INTRODUCTION

When I retired in 1985, I was determined to make sure that I had plenty to do, both during the Summer when I could get out and about, and during the Winter months when I would be forced to stay indoors a lot more.

Several Scouting friends had been asking me questions about Scouting before the war because a number of Groups were celebrating Silver and Golden Jubilees, so I thought it would be a qood idea to write down some of these memories.

From here it developed, and I became so interested that I felt it was possible to compile a history and Publish it monthly in the Bulletin. After the first plea for information, it began to snowball and I got the basis of the early years from Tom Marriott—Moore and following several visits to see the Archivist at B.P. House, I was well away.

It was never intended to issue this history in book form, and I was quite happy to provide a monthly article for the Bulletin. However, my information grew and grew and with the offer from Tony Hodder to use his Word Processor, I felt that a more permanent record could be produced.

‘It has given me endless pleasure in producing this history and I hope that those of you who read it will share some of that pleasure.

John D. Parker