How it Began

On 22 February 1857 a man who was to have a great vision was born, a vision that would be shared and become part of the lives of millions of boys and girls all over the world.
This mans name was Robert Baden- Powell. He was to become known through out the world as our Founder the first Chief Scout of the World. We would call him BP.

And also on 22nd February but in 1889 Olave Soames was born and her destiny was to meet and to marry this man.

Which they did in 1912, andtogether they would work and build this great movement of ours and she would become the first and only Chief Guide of the World.

It all began in1907 when BP tried out his great idea on a little island not far from here called Brownsea. He took 20 boys from different backgrounds to camp on Brownsea Island and from those very small beginnings a game called Scouting for Boys was born and soon spread throughout the land.

In the beginning a very courageous and adverturous small group of girl's from various parts of London and nearby Counties including Berkshire and Hampshire wanted to play this game too and many turned up dressed in Scout Uniform at the first Scout Rally of all being held at the Crystal Palace in London.
This was in1909. When Robert Baden Powell known as "The Chief" saw them he asked "Who are you", the reply "We're the Girl Scouts", B.P.replied that Scouts was only for the boys. In return the girls pleaded with him to do "something for the girls please". he answered "I'll think about it" and indeed he did.
Being a very wise man he went home and gave it a great deal of thought as to what would be best for the Girls, he spoke to his sister Agnes Baden Powelland together they formed the Girl Guide Movement in 1910.

Some year later when B.P. was asked who started the Girl Guides his reply was

“They started themselves when they first attended the Crystal Palace Rally 1909”

Guiding proved so exciting and popular that it spread very fast all over the United Kingdom

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Dorset is Very Proud That The Flame of Guiding was Lit in Our County

Red Rose Patrol 1st Poole Girl Scouts 1909

Girl Guides 1910

Lord Robert Baden-Powell gave the Girl Scouts the name of Girl Guides. They were named after a famous corps of guides that he had worked with in India. He had learnt that even when these men were 'off-duty' they still trained their minds and bodies. Therefore, he thought it would be an excellent choice of name for these pioneering young women.

Together they wrote The(first) Handbook for Girl Guides in 1912

How Girls Can Help
To Build up the Empire"

He gave them a promise and Laws

THE PROMISE:

On my honour I promise that I will do my best-
To do my duty to God and the King,
To help other people at all times,
To obey the Guide Law.

THE GUIDE LAW:

1. A Guide's honour is to be trusted.
2. A Guide is loyal to the King and her Guiders, and to her parents, her country and her employers or employees.
3. A Guide's duty is to be useful and to help others.
4. A Guide is a friend to all, and a sister to every other Guide, no matter what social class the other belongs.
5. A Guide is courteous.
6. A Guide is a friend to animals.
7. A Guide obeys orders of her parents, patrol leader or Captain, without question.
8. A Guide smiles and sings under all difficulties.
9. A Guide is thrifty.
10. A Guide is pure in thought, word and deed.

THE GUIDES SALUTE OR GREETING SIGN:

B.P. wrote - "The right hand raised level with the shoulder, palm to the front, thumb resting on the nail of the little finger, and the other three fingers upright pointing upward. It is more than ever necessary to hold yourself smartly when giving the sign,otherwise you would make a very slovenly show of it".

Our is Motto
"Be Prepared"
B.P.wrote :- " you have to be prapared at any moment to face difficulties and even dangers by knowing what to do amnd how to do it".

To become a Guide you had to pass the following tests:-

Tests for Tenderfoot Badge
Know the signs and salute and the threefold promise.
Know the comosition of the Union Jack and the right way to fly it.
Four of the following knots: Reef, sheet bend, clove hitch, bowline, fishermans ans sheepshank.
The ceremony of enrolments takes place. At which she makes her promise and is entitled to wear the trefoil brooch.

Following this there is:- Tests for Second-Class badge - worn on the left arm.
In cluding in these test are :-
Must have her Tenderfoot badge and have regular attendance,
Know the ten laws, know some first aid,
Know some knowledge of Morse code alphabet.
Tie six knots unspecified.
Follow a track half a mile in 20 minutes,
Know the parts of the Union Jack and it's history,
Lay and light a fire using only 2 matches, in the open, make a bed properly and know the Guides secret passwords.

Tests for First Class Guide - Badge sewn on left sleeve above the elbow.
Before being awarded the Guide must have her 2nd class badge. Also the Ambulance Badge and at least 1 shilling in a savings bank account.
Must have knowledge of cooking and know how to skin a rabbit or pluck and truss a bird and cook it in a pie or stew.
She must have knowledge of where she lives and know where the nearest ambulance, police, fire telephone stations are, and roughly draw a sketch map.
Give correct Guide secret passwords.
Sew a skirt or blouse or similar in nedle work.
Swim fifty yards or do 12 satifactory good turns.
Judge unknow distances, heights, size, numbers etc, within 25% error.
Show points of compass without a compass.
Bring in a Tenderfoot trained by herself.

After this the Guide was entiltled to go in for "all round cords".

Brownies 1914

In the meantime while all this was happening the younger sisters wanted to play the game too and in 1914 the junior section of the Guides was formed. Originally the girls were called Rosebuds, but were renamed by Lord Baden-Powell after the girls had complained that they didn't like their name. Their new name came from the story "The Brownies" by Juliana Horatia Ewing, written in 1870. In the story two children, Tommy and Betty, learn that children can be a helpful Brownies or lazy boggarts. Tommy and Betty have been replaced by friends Katie and Sunita. Brownies are legendary folk said to aid in tasks around the house in secret.

Rangers 1916

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Land Rangers - Sea Rangers- Air Rangers - Cadets

In 1916 the older girls decided that they didn't want to stop being Guides just because they were 16, some of them wanted to stay and help with the younger Guides too so In 1916 Senior Guides were formed. The name changed in 1920 to Rangers the Chief Guide wrote:- Ranger means 'To range' is 'to set in proper order'; 'to roam'….. 'Distance of vision, and extent of discourse or roaming power' again shows that as a senior member of the community you are expected to look farther a field for good, and the work that you can do for the community.
Also in the early 1920s the Rangers were formed under different titles, uniforms and trefoils. They were know as Land Rangers (Red Trefoils) Sea Rangers, (Navy Blue Trefoils) and after the 2nd World war the Air Rangers. (Air Force Blue Trefoils). The Cadets were young Guiders in training. (White Trefoils).

Trefoil Guild 1943

Then in 1943 it was decided that as there were so many people not being able to take an active part in Guiding for various reasons but still wanted to be involved with the ideals of Guiding the Trefoil Guild was born.

Rainbows 1987

And Finally in 1987 We welcomed our very little sisters known as the Rainbows into our great game of Guiding.

B.P. Memorial Westminster Abbey London

Page researched and written by Irene Surgeson 2010 - Dorset County Webmmaster.