Some notable dates in Scouting and District history
1907
August: Robert Baden-Powell organises an experimental camp on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour. The campers test out ideas that were written into “Scouting for Boys”
1908
- January: “Scouting for Boys: A handbook for instruction in good citizenship” starts publication in fortnightly parts
- April: ‘The Scout” weekly paper is launched
- Scouting activity known to be underway in Finchley – see ‘In the Beginning’
1909
1910
August: Girl Guide Movement founded by Baden-Powell and his sister Agnes
1912
January: Royal Charter of Incorporation for the Boy Scouts granted
1914
August: The Great War starts
See “The War Years”
1916
December: Wolf Cubs officially launches
1917
Rover Scout scheme starts
1918
November: The Great War ends
1919
Gilwell Park officially opens
1920
- Finchley Local Association becomes solely responsible for just Finchley Groups
- July: First World Jamboree held at London’s Olympia and Baden-Powell declared Chief Scout of the World
1921
District Census: The first year’s data that we have found. See all of our Census records in ‘Our Groups’.
1929
July: ‘Coming of Age’ Jamboree (3rd) held at Arrowe Park, Birkenhead
1934
The District leases land for use as a Camping Ground
See article ‘Frith Grange’.
1936
May: Official opening of the District Camping Ground (Frith Grange)
See article ‘Frith Grange’.
1938
Good Turn Rally
1939
September: World War II starts
1941
- January: Baden-Powell dies
- Air Scouts branch launches
1942
March: Lord Somers (Arthur Somers-Cocks) becomes Chief Scout
1944
Finchley Scout and Guide Week
1945
- April: Lord Rowallan (Thomas Corbett) becomes Chief Scout
- May: Finchley Lodge, the District HQ opens
- August: World War II ends
See article ‘Finchley Lodge’
1946
Senior Scouts starts
1947
- 40 Years of Scouting
- 6th World Jamboree held at Moisson, France
1948
BP Guild begins
1949
Bob-a-Job fundraising scheme starts
1955
1957
- 50th Anniversary of Scouting
- 9th World Jamboree held at Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield
See articles ‘Jamboree Journeys‘ and ‘A Year To Remember‘
1959
- 10th World Jamboree held at Los Baños Laguna, Philippines
- September: Sir Charles Maclean (later Lord) becomes Chief Scout
See article ‘Jamboree Journeys‘
1960
Finchley Lodge, the District HQ, is sold
See article ‘Finchley Lodge’
1961
July: Baden-Powell House opened by HM Queen Elizabeth II
1962
The National Trust purchases Brownsea Island for the public
1963
1964
April: Five North London Groups join Finchley to form the new District “Finchley and Friern Barnet”. They are later joined by the 6th East Barnet from Hertfordshire District
1965
March: The new Finchley Lodge opens
See article ‘Finchley Lodge’
1966
June: The Chief Scout’s ‘Advance Party Report’ published: major changes in uniform, terminology and training programme
1967
1971
- Groups from Golders Green join and the District becomes “Finchley, Friern Barnet and Golders Green”
- 13th World Jamboree held at Fujinomiya, Shizouka, Japan
See articles ‘Our Groups’ and ‘Jamboree Journeys‘
1972
July: Sir William Gladstone becomes Chief Scout
1975
1976
Cub Scouts Diamond Jubilee
See article “A Year To Remember”
1979
World Scout Jamboree in Iran cancelled due to the revolution and replaced with International camps in Australia, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA
See article ‘Jamboree Journeys‘
1982
- February: Major-General Michael J H Walsh becomes Chief Scout
- New younger section ‘Beavers’ is introduced
1983
1987
1988
May: Garth Morrison (later Sir) becomes Chief Scout
1996
March: George Purdy becomes Chief Scout
1990
- Girls can join the younger sections if Groups wish
- Finchley Lodge sold and Frith Grange becomes the District HQ
See article ‘Finchley Lodge’
1991
1995
1998
2002
- Launch of new uniforms, sections and training programmes
- September – Peter Duncan (former Blue Peter presenter) becomes 9th Chief Scout
- 20th World Jamboree held at Sattahip, Thailand
See article ‘Jamboree Journeys‘
2007
21st World Jamboree (Centenary) held at Hylands Park, Chelmsford
See article ‘Jamboree Journeys‘
2008
The District merges with Barnet and Hendon & Edgware, to form the new Barnet Borough District
Other sections
Click here to go straight to the Jamboree Journeys, A Year to Remember and The War Years pages.