P. B. Nevill

P. B. Nevill
Born Percy Bantock Nevill
(1887-06-14)14 June 1887
Stamford Hill, London, United Kingdom
Died 30 July 1975(1975-07-30) (aged 88)
Surrey, England
Nationality British
Occupation Financial Accountant
Known for Commissioner for Rover Scouts in The Scout Association

Percy Bantock Nevill, OBE, FCA (Hackney, 1887-1975), commonly known P. B. Nevill, was a chartered accountant and a Scoutmaster for the Enfield troop in 1909 at the beginning of Scouting, Scout Commissioner for Counties, for Districts and later for Headquarters, and Vice-President for the British Boy Scouts' Association until the mid 1960s. He contributed to Scouting in major projects, such as the founding of Gilwell Park and Roland House, and donated Kingsdown Scout Camp to the Scout Association.[1]

Personal

Nevill was born on 14 June 1887 at Stamford Hill, London, England. His parents were John (also known as Jack) Bantick and Alice Maria Neville. Nevill was trained as financial accountant. He married in June 1926 with Joan Woodruffe. Nevill died in England on 30 July 1975, remembered as the last of Baden-Powell's contemporaries.[2][3]

Scouting

Nevill started out Scouting in the September 1909 Crystal Palace Rally in London, where he was impressed to establish the 5th Enfield Scout Group, and in the subsequent years, he attended other Scout Rallys, and took on responsibilities such as Scout masterships and Scout Commissionerships. He personally first met Baden-Powell in 1911, and always remained on friendly terms with the Baden-Powell family. In 1914, he volunteered for the Army, but was refused on health grounds. Instead, he became Headquarters Commissioner for Kindred Societies, to liaise with other societies on behalf of the Scouting Association. He held this post until 1949, next to his other commissionerships, and other Scouting tasks. In 1948 he donated 37 acres of cliff land adjoining the sea in Kingsdown, Kent, to create the Kingsdown Scout Camp, and in 1958 he funded the Troop Room at Gillwell. After ending his commissionerships in the early 1960s, the became Vice President for The Scout Association.[2][4]

Rover Scouts held his attention and support from the beginning in the 1920s, and became HQ Commissioner for Rover Scouts. When Nevill organised the first Jamboree for Rovers, it was B-P who coined the term Moot for it. Nevill organised several more Moots, and resigned as HQ Commissioner for Rover Scouts in 1930, to focus on his other commissionerships. Nonetheless, he remained involved in Rover Scouts and kept on attending Moots.[2][5][4]

Nevill was awarded the Silver Wolf by Baden-Powell in 1926 for his Scouting contributions. And in 1966, upon ending nearly all of his official Scout tasks, he was made Honorary Commissioner for Life.[2][4]

Roland House

In 1916, Nevill became the Commissioner for East London. He moved as Warden into Roland House in East London, the legacy of Roland Philipps, who was killed in action in the war. In Roland House, he dined with William de Bois Maclaren, which was decisive in De Boise Maclaren's donation of Gilwell Park to the Scout Association. In 1920, Nevill took over the full lease for Roland House, and all financial responsibility. Upon his marriage in 1926, he moved out of Roland House to Reigate, Surrey, yet remained on the Roland House Committee until the 1960s.[2][4]

Bibliography

References

  1. ↑ John S. Wilson (1959), Scouting Round the World. First edition, Blandford Press. p. 59
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 C.R. "Johnny" Walker. "Nevill, Percy Bantock, O.B.E., F.C.A. 1887-1975, Trustee of Roland House. Early Commissioner for Rover Scouts". Retrieved 2014-07-23.
  3. ↑ "The Canadian Leader" (PDF). November 1975. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
  4. 1 2 3 4 P.B. Nevill, O.B.E. (August 1960). My Scouting Story. London: Roland House Scout Settlement.
  5. ↑ Kristopher Ray P. Salas. "Early beginnings of Rover Scouting". Retrieved 2014-07-23.
  6. ↑ "Scout Records index TC2, letters between Baden-Powell and P.B. Nevill" (PDF). Retrieved 2014-07-23.
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