{"alias":"contentPage","byline":null,"standfirst":null,"content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EJack Olden was the first Black British Scout to receive a gallantry award. Scouting was central to his life from the age of 8, when he joined 8th Holborn (Lady Peats\u2019 Own) Scout Group as a Cub.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3 class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EFrom Cub to courageous Scout 1922-1941\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EJack was born on 1 December 1922. His parents separated when he was quite young and he and his mother lived in Peabody Buildings, Bloomsbury. These buildings were owned by The Peabody Trust who provided affordable housing for working families.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/u0xhzz34/coram-fields-fundraising-postcard_page_1.jpg","width":1626,"height":1051,"altText":"","caption":"Jack as a Cub, photographed as part of the campaign to save Coram Fields. The 8th Holborn Scout Group continue to meet on the site today.","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EJack joined the Cub Pack of the 8th Holborn Scout Group, who met less than half a mile from where he lived. The group had been started by his uncles in 1908 and met on land owned by the Foundling Hospital.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EWhen, in the 1920s, the Hospital moved to new premises in Surrey the land was to be sold off. The community and various supporters started a campaign to save part of the it for use by local children. As part of the appeal Jack appeared on one of a series of fundraising postcards playing football and wearing his Cub cap. He progressed to Scouts, became a Patrol Leader and achieved his King\u2019s Scout Award. He also took part in the prestigious London Gang Show in 1938.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EOn leaving school he started an apprenticeship but in 1939 secured a job working in the Press Department at Scout Headquarters on Buckingham Palace Road.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EThe Second World War brought changes for many Scouts who started to play an active role on the Home Front. Jack and others from the 8th Holborn volunteered as fire watchers. They were trained to support the Fire Service and to put out fires caused by incendiary bombs. Jack appeared in a British Movietone news reel about the role Scouts were playing, this would have been played in cinemas across the country.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/xsvfjuxs/second-world-war-arp-40.jpg","width":6805,"height":5215,"altText":"","caption":"Scouts, including Jack, being fitted with a tin helmet to wear on fire watching duty.","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EOne night, at the height of the Blitz, Jack and his friend Dennis were part of a team who had a quiet early shift from 9pm to midnight. At 2am they were recalled as the bombing increased and they started to tackle fires in some back yards. They noticed the roof of a five-storey building was alight and climbed through a window to start fighting, slowing its destructive progress until the fire service could arrive. They then climbed across various roof tops putting out incendiary bombs before fires could take hold. All this whilst high explosive bombs were going off around them.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EAt 6.30am Jack and Dennis went home, had a wash, some breakfast and went to work at Headquarters. For this nights work their bravery was recognised with the presentation of the Silver Cross, for gallantry with considerable risk.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/ppxadipz/j-olden-roll-of-honour-entry-038.jpg","width":5021,"height":7157,"altText":"","caption":"Jack\u2019s entry in the Scout Roll of Honour for recipients of gallantry awards.","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3 class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EFrom pilot to publicity innovator 1942-2010\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EIn 1942, Jack joined the RAF. He later said that the recruiting officer had been sceptical when he said he wanted to be a pilot but on learning of his King\u2019s Scout and gallantry awards his application was progressed. Jack served as a pilot with No. 201 Squadron until the end of the war.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EAfter being demobilised, Jack returned to work at Scout Headquarters. He\u2019d married Josephine Price in 1944, and she joined him working at Headquarters for a year in 1945. Jack continued his career with the Scouts Publicity team with roles including Office Manager, Publicity Manager and Public Relations Officer. In these roles he liaised with national and local press, organised filming, interviews and photo shoots. As well as working to raise the profile of the Scouts, Jack was involved in key events such as the 1979 World Scout Conference hosted by the UK.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/n1qfqbme/staff-image024.jpg","width":2723,"height":3917,"altText":"","caption":"Jack was a talented photographer who believed the right shot was critical for successful storytelling.","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EJack also returned to the 8th Holborn volunteering with the Scout Troop. He completed his Wood Badge training in 1949, participating in a practical course at Gilwell Park. In 1953, Jack and Josephine moved to Borehamwood where they both took up volunteering roles with a local group.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EJack led many innovations in attracting publicity for the Scouts including the British Meat cooking competition which saw patrols compete to take part in a challenge cooking breakfast for commuters walking through St Paul\u2019s, London. His work with the Scouts was recognised with the presentation of the Silver Wolf good service award in 1982 and more publicly with an MBE in 1986.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/jsmme4dy/jack-in-uniform018.jpg","width":2027,"height":2976,"altText":"","caption":"Jack pictured wearing his Silver Cross, Silver Wolf, Wings Award, and RAF Service ribbons.","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EOne of his last big projects was \u2018Venture Scouts \u2013 the movie\u2019 which was filmed in the summer of 1987. A copy was sent to every Venture Scout Unit in the country. He retired at the end of that year but continued to have close connections with Scouting, appearing in the 8th Holborn 100th anniversary film in 2008. He also attended various events marking the centenary, at one he said: \u0027It\u2019s only now we realise how much Scouting has taught me. Looking back on my life I realise everything I did was because I joined the Holborn Scouts at the age of eight.\u0027\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EJack died shortly after his wife Josephine in 2010. At his funeral donations were made to 8th Holborn Scout Group.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EIn 2024, the Heritage and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion teams worked together to bring Jack\u2019s story to life with a display at Gilwell park as part of celebrations for Black History Month.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/vu2bibzu/jack-100-years-8th-holborn-2008.jpg","width":834,"height":472,"altText":"","caption":"Jack being interviewed for the 2008 film, 100 years of 8th Holborn.","link":null}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":"","pageType":null,"location":null,"browserTitle":"","versionDate":"21 September 2026","reviewDate":"21/09/2028","redirectUrl":"","id":91261,"nodeName":"Jack Olden","title":"Jack Olden","type":"contentPage","image":null,"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"Jack Olden","headerSubTitle":"Discover the story of Jack Olden, the first Black British Scout to receive a gallantry award","headerCta":"","headerCtaText":"","headerCtaLink":"","headerBackgroundColour":"","showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":[]},"subHeader":"","silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC85MTI2MSJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/about-us/our-history/our-online-exhibitions/scouting-personalities/jack-olden/"}