Bill Watts, who resides at The Aldbury care home in Poole, shared his wish to see if a plaque featuring the name of his ancestor, Bertie Watts, was still at the camp site.
The care home staff organised a boat trip to the island for Bill, along with fellow residents Tony Husband and Jeanette Macklin and arranged for Bill’s daughters, Karen and Jane, to meet the group there.
The Aldbury party by the ‘Scout stone’ on Brownsea Island (Image: Colten Care) Bill fondly recalled seeing Bertie’s name during family visits on the list of 20 boys who took part in Lord Baden Powell’s inaugural camp in August 1907.
The camp was an experiment for Baden Powell’s book, Scouting for Boys, which led to the rapid growth of the Scout movement.
The boys, from various social backgrounds, spent eight days on Brownsea, learning camping skills and receiving lessons in chivalry, lifesaving, woodcraft, wildlife observation and patriotism.
Bill was thrilled to find the plaque still in place, displaying Bertie’s name among the ‘patrol members’.
Bertie Watts listed as a ‘patrol member’ in the third column of names on the Brownsea plaque (Image: Colten Care) A handwritten signature, ‘B. Watts’, also appears on the list of attendees, copied from Scout movement note paper and exhibited at the campsite.
Bill said: “It brought back good memories of seeing the plaque on trips with the family years ago.
“We always enjoyed visiting.
“I’m so glad to see Brownsea Island hasn’t changed that much.
“I had a great day out with daughters and friends.”
Bill’s links with Brownsea also extend to his work at the island’s 19th century St Mary’s Church, where, as a stained-glass glazier, he repaired some of its windows.
Tony and Jeanette also share strong connections with the island.
Jeanette, a former Girl Guide, has fond memories of camping there.
Tony spent many years sailing around the island on Poole Bay trips in his sailing boat.
After a picnic and some wildlife watching, including a sighting of a native red squirrel, Jeanette said: “It was a perfect day out and we picked up lots of interesting facts about the island.”