Scouts camp at Margate (1914)

Post date: Jan 22, 2014 4:13:23 PM

Extract from the Parish magazine of August 1914 about a camping trip which took place after the assassination of Grand Duke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo but before Austria's declaration of war on Serbia.

BOY SCOUTS CAMP AT MARGATE.

From July 6th to 11th the Wateringbury Troop of B.P. Boy Scouts was in Camp at Gorlinge, West Margate. The Troop was under charge of Scoutmaster Edgar W. Smith, assistant Scoutmaster Lewis Palmer and Mrs. Smith. When the Troop left Wateringbury the weather was inclined to be bad and on the way down it got worse, and on the arrival at Margate it was raining hard. But this seemed to trouble no one, for the trek cart was soon loaded up, covered with a waterproof cloth (kindly lent by Mr. C. English), and the troop marched off to the camping ground. Luckily the bad weather did not last all day, and the remainder of the week was mostly very fine and hot.

It would occupy too much space to give a full account of the doings of the week, so we will only mention a few of the special features. One evening the whole of the boys attended an Organ Recital by Dr. Bellerby, at Holy Trinity Church, Margate, which they enjoyed better (so they said) than an entertainment by a Concert Party on the Jetty on another day. A steamboat trip to Ramsgate and back was another special feature. But perhaps one of the most enjoyable events (leaving out the dips in the briny, which took place every day of course !) was the combined good turn which consisted in the whole troop offering their services to the Matron of the Victoria, Home for Children. Some of the boys took invalid children out for the morning in spinal chairs, the others remained at the Home played with the little children who could not be taken out.

In conclusion it should he added that almost every member of the Troop was able to attend the Camp, and the behaviour of the boys in Camp was excellent. The Scoutmaster hopes that more parents will let their boys join the Wateringbury Troop of B.P.Scouts, as the training they receive the Scouts, especially if the parents themselves take interest in the Scouts' doings, will be of the very greatest assistance in carrying the boys through the years when they are likely to be led astray.—

Communicated

Notes:

1. Scouts in 1913 had 150,000 members; a tiny proportion of nation's male youth (Niall Ferguson's The Pity of War page 15).