SCOUTING & GUIDING BOOKS Just ONE page on the Collecting Books and Magazines web site based in Australia. Page by Pat Mitchell, of the Abbey Girls of Australia Page finalised 7th November, 2010. < Published by Collins, 1955. SCOUT & CUB AUTHORS | BROWNIE and GUIDE AUTHORS LETTERS Lord Robert Baden Powell began Scouting almost 100 years ago with an experimental camp on Brownsea Island in Pool Harbour, UK, in 1907. Here he had a cross-section of boys from many different ways of life and from many parts of the UK. This was so successful that 'BP' (as he became known) went on to publish his book 'Scouting for Boys' in fortnightly parts. Boys were very soon forming Patrols of Scouts all over the UK and beyond.

In 1909 'BP' held a large rally at Crystal Palace, London, where boys came to join in the many activities. As well as the boys there was a small group of girls who had registered as Boy Scouts by just using initials instead of names. 'BP' inspected them together with the boys and realised that the girls needed a movement of their own. He asked his sister Miss Agnes Baden Powell to help. She wrote her book 'How Girls Can Help to Build the Empire'. This was published in 1912 and very soon Guide Patrols began to form and grow, as was Scouting. The second girl guide book (global book, not country specific) was written by Lord Baden Powell in 1918. Entitled 'Girl Guiding' - it replaced the earlier book. [Thanks, Theressa, for the details on this latter book.]

It wasn't long before book publishers, realising the popularity of both movements, began to publish short stories and novels with Scouting and Guiding themes. Many of the early ones were written by people who had become leaders in these new and wonderful movements for boys and girls. They used the adventures and activities of their own troops and companies as a basis for their stories. Other well-known authors of the day who often knew very little of Scouting or Guiding introduced the themes into their books, often within a school or church, as indeed were many units.

The short stories were first published in annuals and very soon complete Scouting and Guiding annuals began to appear. These contained adventure stories, stories of the lives of famous people who had been scouts or guides, and activities that the scout or guide could practise. These annuals continued to be very popular right up until the 1950s.

When Cubs began for the younger boy in 1914 this opened up another avenue for authors with books for the 7-10 year-old. In the same year Brownies began for the younger sisters of guides and many books appeared for the younger girl. Further story avenues appeared with the formation of Senior Scout patrols and Rangers within the Girl Guide movement.

Many books, while having a strong sense of adventure, reflected the values placed on Scouting and Guiding. While World War 1 was in progress many of the books told of the courage of former scouts and guides, often being based on true experiences.

Scouting and Guiding books continued being published into the 1960s. Since then, very little has appeared apart from books about brownies and cubs, and annuals which continue to be produced.#
Thanks also to Kathy Macdonald for additional information.

LETTERS Hello - I am a former Girl Guide and latterly Cub Mistress with the 1st Upton-By-Chester UK Groups of Guides and Scouts. I was interested to read the introduction in which it states 'Lord Robert Baden Powell began Scouting almost 100 years ago with an experimental camp on Brown Sea Island in Portsmouth Harbour, UK, in 1907.' I don't want to appear to be a 'know all' but actually the experimental camp was on Brownsea Island [one word] in Pool Harbour [at that time in the County of Hampshire]. I lived in Bournemouth up to age 10 and my brother and I used to catch a bus in the summer holidays and play around the edge of Pool Harbour opposite Brownsea Island on an old Motor Torpedo Boat near the deserted village of Arne, both had been used for training during WW2. If you go to http://www.local.live.com and enter Brownsea Island you can look at it from a satellite and Zoom in quite low. Thought you might enjoy that! I'm looking for an early edition of any book about running a Scout Group [pre 1954] for my daughter who is now an assistant with the local group here in Wales. I have a copy of 'Running a Scout Group' by J. F. Colquhoun 1954 but would like to find earlier books on the subject. Regards J. Gregory UK Thanks for your information; I've updated the page.

Oxford Annual for Scouts No.11, 1929

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