Lord Baden-Powell of Gilwell (Robert), the 3rd Baron of Gilwell, died on Saturday December 28th in England after a long battle with cancer.

Robert Baden-Powell was the elder son of Peter Baden-Powell and Carine Crause-Boardman, and a grandson of Lord Robert Baden-Powell 1st Baron of Gilwell.

He served the British Scout Association in a number of local, national and international capacities. He was Chief Scouts Commissioner from 1965 to 1982, while his wife was vice-president.

His brother Michael and sister Wendy live in Australia.

B-P, the Founder of Scouting, was awarded a baronetcy by the King at Balmoral in the early 1920s. In September 1929, around the time of the 3rd World Scout Jamboree at Arrowe Park, the King bestowed a barony or peerage on B-P, making him Lord Baden-Powell of Gilwell.

The title is hereditary. On B-P’s death in 1941 it passed to his son Peter, then in 1962 to his grandson Robert, who had no issue.

The new Lord Baden-Powell of Gilwell, and 4th Baron of Gilwell, is the Hon Michael Baden-Powell, a life member of Scouts Victoria.

Michael’s eldest son, David, now becomes the heir presumptive.

Our thoughts are with Michael and his family.