SCH SCO

Reference code

SCH SCO

Title

Scouts

Level

Series

Administrative / Biographical history

Scouting at Eton began in Michaelmas 1919, and there is a reference to over 20 house patrols at that time. There may have been an earlier attempt to start a troop by a member of the Drummond family but this has left no trace in the record, and the first reference to 1st Eton Scout Troop is not until 1927. The last report of a scouting activity in the Chronicle is in 1953.

Date

1920 - 1954

Content description

Includes log books and patrol diaries. Some nature diaries still contain pressed leaves and flowers (though happily not the squirrel tail that was obviously past its best even when originally collected). The most fascinating material, however, is to be found in the 'Camp Eggs', reports on the annual summer camps written by the Scout Master and circulated to the masters who assisted for them to add their comments. These go into the minutest detail, down to criticism of individual meals and suggestions for 5 minute alterations to the timetable of activities. Some include photographs. It is interesting to note that some of the early camps took place at Tyneham, Dorset, 'the village that died for England'.