page_title: Scout Association of Hong Kong
section_title: Growth and development
hierarchical_section_title: Scout Association of Hong Kong / History / Growth and development
caption_attribution_description: The 3rd issue of Prince of Wales Banner for competition in 1960s. Now in the Headquarters of the Scout Association of Hong Kong Photograph by en:User:HenryLi
context_page_description: The Scout Association of Hong Kong is the largest scouting organisation in Hong Kong. Scout training was first introduced in Hong Kong in 1909 and 1910 by the Protestant based Boys' Brigade, Chums Scout Patrols and British Boy Scouts. The Catholic St. Joseph's College, formed its Boy Scout Troop in 1913, and registered with the Boy Scouts Association of the United Kingdom in 1914. The Boy Scouts Association formed its Hong Kong Local Association in July 1915 which became its Hong Kong Branch. After changes to the name of the United Kingdom organisation in 1967, the branch name was changed to The Scout Association Hong Kong Branch. In 1977 The Scout Association of Hong Kong was constituted as an autonomous association and successor to The Scout Association's Hong Kong Branch and became the 111th member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1977.
  In 2008, the association had 95,877 uniformed members, with approximately 2700 Scout groups in the sections Grasshopper Scouts, Cubs, Scouts, Venture and Rover Scouts, making it the largest uniformed youth organisation in Hong Kong.
context_section_description: During World War I, many Scouting leaders served in the war, which limited Scouting in Hong Kong, but the 1st World Scout Jamboree between 30 July and 8 August 1920 revived Hong Kong Scouting. Lieutenant-Colonel F. J. Bowen returned to Hong Kong after the end of the war, and actively participated in the Movement. He became the Colony Commissioner in July 1920 and reorganised the Hong Kong Branch. At the end of 1920, membership was approximately 140 members.
  The reorganised branch held a Scout Rally at the Murray Parade Ground on 8 January 1921 at Garden Road, now called Cheung Kong Center. In September 1921, the Reverend George Turner Waldegrave succeeded Bowen, and the Scout Movement was firmly established in Hong Kong, though it was still small at 384 members. In the same year, Hong Kong Scouting expanded to the Wolf Cub Section. Sea Scout training had been started in May 1921 with the assistance of the staff of HMS Tamar. Following its success, Waldegrave started the first Sea Scout Troop which he registered in October 1923. The first Prince of Wales Banner Competition (威爾斯太子錦標賽), named for Edward VIII of the United Kingdom, was held in Happy Valley on 26 May 1923. The banner stayed with the victorious troop for a year and the troop was honoured with the honorary title of Governor's Troop (督憲團).
  Early Scouters were military officers, priests, teachers and older Scouts. Not every Scouter would apply for a warrant, which would be required for the formal registration with the headquarters in London. It took several months to complete the whole application process through mail. Many Scouters stayed only for a short period and opted for serving without a warrant.
  In order to protect Scouting activity and institute its constitution, the Hong Kong branch was incorporated in the Boys Scouts Association Ordinance, nr 22 of the Law of Hong Kong on 1927-12-02. After amendments in 1939, 1950, 1975 and 1997, the ordinance became chapter 1005 of the Law of Hong Kong. Waldegrave returned to England in August 1934 and, in recognition of his work for the Hong Kong branch, he was awarded the civil membership of the Order of the British Empire by His Majesty the King. A year or two prior to his retirement, the Chief Scout Baden-Powell had awarded him the highest Scout award, the Bronze Wolf. The Scout Association, Hong Kong Branch, grew to 682 members that year.
  The Reverend Victor Halward became Colony Commissioner on 11 May 1935 after the retirement of Waldegrave. Shortly before he took over the Commissionership, at the request of the Chinese Government in Guangdong, Halward had spent weekends directing a training course for Scouters of the Boy Scouts of China in Guangzhou. The results of his efforts were a great improvement in the relations between the Boy Scouts Association and the Boy Scouts of China, and between the Hong Kong branch and the Guangzhou section of the Boy Scouts of China. For this he also was awarded the Bronze Wolf. Numbers were still increasing yearly and in 1938 Halward appointed District Commissioners from either side of the harbour, viz., Quah Chow Cheung and Chan, who amply justified their appointment and a large step in membership showed to approximately 1200 members in 1942.
caption: The 3rd issue of Prince of Wales Banner in 1960s
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