The name adopted by the Guide movement was taken from a famous frontier regiment in the British Indian army, the Corps of Guides, which was noted for its skills in tracking and survival.
Guiding remained separate from the Boy Scout movements in most countries to provide a female-centred programme. Internationally, it is governed by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, with member organisations in 145 countries.
The World Chief Guide — Lady Olave Baden-Powell is the only person ever to have been World Chief Guide. She was the wife of the founder, Lord Robert Baden-Powell of Gilwell and lived from 1889 to 1977.
The first Guide Company was 1st Pinkneys Green Guides “Miss Baden Powell’s Own”, who still exist in Pinkneys Green, Maidenhead, in the English county of Berkshire.
Since 1910 Guides have spread and there are now millions of Guides worldwide. The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) was formed to link together Guides. In some countries the girls preferred to call themselves “Girl Scouts”.
(Reference: ‘The Guide Handbook’, London: The Guide Association, 1996)
Thinking Day: On Feb. 22 each year Guides, think of their Guides sisters all around the world. The date was chosen at a World Conference because it was the birthday of both the Founder and the World Chief Guide.
1909, Britain: Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, decided that girls should not be in the same organisation as the boys, and the Girl Guides were founded in the UK in 1910.
1910, Britain: Agnes Baden-Powell in charge of Girl Guiding in UK in its early years. Other influential people were Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA, Plga Drahpnpwska-Malkowska in Poland and Antionette Butte in France.
1914, April 17th: English Methodist Minister Arthur Cox started the GirlGuide body in Saint Vincent.
1914: The Girl Guides Association of Saint Vincent the national Guiding organization of Saint Vincent was founded.
Guiding was first introduced in Saint Vincent in 1914 by a Methodist Minister Julian A. Archer from England and Guide companies were established in Georgetown and neighbouring South Rivers. Unfortunately the Movement became dormant in the area after the First World War (1914-1918) but was restarted again in 1927 in the capital, Kingstown, the new company being registered at Commonwealth Headquarters (UK) in 1928.
1927, December, Saint Vincent: The Girl Guide Movement was re-erected after being dormant for a number of years.
Miss Went, the headmistress of Girls’ High School at Kingstown brought great benefit to the Association when she gave permission for the schoolrooms and yard to be used for meetings. Many of the Guides belonged to the Girls’ High School.
1928, July 31, Saint Vincent: First public appearance of the new group of Girl Guides when they marched from their Headquarters to Government House where they were received by Mrs. Walter, GuideCommissioner and other ladies of the Girls Guide Local Association. (Mrs Walter was the wife of the British Administrator of Saint Vincent, Robert Walter from 1923 to 1929).
The Guiding Association welcomed the World Chief Guide Lady Baden-Powell to St. Vincent on two occasions — in 1951 and again in 1964.
1929, April, Saint Vincent: Annie Jackson, Appointed Island Secretary, Girl Guides Association.
1931, Saint Vincent: Mrs. Vibert Jackson was elected as the new commissioner of the Girl Guides Association. She was the wife of the Anglican Priest who served as Bishop of the Church in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Mrs. Jackson succeeded Mrs. Walters as Island Commissioner.
1931, St. Vincent: The local Girls Guide Association added the first local Brownie and Ranger units to its movement.
1931, St. Vincent: Girls Guide Association, Mrs. Walters structured the movement which made space for the older girls to be part of the Guide movement as RANGERS.
A number of units were formed in different areas of the country.
1931, Saint Vincent: The Girl Guide Association started the Brownies, “BIM BIM” as they were called, to cater for and include girls between the ages 5 to 7 years. The Brownie Pack grew just as steadily as the Guides Movement. There was a certain time in St. Vincent and the Grenadines when there was a pack and Guide Movement in almost every village and town. The pack and Guide Movement suffered in the rural communities due to lack of leadership and migration of persons in search of better opportunities.
1931, St. Vincent: Mrs. Vibert Jackson, Island Girl Guide Association Commissioner, helped arrange a new headquarters and the company purchased a piece of land in Kingstown Park in 1932 – one year after she became Island Commissioner.
The land purchased in 1932 still accommodates SVG Girl Guides Headquarters at Level Gardens, Kingstown Park in the 21st century.
1932, St. Vincent: The 2nd St. Vincent Company (the Roman Catholic Company) was formed. This was followed by formation of the 3rd St. Vincent Company (called the GHS Company). The 4th St. Vincent Company was formed under the Methodist (called the Methodist
Company). Three (3) years later the 5th and 6th company’s were formed. The 5th was the Calliaqua Company and the 6th was St. Georges Cathedral Company.
The Barrouallie and Bequia Companies were later formed by Mrs. Irma Norris. Mrs. Norris served the movement in the capacity as District Captain and District Commissioner. She is honoured by the Girl Guides Association as an Honorary Member.
1933 to 1936: Girl Guides Association, Sheila Sutherland Wall, appointed District Commissioner, Sheila was a supporter and promoted the GirlGuides in the Island during this period.
1934, Saint Vincent/Bequia: The Guiding Movement was now also in the Bequia.
1937, April, Saint Vincent: Miss Mabel Sprott, Lieutenant, was selected by the St. Vincent Girl Guides Associations as their representative at the Coronation of Their Majesties The King and Queen.
1937, April, Saint Vincent: Miss Zeta K. Chapman, a Girls Guide of the First St. Vincent Company and representative of the Girl Guides Camp, was selected as a representative to attend the Coronation of Their Majesties The King and Queen.
1942, Britain: The Guide International Service (G.I.S) was an organisation set up by the Girl Guides Association in Britain in 1942 with the aim of sending to Europe after World War II teams of adult Girl Guides to do international relief work.
1951, Saint Vincent: The girls and the Guide Association welcomed the World Chief Guide Lady Baden-Powell to St Vincent.
She also visited in 1964.
1983, London/Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: The Guide Association (UK) signed a deed of transfer giving the Girl Guides Association of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines self-government in all areas of work.
1984, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Girl Guides Association became a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, many opportunities have been provided for Vincentian members to travel abroad to attend conferences, seminars and workshops in various parts of the world.
Some of the countries include Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Denmark, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, Malaysia, Peru, Singapore, the United States and the United Kingdom. Guides from this school have joined others and attended camps in Belgium, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Sweden, the United Kingdom and in other Caribbean countries.
1985, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Girl Guide Association, Ranger Guide Jasmine Malcolm a Girls High School graduate was selected in 1985 to hoist the new designed State flag in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Rangers are a Junior Council of young people under the age of 25 was and is part of the decision making process of the Girl Guide Association.
1990, Caribbean: Vincentian Mrs. June Russell served as chairperson of the Caribbean Link of Guiding from 1990 to 1997.
1995, Caribbean: Girl Guides Association, Vincentian Mrs. Jeanette France served as field officer and Trainer for the English Speaking Caribbean from 1995 to 2004.
1996, Saint Vincent: Ms Ruth Spring. Ms Spring the last surviving member of the first company died in 1996.
1997, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: A programme for Guides and Brownies, was introduced and developed by members from nine Caribbean countries and facilitated by the Western Hemisphere Field Executive Trainer.
1999, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Ms Sonja Young was appointed to the constitution committee of the World Association Girl Guides.
2001, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Réchanne Browne of the GirlGuide Association was elected as a Committee Member at the Western Hemisphere Conference as the under 30 member.
2006, January 1st, St. Vincent and the Grenadines: There are 1436 Girl Guides Brownies and Rangers, in SVG.
2009, St. Vincent and the Grenadines: The Girl Guides celebrated 95 years of Guiding
2009, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Girl Guides Association, held a rally in Georgetown to celebrate Link Day 2009.
2009, April 6, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Girl Guide Association held a national camp in Brighton, by the name of camp Pe-lag-ic.
2010, World and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Girl Guiding worldwide celebrated its centenary in 2010.
This 100th celebration lasted for three years from 2010 to 2012. The reason for the three-year celebration was because guiding started in 1910 but by 1912 it was introduced around the world.
The celebration was held under the theme; Girls Worldwide says 100 years of changing lives.
2010, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Girl Guide Association, Vincentian officials attended the Western Hemisphere Conference in Peru.
2010, July/August, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines/ UK: Girl Guides Association, a total of six Guides and two Guiders travelled to England on 29th July to 7th August 2010 to be a part of the Girl Guiding Centenary Camp which was held at Harewood House.
2010, October 19-24, SVG/UK: Girl Guide Association, two Vincentian leaders attended the Young Women’s World Forum in England.
2010, October 2-6, SVG/Mexico: Girl Guide Association, a Vincentian representative attended the United Nations ‘Pathways to Peace’ Seminar in Mexico from 2-6 October.
2010, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Vincentian Girl Guides attended camps in Saint Lucia, Grenada and Tobago. Leaders and Guides from the Girls High school also attended sessions at “Our Cabana” in Mexico.
2011, Saint Vincent: Rene Mercedes Baptiste, elected President at Girl Guides Association.
2013, International: Elected a member of the Western Hemisphere Committee, Rochelle Forde. Rochelle has been a member of the Girl Guides in St. Vincent and the Grenadines movement for in excess of thirty years. She is currently a Brown Owl (Brownie leader) after having served in her Association in several capacities including Deputy Chief Commissioner, Council Member and Member of the Executive.
2014, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Girl Guides Association will celebrates its centenary.
Guiding is a value based organisation whose aim is to help each individual girl, through enjoyable activities, to develop her fullest potential as a responsible citizen of her country and the world. Through Guiding girls gain self-confidence, develop leadership skills, learn to care for the environment and give service in the community. The Rich history covers a period of 100 years in 145 countries in 5 regions of the world with a membership of over 10 million members.
Some of the Vincentian girls who became leaders in adult life.
Sheila Wall, Gladys Hadley, Jennie Jacobs, Pauline Sandy all former Island Commissioners.
Irma Norris, former District Commissioner.
Kathleen Connell, Iris McKie, Rosie Reddock, Lily McDowell, Grace Morris, Betty Sandy, Gwendoline Russell, Celitha Davy, Lorna DeBique, Jeannette France and Althea Commissiong, to name just a few.
Since becoming a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, some former members have been appointed to sit on World Boards. Sonya Young, our Chief Magistrate, was appointed as a member of the Constitution Committee, Rechanne Browne-Matthias was a member of the Western Hemisphere Committee and Jeannette France was the Field Support Officer for the Western Hemisphere Region.
Rene Mercedes Baptiste, elected President at Girl Guides Association.
Elected a member of the Western Hemisphere Committee, Rochelle Forde. Rochelle has been a member of the Girl Guides in St. Vincent and the Grenadines movement for in excess of thirty years. She is currently a Brown Owl (Brownie leader) after having served in her Association in several capacities including Deputy Chief Commissioner, Council Member and Member of the Executive.
Peter Binose, self-appointed keeper of the whistle, and blowing hard