In August 1907 the first “Camp for Boys” was held at Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour. This is usually considered to be the birth of the Scout Movement. On 9th November 1909, Captain A R P Bawden RN held the first meeting of the 1st Waterlooville Scout Troop. At the same time, his wife, Mrs L Bawden, assisted by Lieutenant Commander H B Sanders RN, held the first meeting of the 2nd Waterlooville Scout Troop in the garden of No.1 Jubilee Road, Waterlooville.
Lt-Cdr Sanders, who was a personal friend of Robert Baden-Powell, wrote many of the early scouting handbooks. He used the pseudonym of “Barnacle,” from which he became known throughout the scout movement as “Barney.”
Barney later took over the troop and then became Deputy Camp Chief and later, Imperial Headquarters commissioner. In spite of these wider commitments, he remained with 2nd Waterlooville as its Group Scout Master until he retired in 1953.
The Troop continued to meet in the stable at the bottom of the garden of No.1 Jubilee Road until it became too small. It was demolished and a new Headquarters building was erected on the site. This was officially opened on 4th February 1933 by Lord Hampton, the Imperial Headquarters Chief Commissioner. It had cost £665, which had been raised by the efforts of the Parents Committee.
In that same year, the Wolf Cub Pack, (Later and still called the Jupiter Cub Scout Pack) was formed. The group continued from strength to strength and in 1965, the second Cub Scout Pack, Gemini, was formed.
In 1968 the Band was started (now sadly no longer playing) and in 1971 numbers decreed that the Scout Troop should split. Thus, Lion and Tiger Troops were formed.
In 1971 the headquarters was again too small so a group of parents started again to extend the building. It took £4000 and a year’s hard work to double the size. The Group is most appreciative and believes it is the owner of one of the best Headquarters in Scouting.
In 1986 a Beaver colony was formed to cater for 6 – 8 year olds. The final milestone in the Groups development was in 1988 when the first female Venture Scout was invested.
The Group, amongst the largest in the country, now has approximately 90 members and the Headquarters are used most nights and weekends.
