While the summer of 2022 has been a memorable one, having broken record levels of heat across England and Wales, the summer of 1930 proved to be greatly significant for the Bournemouth Division of Girl Guides after the movement secured fourteen acres of the Ancient Camp of Dudsbury from its then owner, Lord Wimborne. The purchase of Dudsbury Camp has proven to be a worthy investment, as it continues to be operational to this day.
In 2017 the Dudsbury Guides undertook a history project to investigate the uses of Dudsbury Camp throughout its extensive past, whereupon they interviewed local women with connections to the Guiding movement. The results of this investigation unravelled a piece of social history that may have been lost to time if not recorded and survive in the memories of these women.
The interviews were primarily focused on what it meant to be a guide around the mid-20th century, and how Dudsbury functioned in this time. From this, the interviewers asked how the women had gotten into the Guide movement, which was typically as a Brownie attending with friends from Sunday School. Questions pertaining to Brownie uniform also strike resounding differences to that of today, where the militaristic characteristics of collared dress and tie have since progressed into simple t-shirt and trousers.
Several anecdotes regarding wartime included how Dudsbury was inactive, and no camping had taken place, or how during bombing a guide leader routinely checked that members of her unit had somewhere safe to sleep.
The heart of Dudsbury, along with the majority of campsites in the scouting and guiding world, was the campfire. This is made most evident by the fond recollection of campfire songs and other wide-game activities taking place on the site, frequently referred to in the closing thoughts of the interviewees.
Perhaps more forgotten to history and thankfully remembered by these guides is how Dudsbury Camp made strides towards inclusivity for girls who could not have camped in that independent environment otherwise. The string of inclusive joint camps shared between both Hampshire and Dorset Guides in Dudsbury enabled girls with disabilities to camp freely in this “extended camp”. The efforts put towards these camps coupled with the ex-guides tales firmly cement Dudsbury as a special and beloved area among the district Guides, and one that will be immortalised as consequence of these interviews.
The interviews and accompanying transcripts are available at Dorset History Centre. A particular favourite of this author is the interview with Connie Hazel, whose wartime anecdotes illustrate the Second World War experiences of living in Bournemouth through the perspective of a Guide.
—
This was a guest blog, written by T. Fletcher, who has spent time working at Dorset History Centre as part of his work experience. If you would like to contribute a guest blog, please get in touch with us – archives@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk.
I think your photo is of a Brownie Uniform, the younger approx 7 – 11 years age group.
Hi Angela – you are right, and we’ve changed this now! Thank-you for pointing it out!