After the camp
Soon after the camp, Baden-Powell published his book ‘Scouting for Boys’ (1908). Intended as advice for existing groups, such as the Boys’ Brigade, it quickly became the handbook for a new movement that spread worldwide to become Scouting and Guiding that we know today.
In 1910, with the help of sister Agnes, Girl Guiding was launched to meet the increasing demand from girls who wanted to join in. By the time Baden-Powell died in 1941, the Scout Movement had grown into an international organisation. In 1908 it had 108,000 members. Today there are over 40 million Scouts and 10 million Guides across the world.
Charles van Raalte died in 1908, but his wife, Florence, stayed on Brownsea until 1925 when the island passed to Mary Bonham-Christie. In 1932 Mary allowed a Scout camp of 500 people to celebrate the movement’s silver jubilee, but there were no more camps until after the National Trust took ownership in 1963. Lady Baden-Powell officially ‘re-opened’ Brownsea Island and the camp area was cleared ready for use.
In 1967 a commemorative stone was erected near the campsite. It remains a popular site for enrolments and investitures today.