P. B. Nevill

Percy Bantock Nevill, OBE, FCA (Hackney, 1887-1975), commonly known P. B. Nevill, was a chartered accountant, became Scoutmaster of the 5th Enfield Boy Scout troop in late 1909, after the beginning of Scouting and held many positions within The Boy Scouts Association of the United Kingdom including as Headquarters Commissioners and as Vice-President of the Association. He contributed to Scouting in major projects, such as the founding of Gilwell Park and Roland House and donated Kingsdown Scout Camp to The Boy Scouts Association.[1] He contributed to Scouting publications and wrote two books on Scouting.[2][3]

P. B. Nevill
Born
Percy Bantock Nevill

(1887-06-14)14 June 1887
Stamford Hill, London, United Kingdom
Died30 July 1975(1975-07-30) (aged 88)
Surrey, England
NationalityBritish
OccupationFinancial accountant
Known forHeadquarters Commissioner for Rovers in The Boy Scouts Association

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 a financial accountant. In 1914 after the outbreak of war, he volunteered for the army, but was refused on health grounds. He married Joan Woodruffe in June 1926. Nevill died in England on 30 July 1975.

Scouting

Nevill started his involvement with Scouting after he was impressed by the September 1909 Crystal Palace Rally of Scouts in London. He established the 5th Enfield Boy Scout troop. In subsequent years, he held positions within The Boy Scouts Association as district and county commissioners. He first met Baden-Powell personally in 1911, and always remained on friendly terms with the Baden-Powell family. (Relevance?) He was The Boy Scouts Association Headquarters Commissioner for Kindred Societies, to liaise with other societies, from 1914 until 1949, at the same time as he held other commissionerships and roles. In 1926, he was awarded the Silver Wolf by The Boy Scouts Association for his Scouting contributions. In 1948 he donated 37 acres of cliff land adjoining the sea in Kingsdown, Kent to create the Kingsdown Scout Camp. In 1958 he funded the Troop Room at Gilwell Park. After ending his commissionerships in the early 1960s, he became a vice president of The Scout Association and, in 1966, upon ending nearly all of his official roles with The Scout Association, he was made Honorary Commissioner for Life.[4][2] When Nevill died in 1975, he was remembered as the last of Baden-Powell's contemporaries in The Scout Association.[4][5]

Rovers

Rovers held his attention and support from its early beginning in the 1920s and he became The Boy Scouts Association Headquarters Commissioner for Rovers. Nevill organised the first jamboree for Rovers (which Baden-Powell termed a "Moot"). Nevill organised several more Moots. He resigned as Headquarters Commissioner for Rovers in 1930, to focus on his other commissionerships. He remained involved with Rovers and attended further Moots.[4][6][2] In 1966, The Boy Scouts Association discontinued Rovers following The Chief Scout's Advance Party Report and Nevill resigned all his active positions with the Association.

Roland House

In 1916, Nevill became The Boy Scouts Association Commissioner for East London. He moved into Roland House Scout Settlement in East London as its warden. Roland House was the legacy of Roland Philipps who was killed in action in the 1914-18 World War. Roland House and its Scout Shop were maintained by its wardens, Rovers and resident Scout leaders. William de Bois Maclaren was a guest of Nevill's at Roland House, which was decisive in De Boise Maclaren's donation of Gilwell Park to The Boy Scouts 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. Nevill remained on the Roland House Committee until the 1960s.[4][2] Roland House was closed by The Scout Association soon after Nevill's death.[4]

Bibliography
  • The Doctor and the Outlaw, Etc. [A Tableau.], 1922
  • Contributions to translations of Rovering to Success by Baden-Powell, in many languages, including Czech, German and Dutch[7]
  • My Scouting Story, London: Roland House Scout Settlement, 1960, 228 pages, 17s 6d.
  • Scouting in London 1908--1965, London: The Trustees of the London Scout Council (1913-1965), 1966, 213 pages, 12s 6d.

References
  1. John S. Wilson (1959), Scouting Round the World. First edition, Blandford Press. p. 59
  2. P.B. Nevill (1960). My Scouting Story. London: Roland House Scout Settlement.
  3. P.B. Nevill (1966). Scouting in London 1908-1965. London: Trustees of The London Scout Council (1913-1965.
  4. 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.
  5. "The Canadian Leader" (PDF). November 1975. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
  6. Kristopher Ray P. Salas. "Early beginnings of Rover Scouting". Retrieved 2014-07-23.
  7. "Scout Records index TC2, letters between Baden-Powell and P.B. Nevill" (PDF). Retrieved 2014-07-23.
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