1910: The Troop was formed in 1910 and was named ‘Stanley’s Own’ after it’s founder Major R.C.H Sloane-Stanley of Paultons. He became Scoutmaster and with a total of fourteen boys started the Group which is now in it’s 115th year.
1911: On the 4th July a party of sixteen Scouts from Stanley’s Own and the 4th Romsey (Bramshaw) Group, left Paultons to attend the Boy Scouts Rally at Windsor. Around 40,000 Scouts were inspected by HM King George V on horseback, and he was attended by HRH The Duke of Connaught, Prince Christian, Lord Roberts, General Sir Baden Powell and Lord Grenfell. The Queen also drove round the lines of Scouts with the Prince of Wales and Princess Mary. After inspection, tea and cake was provided before returning home to Paultons shortly after midnight.
1912: Howard Painter achieves the King’s Scout Award. The Scout hall and kitchen were built. The Boy Scout Rally took place at the County Ground in Southampton. The Chief Scout Sir Robert Baden-Powell commended the boys for being “a very smart lot”. Competitions such as first aid, tent pitching and being the smartest troop on parade took place, but the highlight was Stanley’s Own success in winning the ‘David Fullerton Cup’ for the open tug-owar competition. The successful team was R Kemp, G Kemp, W Scriven, E Gurman, A Painter, H Painter, J Bessant, E Abbott, J Hatch and O Hatch. January – Stanley’s Own produce a Variety Show entitled “Winning a Recruit”, this took place at Copythorne Headquarters. The players were E Gurman, W Collard, S Masterman, R Wingham, F Wingham, F Lovell, G Kemp, L Kemp, H Painter, A Painter, P Leverington and S Down. March/April – The troop had an Easter Camp at Paultons. An open air rifle range with a distance up to 200 yards was made, and a bridge was constructed over Cadnam River, mainly due to the efforts of Patrol Leader Reg Kemp. 2nd – 10th August – The Summer Camp at Paultons was a Romsey District affair, with troops from Awbridge, Tytherley, Crampmoor and Romsey also taking part. Games such as pillow fights and tug-o-war competitions were the order of the day.
1913: Eddie Abbott and Reg Wingham gained their King’s Scout Award. August – Summer Camp was held at Paultons Park. Besides Stanley’s Own, troops from Romsey Town, Awbridge, Lockerley, Crampmoor, Tytherley, Wellow and Rownhams attended. During the week the boys had many intertesting operations to perform, all being of an instructive nature and including tracking, stalking, fire drill and signalling, shooting on the Paulton’s range and pioneer work. A ceremonial parade took place mid-week, at which colours were presented to the Scouts of the Romsey District.
1914: Reg Kemp, George Kemp, Leslie Kemp, Frank Lovell and Stanley Masterman gain their King’s Scout Award. July – Scout George Kemp won the Heavyweight Boxing Championship at Bournemouth Rally. War was declared while on camp at Paultons. The camp was subsequently moved to Southampton and members were employed on Military Embarkation duties in Southampton Docks for six weeks. A certain number of them joined regiments, others undertaking coast-watching duties.
1914 – 1918: THE GREAT WAR
“I was in Stanley’s Own” by Philip Lovell (served in the Royal Artillery during WWII & used to work for Hampshire County Council) – I joined the troop in 1914, only four years after it had started. I went to camp at Paultons at Easter with Major Sloane-Stanley who was the Scoutmaster. Being the youngest member of the patrol, I recall waking at 6am to get the milk for Curlew Patrol. My Patrol Leader was Frank Lovell. There would be sing songs at weekends and the tuck was bought from Mr Collins at Copythorne (now the Empress of Blandings). Many of the boys used to play draughts in the winter evenings and I remember the Major checking one boy for cheating. At that time Patrol Leader would be sixteen or more and they would often take two boys boxing, the latter usually coming off worse. I remember that I paid 2/6d for my uniform and the subs were 2 pence per week which more or less accounted for all my pocket money earned during the week.
1919: The troop took part in the Memorial Service at Winchester Cathedral in memory of the Hampshire Boy Scouts who fell in the war. Twenty seven members of Stanley’s Own served in the forces during World War One. Those who were called to higher service were Leslie Kemp, Wilfred Collard, Stanley Masterman and Albert Painter. August – The Summer Camp was held at Paultons and the troop were joined by others from Romsey Town, Mottisfont, Bramshaw, Wellow, Totton and Lyndhurst.
1920 -1929
- 1920 – The troop took part in the Jamboree which was held at London’s Olympia.
- 1921 – The Summer Camp, between 8th & 26th August was a large affair, camping with other districts at the County Ground in Southampton. Early morning fitness training, games of football and being tossed up in blankets were a few of the activities that took place.
- 1922 – Stanley’s Own camped for one week at Alexander Palace in London and were inspected by HRH The Prince of Wales. Some of that week was spent sightseeing around London. June – Stanley’s Own Band attended the Lyndhurst Hospital Sunday Parade.
- 1924 – Charles King gained his King’s Scout Award. The Rover Crew was formed and took part in the Jamboree at Wembley. The troop camped near Wembley Stadium after taking the train from Southampton. The Major took all the equipment needed for the camp in his own transport. All Hampshire Scouts camped in the ‘Purple’ camp and joined in the 20,000 or so other Scouts at Wembley. While in London the troop visited the zoo, the National Gallery and Madam Tussauds.
- 1925 – Sidney Bessant, William Purse and Harold King achieve their King’s Scout Award. An easter Camp was held at Paultons as well as the annual Summer Camp in August.
1926 – Eddy Fry and Percy Ruff gain their King’s Scout Award. A new ‘Cub Pack Room is built at Copythorne headquarters, and the Cub Pack is formed under the leadership of Miss Lavender Sloane-Stanley. The Rover Crew was represented at Alexander Palace in London at the ‘Rover Moot’, a gathering of Rover Scouts from around the UK.