The Pinkneys Green Scout Group is one of the oldest in the country, tracing its origins back to February 6 1909. They also had maybe the first female scoutmaster in Agnes del Riego.

Agnes Manuela Teresa del Riego was born around 1873 in Marylebone, London, to Miguel del Riego, a chronometer manufacturer and naturalised British subject originally from Spain, and Clara Lizzie del Riego from Devon. She was the eldest child of the couple, and had two younger siblings, the composer Teresa Clotilde del Riego (later Teresa Leadbitter), and the actor John Anthony del Riego (stage name Philip Desborough).

Agnes and her family were living in the parish of Maidenhead St Luke in the 1901 census. They had three servants living with them so were relatively well off. The 1911 census shows Agnes living with her parents at the White Cottage, Pinkneys Green, which may have backed on to the scout hut, but it is not known exactly when the del Riegos moved there. According to Mrs Porter, resident of White Cottage in 1992, they may have used it as a country home with Agnes Baden-Powell, although she was not aware of the other del Riegos also living there. Unfortunately, the 1921 census shows Agnes and her parents visiting a couple called the Barnetts in Paddington, London, so it is not certain where she lived at this time.

The Pinkneys Green Scout Group were reportedly founded on Winter Hill Road in 1909 by Agnes, who acted as their scoutmaster. They used the Pinkneys Green Club and Institute (previously known as the Pinkneys Green Library and Reading Room) as their meeting place and photographs show the scouts outside the building, with Agnes on the left. This building was originally a chapel and was eventually bought by the scout group. At the time of writing, it remains the Pinkneys Green Scout Group Headquarters.

It was not just Agnes who was involved with the scouts, as Clara del Riego attended some of the scout functions such as meetings and fundraising, and Teresa also seems to have had a presence with them. Both can be seen in the background of the photograph outside the Club and Institute.

According to the Friday 15 September 1967 edition of the Evening Post, Agnes decided early on that the Pinkneys Green troop should be mixed gender, allowing girls in for the first time. This was before the beginning of the Girl Guide movement. She called them Girl Scouts and they dressed in the same khaki as the boys. Whilst Venture Scouts (ages 15-20) allowed girls to join from 1976, it wasn’t until 1992 that girls were widely able to join scout groups at all levels. Agnes was certainly ahead of the curve.

Agnes had a hand in several groups. She helped to kickstart the Girl Guide movement by establishing the first Company, the 1st Pinkney’s Green Guides. This group was also known as ‘Miss Baden-Powell’s Own’ due to the close connection between the company and Agnes Baden-Powell, sister of the Scouts founder Robert Baden-Powell. The two Agnes’ were seemingly close friends, and were on camp together with the Guide company when the declaration of the First World War was made.

She was clearly also on good terms with Robert Baden-Powell, having sent a Christmas card to the Chief Scout containing photographs of her troop.

Agnes also founded the Women Signallers Territorial Corps in October 1914 and was its Commandant during the First World War. A 1957 letter from her sister to then Group Scoutmaster of Pinkneys Green, Alan Tomlin, reveals that she also provided instruction on signalling to men joining the army signalling corps. A postal services appointment book on Ancestry has Agnes listed as a wireless operator in 1916. However, it seems that Agnes could not keep up with her many activities, as an interview with a former Pinkneys Green scout suggests that her interest in the WSTC resulted in the decline of her involvement with the scout group.

By 1936, Agnes was living near her brother in Overstrand in Norfolk, as revealed in a letter from herself to Lord Baden-Powell. In the same letter she recounts that she was involved with the Pinkneys Green scout group for over 12 years. Whilst in Overstrand she became the Honorary Organising Secretary of the Overstrand and Sidestrand Prosperity Association.

Agnes died on 7 July 1952 at the age of 78. She is buried in St Martin’s Churchyard, Overstrand, near her brother and sister. Her memorial stone is marked ‘First woman scout master. Founder of womens territorial signalling core 1914-18.’

Others can lay claim to the title of first female scout master, such as Miss Wade of the 1st Henfield scout group, and Mrs Malden, both of West Sussex who are listed as certified scoutmasters in 1909. Documents such as a warrant of leadership for Agnes are missing, although she is listed as the scoutmaster on an official document in 1911. There is suggestion that Agnes was just an enthusiastic local helper rather than a scoutmaster, but this is something that has been firmly rejected by members of the Pinkneys Green troop.

Regardless of whether Agnes del Riego was an official scoutmaster or not, she was clearly a very driven woman who was keen to have a hand in her community and support the social development of the local youths.

The Royal Berkshire Archives hold the records of the Pinkneys Green Scout Group (D/EX2330), as well as those of the Pinkneys Green Club and Institute (D/EX733).

Discover more about Agnes's sister, Teresa del Riego, in our other blog.