''The Hackney Scout Song Book'' contains a collection of songs which were popular in the early days of the

Scout Movement Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking ...

in the United Kingdom. Although originally intended for the use of Scouts in the Hackney district of

East London East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the f ...

, it quickly became the standard work of its type in the UK and around the world. First printed in December 1921, the last edition was published in 1972. The book has its origin in a series of indoor "

campfire A campfire is a fire at a campsite that provides light and warmth, and heat for cooking. It can also serve as a beacon, and an insect and predator deterrent. Established campgrounds often provide a stone or steel fire ring for safety. Campfires ...

" gatherings for Hackney Scouts organised by Stanly Ince, a local Scout

Commissioner A commissioner (commonly abbreviated as Comm'r) is, in principle, a member of a commission or an individual who has been given a commission (official charge or authority to do something). In practice, the title of commissioner has evolved to in ...

, who had been paralyzed by

polio Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...

following his service in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. Guests to these meetings included

Robert Baden-Powell Lieutenant-General Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, ( ; (Commonly pronounced by others as ) 22 February 1857 – 8 January 1941) was a British Army officer, writer, founder and first Chief Scout of the worl ...

, the founder of Scouting. Lacking "a common fund of song", Ince founded a "Song Book Committee" and in December 1921, the first edition of the new song book was printed. It was a soft-covered pocket-sized book in the traditional

Songster A "songster" is a wandering musician, usually but not always African-American, of the type which first appeared in the late 19th century in the southern United States. Songsters in American culture The songster tradition both pre-dated and co-exi ...

format and included a mix of folk and popular songs, together with some hymns and items composed specifically for Scouts. The " National Anthem of the Ancient Britons" and " Michael Finnagen" appeared in print for the first time in its pages. The book was "dedicated to the undying memory of those Hackney Scouts who died in the service of their country 1914 – 1918". Originally intended only for Hackney Scouts, the first edition sold out within a few months.The Hackney Scout Song Book p.9 It remained in print for more than 50 years, sold over 130,000 copies and was translated into 27 languages.

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