Group History

1st RICKMANSWORTH
(3rd SW Herts - Lady Ebury's Own)
SCOUT GROUP
(Founded March 15th 1909)

No, you did not read that wrong, March 15th 1909. Unfortunately, the Group suffered a fire during its history, and many historic documents and photographs were lost - a great shame. Nevertheless, due to the devotion and care of many of our senior group members, a few still remain.

We will present them here, for you to enjoy. Where caption or other anecdotal information is available we have included it. Of course, if we have made some errors, or you have additional information to share - please get in contact with us. We would be happy to hear from you.

There are two pages for historical documents, the first contains photographs, and the second documents. This is not intended to be a complete historical record, but perhaps, snapshots during the lifetime of our members and our activities. Click on the links on the right to access the pages.
Please note that some of the photographs are quite large and may take some seconds to load if you are not on broadband.
All photographs and documents are the copyright of the Scout Group and MAY NOT be reproduced without the permission of the Group Executive.

Are these the Oldest Photographs of the Scout Troop?

We were kindly allowed to reproduce these images from the Genealogy in Hertfordshire website
 http://www.hertfordshire-genealogy.co.uk/ Why not pop along for a look see more about the history of Rickmansworth?

In this photo, a commentator has said:

"I thought you would be interested to see this photo. Frank is next to Mr Galley. I don't know if you know any of the other boys. Frank is next in command to Mr Galley, who is scout master."

(Frank is front left, and Mr Galley is front centre in the photograph above.)

Well, the "Frank" referred to is Mr Frank Beasley, who is known to be one of the founding members of the Group; was Group Scout Leader in 1944; and is referred to then, as "the oldest member" then serving, in the Watford Observer Article of March 1959. Frank is probably Assistant Scout Troop Master in this photograph.

Mr Galley, is Mr Fred Galley who was the founder of the Scout Group in March 1909, and the Troop's first ever Scout Master. The Group was the 1st in Rickmansworth, 3rd in  South west Herts. and 109th (I think) in the country.

1st Rickmansworth's Group in historical perspective.

Scouting Started around 1907 and the first ever "trial" camp of Boy Scouts was held at Brownsea Island, Dorset during August 1st to 9th. of that year

In 1908 The first "Rally" was held at Manchester and the book "Scouting for Boys" was published in six fortnightly parts (this series is widely regarded to have really kick-started the movement). The first "official" Scout Camp was held in Humshaugh, Northumberland. and there are now organised Boy Scout troops throughout the Empire!

In 1909, The first Scout Headquarters opened in London, King Edward VII agreed to a suggestion that the very best Scouts could be called "King's Scouts", and 11,000 Boy Scouts met at a rally at Crystal palace.

Lord Baden Powell wrote:

"After writing my book, Scouting for Boys, I naturally thought that boys' organizations would use it for their work and there would be little for me to do in the matter. But before very long, in the spring of 1909, I realised that quite outside such organizations, hundreds of boys were forming Scout Troops on their own. It was in 1909 that King Edward had had his talk with me regarding the movement. Although it was then only in its embryo stage His Majesty saw such promise and possibilities in it as encouraged me to try to push on with it—even if it did cost me my nest-egg of hard-earned savings (which it did).

So I made up my mind and pushed.

An invitation was sent out to all Scouts to meet me on a certain day at the Crystal Palace, and this resulted in a parade at which over 11,000 Scouts made their appearance; the biggest muster of boys that had ever taken place so far and the movement was not two years old!"

In March 1909, Rickmansworth gets it's own Scout Troop.

Scouting in Rickmansworth had started!

March 2009, Scouting in Rickmansworth will be 100 years old.
Will we still have a Headquarters building to host the celebrations?

George - Webmaster

Paul Childerhouse - GSL