History

Past Events

1927 - Priory Park, Southend-on-Sea
1947 - Danbury Park, Chelmsford

1949 Belchamps Scout Campsite, Hockley		1952 Belchamps Scout Campsite, Hockley		1956 Belchamps Scout Campsite, Hockley
1960 Belchamps Scout Campsite, Hockley		1964 Belchamps Scout Campsite, Hockley		1968 Belchamps Scout Campsite, Hockley
1972 Belchamps Scout Campsite, Hockley		1976 Belchamps Scout Campsite, Hockley		1980 Belchamps Scout Campsite, Hockley
1984 County Show Ground, Great Leighs		1988 County Show Ground, Great Leighs		1992 County Show Ground, Great Leighs
1996 Devereux Farm, Kirby-le-Soken		2000 Devereux Farm, Kirby-le-Soken		2004 Devereux Farm, Kirby-le-Soken

Jamboree Reunited ?

Why not catch up with old friends... from previous Essex Jamborees at the Scouts Reunited website...!

Between 1949 and 1980 more than 15,000 Scouts from around the world have attended the Essex International Jamboree... including;

Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, British Guiana, Canada, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, England, Eire, Estonia, Finland, France, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Gold Coast, Greece, Haiti, Holland, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Nigeria, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Rhodesia, Seyschelles, Scotland, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United States Of America and Wales.

Every Essex International Jamboree has had a gateway that has been built on the site to welcome all the visitors of the Jamboree to Essex.

Buy the book !

Back in 1976, Tom Parrinder the then Assistant County Commissioner (International) wrote a short history of the Essex Jamborees which dealt with such things as why we have an Essex Jamboree, some of the many special visitors we have had, how the programme was laid out and on, and gave a list of the many overseas contingents we have hosted over the years.

Twenty years after Tom’s book Malcolm Treacher undertook the task of writing a further chapter bringing us up-to-date. This revised history was published in time for the fourteenth Essex International Jamboree held at Devereux Farm in 2000.

Copies of this small publication are still obtainable and can be obtained by sending a cheque for £2.00 made out to Essex County Scout Council along with a stamped addressed C5 envelope to

Bill Marshall, 47 Western Road, Brentwood, Essex, CM14 4SU, England.

Overseas enquiries, please email for details : .

History between 1927 and 2004

Jamborees have been a part of Scouting since the early days of the Movement and Essex County soon caught the bug and held its first event in 1927 at Priory Park, Southend where the highlight was a visit by the Chief Scout Sir Robert Baden-Powell. It was not until twenty years later however in 1947 that Essex held its next Jamboree this time at Danbury Park near Chelmsford over the long Whitsun weekend, again with a visit by the then Chief Scout Lord Rowallan.

1947

The first had been for the Scouts of Essex, the 1947 event was opened up to Scouts from all round the UK, from this was born the idea of an International event for Scouts from far and wide, so in 1949 Essex ran its first full week International Jamboree at Belchamps near Southend. Added to this was the idea of offering home hospitality to the overseas contingents after the event, and so this tradition has continued every four years since.

	Campfire at Belchamps in 1949.
	Pole Climbing at Belchamps in 1949.
	Belchamps in 1949

1949 to 1984

From 1949 to 1980 nine Jamborees were held at Belchamps based on a similar pattern of 6 sub-Camps with a programme of activities large and small throughout the week, mostly on site with some visits out in the area, one special trip for a number of years was the mass exodus of the whole camp on a cruise up the Thames to London on the steamer ‘The Royal Daffodil’.
Because of the size of Belchamps the Jamboree numbers were restricted to 2000 and in 1980 we had officially allowed girl Scouts from overseas to attend. It was therefore decided that we should expand the event to include the Guides, so a new site was sought and plans put in hand for a ‘new look’ event to be held in 1984 at the Essex County Show Ground at Great Leighs near Chelmsford. Participants went up to 3500 including Guides and a sub-Camp for Venture Scouts.

	Belchamps in 1964.
	Belchamps in 1976.
	Belchamps in 1980

1988 to 1996

The event continued at the Show Ground for 1988 and 1992, then with our intention to expand even more it was decided to move yet again in 1996 this time to a coastal location at Kirby-le-Soken near Walton on the Naze, where the numbers reached some 5600.

Catering

Catering at the Belchamps camps had been included in the overall fee and food supplies issued daily to the sub-Camp sections plus a Staff Mess. From the Show Ground events, catering was additional to the fee and purchasing could be made at a Marquee ‘supermarket’. Various teams have been recruited over the years to lead and run the events, many of the leaders having stayed involved over long years, one particular name that linked the first 9 Jamborees was Tom Parrinder who was the ‘king-pin’ enthusiastic leader of the day.

Chief Scouts visits

Our Chief Scouts have always shown a keen interest in the Essex events and all have visited during their period in office, Lord Rowallan, Sir Charles Maclean, Sir William Gladstone, Major Gen. Michael Walsh, Garth Morrison and George Purdy, plus several Chief Commissioners and HQ Commissioners, also the grandson of the Founder, Lord Robert Baden-Powell.
The Jamboree has always been an excellent PR event with coverage by the Press and Local Radio, and visits by Civic guests from all over the County.
The international aspect has grown over the years and thousands of young people from over 70 different countries have come to Essex for the Jamboree and stayed to enjoy the home hospitality. It is truly a real world-wide experience for all involved.

Page updated by Robin 15/5/2007