Baden-Powell’s house in Nyeri: why you should visit it

NYERI COUNTY: In 1939 after his retirement, writer, artist and the founder of the International Scouting Movement Robert Baden-Powell moved to a cottage he had commissioned in Nyeri and lived in the single-roomed house he named Paxtu.

The cottage, which was incorporated into Outspan Hotel, now serves as a scouting museum.

Powell, who was the first head of the Boy Scouts Association in the world, landed in Kenya during a mission to preach scouting.

He travelled to various parts of the world on his mission to inspire and encourage scouts. His sister Agnes, backed him up and founded the Girl Guide Movement.

During his wedding to Olave, the scouts of England donated money to buy him a wedding gift - a car.

Through his work, Powell gained much recognition in the world. The founder of the scouting movement, who was a lieutenant-general in the British Army, was a respected patriot who fought selflessly for his country.

 Writing

He worked in the British Army from 1876 to 1910 in India and Africa. He played a crucial role in the army in the year 1899 during the Second Boer War where he defended his country.

Owing to his writing skills, he penned military reconnaissance in his African years and wrote a book on scouting before his retirement.

In 1907, Powell conducted the first Brownsea Island Scout camp, which marked the beginning of scouting. In his lifetime, he wrote 16 pamphlets on the scouting movement and published over 40 books.

He painted every day of his life, with most of his graphics being humorous and informative.

In 1912, he married Olave, who supported his ambitions and gave guidance to the scouts and girl guide movements.

He was hailed as the chief scout of the world in 1920 during the first World Scout Jamboree in Olympia, West Kensington.

 Farewell

During the fifth World Scout Jamboree in 1937, Powell, who had retired from public scouting life, bade farewell to scouting. February 22, which is the joint birthday of Powell and his wife Olave, is marked as Founder’s Day by scouts and Thinking Day by guides, who celebrate and recall the work of the chief scout and guide.

In his last letter to the scouts, Powell indicated that he believed that God put people in the world to be happy and enjoy life. He further noted that happiness does not come from being rich, nor being successful.

He noted that happiness was making oneself healthy and strong while young so that one can be useful and enjoy life while old.

“Be contented with what you have and make the best of it. Look on the bright side of things instead of the gloomy side. But the real way to find happiness is by giving out happiness to other people. Nature study will show you how full of beautiful and wonderful things the world is for you to enjoy,” he said.

He received no salary as the chief scout but his earnings from the books he wrote facilitated his scouting travels.

His inspiring work earned him honorary degrees from Montreal, Oxford, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Toronto and Cambridge universities. He also received freedoms of the cities of Guildford, Bangor, Cardiff, Newcastle and Pontefract among other cities around the world.

He travelled to Nyeri in 1938 where he recuperated after an illness. He rested in a one-room house he named Paxtu located on the grounds of Outspan Hotel, which was owned by Eric Walker, his first private secretary and one of the first scout inspectors.

 Ailing period

Despite the difficulties he was going through during his ailing period in Nyeri, Powell could still produce sketches and books on scouting.

He lost the battle in 1941 at the age of 83 and was buried at St Peter’s Cemetery in Nyeri. His wife later died in Europe and her remains were flown to Kenya and buried beside her husband’s. His grave has been declared a national monument.

In the present day, the cottage serves as a scouting museum and on February 22 every year, scouts convene there to commemorate the life of Robert Powell. Scouts from all over the world travel to Nyeri to pay tribute to their fallen hero and heroine.