OLAVE BADEN POWELL- CHIEF GUIDE

 OLAVE  BADEN POWELL -CHEIF GUIDE

The youngest child of Harold and Katharine Soames, Olave was born February 22, 1889, near Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England. Tradition has it that she was named for Olaf, King of Norway. She spent a happy childhood in the country, devoted to her horses, dogs and birds. She was never sent to school, but had a governess at home. She did not like book learning and her formal education ended when she was 12. She enjoyed outdoor activities: rowing, riding, cycling, tennis and swimming. She also enjoyed playing the violin.                   When Olave was old enough, she began to accompany her father on his winter holidays. It was on the way to Jamaica with him that she met the “Scout man,” General Baden-Powell. Although there was a great difference in their ages - 32 years, they fell in love. B-P continued with his tour for Scouting and Olave returned to England with her father when the holiday was over. B-P wrote to his mother on her 88th birthday: “I have been wondering what to give you as a birthday present but I think I've got one now that will please you ... and that is a daughter-in-law for you.” Olave and her “Robin” had a quiet  wedding in Dorset, October 30, 1912. In December there was a large wedding reception for them in London, after which they left on their honeymoon, camping in the desert of North Africa.

                They found a home in Sussex and here their three children were born: Peter in 1913, Heather in 1915 and Betty in 1917. Olave was, of course, interested in her husband's Scouting activities and soon became involved in Girl Guides. In 1916 she was appointed County Commissioner for Sussex and two years later became Chief Guide for Britain. In 1920 Olave helped form an International Council which grew and developed as Guiding grew, and eventually became the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.                      The Baden-Powells had by now moved into a new home, Pax Hill, in Hampshire. It was a happy place with Scouts and Guides visiting from all over the world. It was a busy place too with Robert directing the Scouts and Olave deeply involved in her Guiding. However, busy as they were, they always found time to be with their children, and when the children went off to boarding schools, they arranged their activities so as to be home for school holidays. Lady Baden-Powell usually accompanied the Chief Scout on his trips and often the three children went too as part of their education and to maintain family life. Olave visited both Scouts and Guides, endearing herself to all with her infectious enthusiasm. 

                  By 1938 Olave had another home to make, this time in Kenya. It was called “Paxtu,” which in Swahili means “complete.” This was to be Robert's last home and while he enjoyed the sunshine, he wrote and painted and enjoyed the view of “his” mountain, Mount Kenya. After B-P's death in 1941, Olave was left alone, cut off by war from both England and her home there; Pax Hill had been taken over by the War Department. She was granted a “Grace and Favour” apartment in Hampton Court Palace - apartments reserved for the reigning King or Queen to give to widows whose husbands had given exceptional service to the country. At first because of the war she could not travel but found much pleasure and satisfaction in her garden, she was especially proud of her rhubarb. She was nearly always “at home” to visiting Scouts and Guides, and her apartment was easily identified by the World Flag in the window. Just a few days before the end of the war she managed to get to France where 40,000 Scouts and Guides paraded past her down the Champs Elysees.

                   By 1946 travel was again possible and Olave started her real work again, visiting Scouting and Guiding all over the world. During her lifetime she made many sea voyages, 648 flights, and visited many countries, 15 visits to Canada alone. She was honoured by many countries and organizations for her work for the youth of the world, work which she loved.

                    In 1973 Olave left Hampton Court where she had lived for 28 years to move into a nursing home. She died there on June 25, 1977, aged 88. Her ashes were buried in B-P's grave in Kenya. Later in the year, a memorial service was held in Westminster Abbey to celebrate her great life. The Abbey was filled not only with representatives of Guiding and Scouting but with government officials and representatives of other organizations. Like the Chief Scout, Olave prepared a last message for “her family” before she died:

Dear Guides, Scouts, Cubs and Brownies and all their leaders and friends:

" I shall have left this world when you receive this message, which I leave to express my thanks for all the kindnesses and the affection shown to me, and to say how greatly I rejoiced over the way in which you have all carried out your share in the work of the movement that my beloved husband invented for the advancement of boys and girls of all countries, years ago. I have firm belief in Almighty God and in the life in the world to come, when he and I will be reunited, and together we shall watch over you who have been enrolled as members of this world family, and go on caring for your progress and your well-being. I trust that you will continue fully to use the system of work and play that our movement provides, keeping up the fun and friendships made at your meetings and camps, abiding by the Promise and upholding the Laws that you undertook to live by when you joined up. In that way you will not only advance yourself in body, mind and spirit, but you will affect those around you, in doing what is honourable and right and wise, and in giving out kindness of thought and action, thus striving against all ills and helping to make the world a happier and better place in which to live. I trust you will be successful in all your tasks, and may God be with you in the coming years."