Vera C. (Vera Charlesworth) Barclay

Born in Hertfordshire in 1893, Vera Charlesworth Barclay grew up in a literary and religious household: her father was a clergyman and her mother, Florence L. Barclay, was a successful novelist. She became one of the first women to take on leadership roles in the Scout movement and is especially remembered for her work with younger boys in the early Wolf Cub program.

Barclay joined Scouting in its early years and went on to play a central part in developing activities and guidance for Cubs in Britain and France. The Scouts' own historical profile describes her as the first woman to hold a post at early Scout Headquarters, and her practical experience helped shape the movement's approach for younger children.

Alongside her work in Scouting, she was a prolific author. She wrote children's fiction and instructional books connected with Scout life, and in later years turned to biography as well. She lived a long life that stretched across enormous social change, and she is still remembered as a warm, energetic pioneer who helped make Scouting broader, more imaginative, and more welcoming.