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Robert Stephenson Smyth, 1st Baron Baden-Powell of Gilwell (created 1929), the Founder of the international Scouting Movement, was born on 22 February 1857 at Number 6 Stanhope Street, (now called Stanhope Terrace) a short walk from S. James’ Church. That February 22nd of course was also the day the people of the United States were celebrating the 125th anniversary of the birth of George Washington. Robert was the fifth of seven children born to the Reverend Professor Baden Powell and his wife Henrietta Grace (née Smyth).

Henrietta was the daughter of Admiral William Henry Smyth who is still remembered for the Sailor’s Word Book (1867) – a classic guide to the language of the sea – which remains available in a revised form, and the Bedford (astronomical) Catalogue which contains Smyth’s highly accurate observations of 850 deepsky objects. In 1825, on retirement from the Royal Navy, he had established a fine observatory at Bedford.

Smyth was a descendant of Captain John Smith, the principal founder of the first English colony in North America, at Jamestown, Virginia.

The Reverend and Mrs Powell brought Robert to S. James’ on July 8, 1857, where he was baptised with the names: Robert Stephenson Smyth. Robert Stephenson, the famous Civil Engineer (1803-1859), was his godfather. Stephenson assisted his equally famous father George in a number of his great railway achievements and in 1823 began the first railway locomotive production company in Newcastle Upon Tyne. To gain further experience in this field, Stephenson went to Columbia and worked in the mines. During this visit he met Richard Trevithick, considered to be the 'true' inventor of the steam engine. in 1827, Trevithick provided the funds for Robert to return to England. Stephenson also built bridges, including those that crossed the Tyne at Newcastle and the Menai Straits. The Britannia Bridge at Conway was made up of two huge, rectangular, wrought iron tubes. Stephenson constructed a similar bridge over the St. Lawrence at Montreal, Canada (1854-59) - and for many years, this was the longest bridge in the world. In the 1847 General Election, Stephenson was elected the Conservative MP for Whitby. His remains are interred in Westminster Abbey.

“Baden” was added to the family name by Mrs Powell following the death of her husband in March 1860, three weeks after the birth of their youngest child. Powell was buried at Kensal Green, a fashionable cemetery in Victorian times, and not far away from Paddington. The plot location is 8892/156/PS.

At the age of 31 (1827), ten years before Victoria was called to the throne, the Reverend Baden Powell, at the time Vicar of Plumstead, Kent, had become Savilian Professor of Geometry in the University of Oxford, a post he held until his death at the age of 63. He was a contemporary of Charles Darwin, whose Origin of Species was published in 1859. Significantly the year before, Professor Baden Powell had written an essay The Philosophy of Creation which included the sentence: “ … species (within certain limits of deviation) are permanent during very long periods, but beyond these periods a change in some sense, occurs; and thus bears some relation to changes of external conditions …”

He also contributed to Essays and Reviews (published March 1860) one of the most controversial books of the nineteenth century. It challenged traditional views of both the inspiration and authority of the Bible. Baden Powell argued that belief in divine intervention in setting aside the laws of nature was mistaken. He was also the first prominent Anglican (Episcopalian) to express full support for Darwin’s Origin of Species.

An extensive web site covering his history can be found at www.pinetreeweb.com/B-P.htm

See also the main Scouting web site www.scouts.org.uk

Also www.scoutbase.org.uk

Local Scout Group - Paddington & St Mayrlebone www.pandstmscouts.org.uk

The Scouting Founder's Prayer

Father of us all, We meet before Thee here today, numerous in the lands we come from and in the races we represent, but one in our Brotherhood under Thy Divine Fatherhood.
We come before Thee with hearts grateful and gladdened by the many blessings Thou hast granted us and thankful that our Movement has prospered as acceptable in Thy sight.
In return we would lay on Thine Altar, as our humble thank-offering, such sacrifice as we can make of self in service to others. We ask that during our communion here together we may, under Thy Divine Inspiration, gain a widened outlook, a clearer vision of all that lies open before us and of our opportunity.
Thus we may then go forth with strengthened faith to carry on our mission of heightening the ideals and powers of manhood, and of helping through closer understanding to bring about Thy happier Rule of Peace and Goodwill upon Earth.

(Written by Baden-Powell for use at international events.)