Knowle House, the manor house of the former Knowle Estate, with her sister, Lady Constance Ryder (who was the Scoutmistress--or Lady Scoutmaster--of the Timberscombe Boy Scouts). Lady Anson can be seen at SP-123 with her Girl Guides of 1930, photographed after winning a Dancing trophy. The woman seated next to the driver has her face partly in shadow but could well be Lady Anson.
Horse-drawn carriages outfitted with wooden benches, known as charabancs, had been in use in France since the early 19th century (3). In Britain they were mostly called wagonettes, although as early as 1816, they were referred to as charabancs by Lord Byron (4). In the early 20th century, after becoming motorized, charabancs could be the size of this vehicle with three rows or could be even more elongated open-topped motor coaches with rows of benched seating, all facing forward (5). Charabancs became incredibly popular in Britain in the 1920's and 1930's. This charabanc, carrying the Timberscombe Girl Guides, could possibly be the same vehicle as the one being used by the bell-ringers -- likely there were not that many of them in and around Timberscombe at the time. It certainly could be the same strong-jawed driver as in SP-068. If so, he is likely Peter Quinn, born in 1895. He lived in Minehead and had served with the army in World War I, discharged in 1917 with a disability. He died in Exmoor in 1953 (6).
The Boy Scouts of Britain are said to have been founded on 24 January 1908, with the publication of the first of six instalments of "Scouting For Boys" written by Robert Baden-Powell (7). Born in 1857 at Paddington, London, Baden-Powell served as a young army officer in India, The Balkans, South Africa and Malta, while rising to the rank of Lieutenant-General. He was in Africa by 1899, at the start of the Second South African War, also known as the Boer War. Here he wrote a military manual, "Aids To Scouting", with instructions on tracking, observation and deduction, specifically for the South African forces (8).
Subsequently Baden-Powell was the commander at the Siege of Mafeking, a showdown lasting 217 days, from October 1899 to May 1900, between the British and the Boer armies, the latter massively outnumbering the former. The siege received national attention in Britain as Edward Cecil, the son of the Prime Minister and Lady Sarah Wilson, the daughter of the Duke of Marlborough and the aunt of Winston Churchill, were trapped with Baden-Powell's forces at the Mafeking garrison (9). The enemy were finally beaten back and returning home in 1903, Robert-Baden Powell found that he had become a national hero and "Aids to Scouting" was being read by multitudes of boys in Britain.
Robert Bawden-Powell recognised an opportunity and "Scouting for Boys" was quickly written, basically being "Aids To Scouting" revised for a younger audience. Its success was immense and became the foundation of the Scouting movement, to the extent that in 1910, aged 53, Baden-Powell retired from the army to devote himself to the Boy Scouts of Britain (10). Perhaps unexpected was the growing demand from girls for something similar.
Robert Baden-Powell was certainly not averse to the idea of Girl Scouts. In May 1908 he wrote a reply to a young woman who wanted to become a Scout, encouraging her to set up her own Patrol and in the 1909 edition of "Scouting For Boys", scout uniform suggestions included a recommendation of blue skirts for girls (11). A galvanising point for Baden-Powell seems to have been when over 1,000 girls stormed a national scout rally on the 4th of September 1909 at London's Crystal Palace--reportedly to massive applause from the crowds (12). Across the country, girls applied to join Boy Scout troops or start their own, but it was becoming apparent that the general public would only accept female scouts as members of their own organisation, ideally one with female chaperones. It was after being turned down by first aid organisations that Baden-Powell, when asked to take on forming the Girl Scouts, turned to his sister, Agnes Baden-Powell. A middle-aged and shy woman, Miss Baden-Powell accepted. She really had no choice as over 6,000 girls were already openly and officially registered (13). Agnes Baden-Powell is pictured in the third photograph.
During 1910, Agnes Baden-Powell set up a room at the central Boy Scout's Headquarters and by 1912 she had written the first girl's guidebook, "How Girls Can Help Build an Empire". To her credit, stalking, nature study, camping and physical training were emphasised as much as child care, laundry, household management and needlework (14). In that same year, Girl Guides, as Miss Baden-Powell now called them, had established troops in Ireland, Portugal and Norway (15).
Also in 1912, Robert Baden-Powell set out on a world wide trip to boost Scouting. While sailing to Jamaica, he met 23 year old Olave St. Clair Soames, the daughter of an upper-class family, having made their fortune in the brewery business. By October they were married in Dorset (16). Olave, 32 years his junior, applied for a post within the Girl Guides organisation but despite being Mrs. Baden-Powell, she was turned down because of lack of experience working with young people. Hoping for better luck with the Scouts and with the aid of her servants, Olave started a troop at their home, Ewhurst in Sussex. She also volunteered to work for the YMCA at respite huts for soldiers in France during World War I. In 1916 she re-applied to the Girl Guides and in that year she was appointed the County Commissioner of Girl Guides in Sussex. Mrs. Baden-Powell was instrumental in getting other younger women across the country to apply to similar positions, basically replacing the contemporaries of Agnes Baden-Powell (17). The bottom photograph depicts Olave Baden-Powell inspecting a Guide Guard of Honour at Battersea Park in 1916.
Within two years, Agnes quietly disappeared. She was given a position as honorary President of the Girl Guides, only to be replaced quickly by Princess Mary. (Agnes was made Honorary Vice President). Agnes Baden- Powell died in 1945 (18).
In 1930, Olave Baden-Powell was appointed to a newly created position, World Chief Guide. Robert Baden-Powell began having health concerns and he and his wife made trips to Kenya because the climate was deemed beneficial for him. In 1938 they traveled to Kenya but with the outbreak of World War II, they were not able to return to England. Robert Baden-Powell died at Kenya in 1941. As their home in England had been requisitioned during the war, when Olave was able to return to London after the war, she was granted a "Grace-and-Favour" apartment at Hampton Court Palace. From there, Olave Baden-Powell continued to tirelessly travel the world promoting the Girl Guides, as long as her own health allowed. She died in 1977 and her ashes were placed in her husband's gravesite at Kenya. No one else was ever again appointed World Chief Guide (19).
Unfortunately none of the Timberscombe Girl Guides in the top photograph have been identified but their troop meetings would have been held at Knowle House. Their Scoutmistress was Lady Audrey Anson, who shared Knowle House, the manor house of the former Knowle Estate, with her sister, Lady Constance Ryder (who was the Scoutmistress--or Lady Scoutmaster--of the Timberscombe Boy Scouts). Lady Anson can be seen at SP-123 with her Girl Guides of 1930, photographed after winning a Dancing trophy. The woman seated next to the driver has her face partly in shadow but could well be Lady Anson.
Creator
Anonymous /
Anonymous /
Anonymous /
Anonymous
Anonymous /
Anonymous /
Anonymous
Date
c. 1924
early 1920s
c. 1910-1916
1916
early 1920s
c. 1910-1916
1916
Contributor
Language
English
Identifier
Timberscombe Girl Guides, c. 1924 / Timberscombe
Girl Guides Uniform, early 1920's
Agnes Bawden-Powell
Olave Bawden-Powell, 1916, at Battersea Park / London
Girl Guides Uniform, early 1920's
Agnes Bawden-Powell
Olave Bawden-Powell, 1916, at Battersea Park / London
Acquisition Date
2020
Acquisition Method
Gift
Research
Research
Research
Research
Research
Research
Category
SCOUTS / Timberscombe
PEOPLE: Named
PEOPLE: Named
Condition
Good
Condition Notes
Entered by Tom Sperling
Condition Date
2020
Dimension Type
W X L
Dimension Units
cm
Dimension Value
11.5 X 18.5
6 X 6.5 (Agnes Baden-Powell)
12 X 14.5 (Olave Baden-Powell)
6 X 6.5 (Agnes Baden-Powell)
12 X 14.5 (Olave Baden-Powell)
Institution Name
St. Petrock's History Group
Notes
(1) heritage.scouts.org.uk (2) lesliesguidinghistory. webs.com (3) the island/ wiki.org (4) boakandbailey.com and worldwidewords.org (5) dictionarycambridge.org (6) UK, WWI Pension Ledger and Index Cards, 1914-1923 and England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 (7) history.com.this-day-in-history>boy-scouts-movement (8) britannica.com> World History>military leaders (9) en.wikipedia.org>wiki>Robert_Baden_Powell (10) scouts.org (11) lesliesguidinghistory.webs.com (12) theguardian.com> aug> girls's-guide-centenary(2009) (13) Girl Guides: A Brief History, Part Two (14) activityvillage.co.uk/agnes-baden-powell and lesliesguidinghistory.webs.com (15) World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, waggg.org (16) Olave Baden-Powell/ Biography Timeline, spanglefish.com and girlguidesballarat.org.au (17) Olave Baden-Powell/ Biography Timeline, spanglefish.com and lesliesguidinghistory.webs.com (18) lesliesguidinghistory.webs.com (19) "Fact Sheet, The Three Baden-Powells: Robert, Agnes and Olave, Girl Guides of London", girlguides.ca and girlguidesballarat.org.au
Storage Location
St. Petrock's History Archive
Storage Date
2020
Storage Notes
St. Petrock's History Group PHOTOGRAPHS
Item Reference
SP-185
Technique
Copies
Citation
Anonymous /
Anonymous /
Anonymous /
Anonymous, “An Outing of the Timberscombe Girl Guides, c. 1924 (and Agnes Baden-Powell and Olave Baden-Powell, founder and leader of the Girl Guides),” St. Petrock's History Group, accessed May 15, 2024, https://stpetrockshistorygroup.omeka.net/items/show/3234.
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