After the Experimental Camp on Brownsea Island in 1907, Scouting was deemed to have started. Baden-Powell published "Scouting for Boys" in 6 fortnightly parts from January to March 1908, boys all over the country read them and were excited by the ideas and information they contained, so they formed themselves into "patrols" and then found their own Scoutmasters. In July 1909 "Associations" were being formed in each of the districts of London and soon after in almost every town in the Country. Troops and Packs were registered locally at first by the District (or Association) Secretary, then from 1919 until 1928 they were still registered separately but by Imperial Scout Headquarters. From 1928 Imperial Scout Headquarters collected together Packs and Troops with the same name, re-registered them all as Groups, gave them a Headquarters registration number and also a number within their District.
The Christchurch Association was formed on the 20th October 1909 and the Warrant dated 22nd September 1910. In the Association Return, dated 18th October 1911, there were 5 Troops and 102 Scouts in the Association with The Earl of Malmesbury as President, J.M. Tinsley Esq Chairman and Louis Henry Hiscock of 14 Stanpit, the Honorary Secretary and also Scoutmaster of the Mudeford Troop.
The First Association Return
However, a report in the Christchurch Times of the 4th February 1911 refers to a report, dated 12th December 1910, which states that there were 4 Troops in the District with 82 Scouts, 4 Scoutmasters and 2 Assistant Scoutmasters. It is probable that these 4 Troops were 1st Christchurch Troop, Mudeford Troop, Bransgore (St. Mary's) Troop and Sopley (St. Michael's) Troop and the 5th Troop formed was 2nd Christchurch, later known as the Fairmile Troop. Then in 1911 the Highcliffe (General Stuart Wortley's Own) Troop was opened. In the Headquarters Gazette dated March 1911, under New Troops 26.1.11 to 22.2.11 the 7th Christchurch (Cottage Homes) is listed with R. Blakeborough as Scoutmaster and 24 Scouts. As this is the one and only mention, in either the Headquarters Gazette or "The Scouter" of the 7th Christchurch (Cottage Homes) it may be that the Troop which opened in 1910 called the 2nd Christchurch and the 7th Christchurch (Cottage Homes) were amalgamated. In 1928 the 2nd Christchurch re-registered as 2nd Christchurch (Fairmile) and said they met in the Cottage Homes. The Cottage Homes was a children's home administered at that time by the Christchurch Union Workhouse. The Workhouse, now mainly demolished, was part of the hospital in Fairmile Road and the Cottage Homes was on the opposite side of Fairmile Road.
The earliest District Meeting on record was on the 4th January 1915. Mr J Tinsley was Chairman, Mr F. Abbott the Honorary Secretary and Messrs. Barnes, Blakeborough, Tottle and Sellwood formed the rest of the Committee. The first bank statement on record is for the year ending June 30th 1912 with the Capital and Counties Bank Ltd (later to become Lloyds Bank Ltd). The cash paid in was 13/6, the expenditure 1d charges, leaving a balance of 13/5 (about 67p today).