Brownsea Island is the historical location of the very first Scout camp conducted by Robert Baden-Powell in 1907.
One of our talented artists, Rachel, is at the Jamboree and was able to do a little time traveling! Here’s what she experienced at Jambo’s Brownsea Island Camp.
It’s crazy to think that just 50 years ago there was no such thing as the Internet, no cell phones, no IPads or mp3 players. These were nothing but fantasies – if they were even thought of at all!
In today’s world, all these things are looked at as, well…ordinary. AT&T has even set up wireless Internet stations around the camp for those of us who need to get our technology fix.
Given today’s amazing technology and the ability to connect with others anywhere on the planet in an instant, it’s almost impossible to believe that there used to be no Internet…no wireless connections…no email.
But thanks to the excursion I participated in today, I know what it was like to be without all of that technological stuff – to live in the early 1900′s and visit the first ever scouting camp at Brownsea Island.
The sign above the entrance to the Brownsea Island exhibit reads: “Brownsea Island Ferry” (Brownsea Island is only accessible by boat or ferry). As we walked in, a young man in period clothes and a British accent respectfully asks everyone who enters to “ring the bell to the right” as you enter a re-creation of what was the first boy scout camp set up in 1907 by Robert-Baden Powell.
All the actors stayed in character the whole time and really felt as if you were walking into Scouting’s past.
Set up on the right was a plywood cutout of a whale and boys had the chance to try out their harpooning skills. They also had a basketball hoop, ball toss game and a classroom where scouts learned about the different flags and their symbolism.
There were actors there who played the parts of Charles and Florence van Raalte who bought the island in 1901. They allowed Baden Powell to use the property to hold the first scout camp. I spoke with the actress who played Florence van Raalte who was a kind enough to offer me some water from a glass pitcher and she showed me some of the drawings she was working on of the castle where she lived nearby.
The actor playing Robert-Baden Powell began blowing a kudu horn, signaling the start of the camp. The greater kudu is a woodland antelope and he captured one during the Matabele campaign in Zimbabwe.
It was very interesting seeing first hand how things were, and how the Scouts passed their time back in the early 1900′s. But the time travel came to an end as the day quickly drew to a close. It was back to 2010 and the end of another great day at the Jamboree.
As we hopped into the van and rode back to the hotel, I started getting the urge to check my cell phone messages and my Facebook account, wondering where technology would be in another 20 years.
But then I started thinking about those kids on Brownsea Island. Wow, what a difference 100 years has made.
It kind of puts a dropped cell phone call into perspective, huh?
Make sure and leave a comment below and tell us what you think!
[...] Artist, Rachel, who sent us this great story about Brownsea Island, also got the chance to visit the Armed Forces Adventure Area at the [...]