The history of Scouting in Easingwold and the surrounding villages: 1910 - 2010

Scouting in Easingwold began in February 1910 when the the first warrant was issued, and was celebrated 100 years later by the Chief Scout Bear Grylls.

The photograph on the right was taken in May 1908. It shows one of Edwardian Britain's most famous heroes - General Robert Baden-Powell - outside the George Hotel in Easingwold's Market Place.

How to save life

Two years after Baden-Powell's visit, Scouting was established in Easingwold. The first chairman and Scoutmaster was Mr Harry Bannister, who assured the townfolk that his Scouts would be trained how to save a life "in case of fire, sewer gas, ice breaking, runaway horses, drowning, etc."

The role of Hawkhills

We have re-discovered a lost connection with Hawkhills; once Easingwold's grandest private house, and now the government's Emergency Planning College.

Hawkhills was the home of Katherine Love, who gave Easingwold its Scout Hut - and was the childhood home of her daughter Nora, who married our first President, and Gladys, whose husband was one of our first District Commissioners.

When Katherine died, the house was sold the Government as an anti-gas training school - and the influx of professional families provided us with a rich seam of leaders and instructors well into the post-war years.

Add your memories

This rare 1948 Silver Wolf belonged to Thomas Preston, Gladys Love's husband. It was kindly donated to us in our centenary year by his daughter-in-law, Rosemary Preston.

If you have memories, photographs or documents relating to Scouting in the Easingwold area, please add them to this site. We are particularly keen to solve the mystery of our 100 year old bugle from Doncaster.

You can upload pictures, add comments to other people's pictures or recollections, or you can send things to us - you will find our contact details in the contact page.

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The search box at the top of each page is the best way to use this site - it will take you to any photo or comment containing the word or words you type in.

Our history is almost as old as the history of Scouting itself. With your help we hope this website will grow into a fascinating record of our first 100 years of Scouting.