Olave Soames (England, 1889-1977)

Figure 1.-- Olave Soames married Robert Baden-Powell a few years after he founded the Scouing movement in Britain (1912). This photo was taken a month before they married. Baden-Powell inspected the vessel the Mirror, that the Daily Mirror newspaper donated for Sea Scouting activities. Sea Scouting had been started 3 years earlier (1909). The postcard shows Olave chatting to a Boy Scout on board the Mirror. The caption reads: 'No16. Miss Soames B.P's fiancée chatting with a Scout on board the Mirror). We can see that there still was not a special uniforms for Sea Scouts. The boy is wearing the same uniform of the regulr Scouts. He is however barefoot as was often the case for the Sea Scouts when boating. The same was the norm also for Royal Navy cadets when aboard the training ships and sometimes ashore.

Olave Soames was born in Chesterfield, England (1889). Her father was Harold Soames. She married Robert Baden-Powell a few years after he founded the Scouing movement in Britain (1912). This photo was taken a month before they married. Baden-Powell inspected the vessel the Mirror, that the Daily Mirror newspaper donated for Sea Scouting activities. Sea Scouting had been started 3 years earlier (1909). The postcard shows Olave chatting to a Boy Scout on board the Mirror. The caption reads: 'No16. Miss Soames B.P's fiancée chatting with a Scout on board the Mirror). We can see that there still was not a special uniforms for Sea Scouts. The boy is wearing the same uniform of the regulr Scouts. He is however barefoot as was often the case for the Sea Scouts when boating. The same was the norm also for Royal Navy cadets when aboard the training ships and sometimes ashore. She became known as Olave, Lady Baden-Powell, or The Dowager Lady Baden-Powell, after he passed away. The Boy Scouts priced so popular in Britain and other countries tht the girls wanted in on the fun. The girls were called Guides or in America and some other cuntries, Girl Scouts. Olave became Chief Guide for Britain (1918). She was elected World Chief Guide (1930). She visited 111 countries during her life attending Jamborees promoting the Scouting movement.