| Silver Fish Award | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Created | 1911 (113 years ago) | ||
The Silver Fish Award is the highest adult award in Girlguiding. It is awarded for outstanding service to Girlguiding combined with service to world Guiding. The award has changed greatly since it first appeared in 1911, initially being awarded to girls on completion of a number of badges, then via numerous stages to the highest award in the Guiding movement worldwide, and then on to its position as a Girlguiding award.
The Silver Fish is not earned, but given to those who are nominated and are considered worthy of the award. Recipients must be members of Girlguiding, have done outstanding service to Guiding in more than one capacity and made a contribution to world Guiding. [1] Ideally candidates should be at least 18 months from retirement and have held an appointment within 6 months of the nomination. [1]
The award of Silver Fish existed from the beginning of the Guiding movement. The choice of the silver fish was as a result of Lord Baden-Powell visiting Japan, where he learnt that when a son was born, parents would hang a small silver fish on their door, signifying the boy would be able to successfully 'swim upstream' through life's challenges. If a daughter was born, a tiny doll was used. This indicated a girl's sole aim was to raise a family. Lord Baden-Powell decided to make a Guide's highest honour a silver fish, to show that girls are just as capable of battling against the odds as boys. [2]
The award is mentioned in the November 1909 edition of the Boy Scout Headquarters Gazette in "The Scheme for 'Girl Guides'". Here a girl must pass seventeen specified efficiency badges. [3] However, in Pamphlet A: Baden-Powell Girl Guides, a Suggestion for Character Training for Girls, also published in 1909, twenty efficiency badges were needed to obtain the Silver Fish. [4] This was later reduced to fifteen and, additionally, good all round work was required. [3]
Around the time of the foundation of the Girl Scouts of the USA in 1912, their handbook listed the Silver Fish as the highest honour in Girl Scouting. However, before anyone could earn it, the Golden Eaglet was introduced. [5]
Five American women were awarded the Silver Fish:
In October 1917, the award changed to being given for outstanding service to the movement. At this time, the design also changed from a whiting with its tail in its mouth worn on a silver chain, to a swimming fish worn on a dark and light blue striped ribbon. Olave Baden-Powell was presented with a gold Silver Fish in 1918, then the only one of its kind. [6] In 1995, her daughter Betty Clay was presented with a gold Silver Fish in the form of a brooch. It continues to be awarded within UK GirlGuiding to this day.
| Recipient | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nesta G. Ashworth née Maude (1893–1982) [7] [8] | 1911 | Awarded old-style Silver Fish in 1911. Also in 1920. One of the girls who showed up at Crystal Palace Rally in 1909 wanting to be Scouts. Instrumental in the establishment of Lone Guides. [9] |
| Rotha Lintorn-Orman (1895–1935) [7] | 1911 | Awarded old-style Silver Fish in 1911. One of the girls who showed up at Crystal Palace Rally in 1909 wanting to be a Scout. |
| Olave Baden-Powell [3] GBE (1889–1977) | 1918 | Chief Guide. She received a special gold Silver Fish. |
| Juliette "Daisy" Gordon Low (1860–1927) | 1919 | Founder of Girl Scouts of the USA. She was buried wearing full uniform and her Silver Fish Award. [10] |
| Recipient | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lady Helen Whitaker (1890–1929) [11] | 1920 | Hampshire County Commissioner |
| Anna Suckling (1863–1946) [12] | 1921 | Warwickshire County Commissioner |
| Mary Pellatt (1857–1924) [13] | 1922 | First Chief Commissioner for Girl Guides of Canada (1912–1921) |
| Ysobel Stewart [14] | 1925 | Head of training for Scotland |
| Muriel de Lisle [15] | 1925 | Warwickshire Girl Guides |
| Lady Cave [16] | 1926 | Kingston Division Commissioner |
| Patricia Richards [17] | 1927 | |
| Rosa Ward OBE (1893–1984) [18] | 1928 | Chief Commissioner for Wales. Chair of Guide International Service (1942–1954) |
| Recipient | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Kelso King (1885–1958) [19] | 1931 | Acting State Commissioner, New South Wales. First Australian recipient. |
| Lady Finola Somers CBE (1896–1981) [20] | 1931 | State Commissioner, Victorian Girl Guides, Australia. Girl Guides Association Chief Commissioner (1943–1949) |
| Helen Talbot [21] | 1932 | Commissioner for Overseas Guiding |
| Lady Butler (1872–1951) [22] | 1932 | Chair of All-India Executive Committee |
| Lady Luke [23] | 1933 | Bedfordshire's first County Commissioner (1917–1938) |
| Marguerite de Beaumont (1899–1989) [24] | 1934 | Cambridgeshire County Commissioner. One of the girls who showed up at Crystal Palace Rally in 1909 wanting to be Scouts. |
| Mrs Hood [25] | 1934 | Commissioner for Extensions |
| Nora G Dillon [26] | 1936 | Durham County Commissioner. Executive Committee of the Council at Imperial Headquarters (1932–1935) |
| Mrs Pickering [27] | 1936 | County Commissioner, Girl Guides in Yorkshire |
| Rosalind Hamilton Duchess of Abercorn (1869–1958) [28] | 1937 | Ulster Chief Commissioner |
| Ruth Callander [29] | 1937 | Scottish post and extension branches |
| Gladys Millard (1891–1964) [30] | 1937 | From the Girl Guide Association of Manitoba, Canada |
| Maud Carnegie, Countess of Southesk (1893–1945) [31] | 1937 | County Commissioner, Angus and Aberdeenshire. Scottish Executive Committee member. |
| Lady Dorothy Arthur [32] | 1938 | Provincial Commissioner of Bengal |
| The Honourable Lady Cochrane [33] | 1938 | Kent County Commissioner |
| Lilias Dalmahoy [34] | 1938 | Edinburgh County Commissioner |
| Miss G Hanbury-Williams MVO [35] | 1938 | Council of GGA from 1927 to 1961 |
| Mrs Monteith [36] | 1938 | Assistant County Commissioner, Fife |
| Allison Cargill (1896–1979) [37] [38] | 1939 | Scotland's first Guide. President of Scottish GGA. VP of GGA. |
| Elsa Riepert (1890–1961) [39] | 1939 | Dominion secretary of Girl Guides of Canada (1920–1941) |
| Recipient | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mrs Moore [40] | 1942 | District Commissioner, Canterbury City Guides. Awarded for gallantry during an air raid |
| Mrs Alan Morkill MBE [41] | 1943 | |
| G.G Moody [42] | 1944 | Deputy Chief Commissioner, Ulster Girl Guides |
| Miss Sharp [43] | 1944 | Dundee County Commissioner |
| Mona Burgin (1903–1985) [44] [45] | 1945 | Active in New Zealand and as a trainer internationally |
| Isabel Hetherington Kay MBE (1904–1980) [46] | 1945 | Chair of Welsh Guide Council. Chief Commissioner for Wales. |
| Lady Eva Julius (1878–1972) [47] | 1945 | Chief Commissioner, New South Wales, Australia |
| Verona M. Wallace Williamson (1898–1980 ) [44] | 1945 | Edinburgh County Commissioner |
| Margaret McIntyre OBE (1886–1948) [48] | 1947 | Tasmanian State Commissioner (1940–1948) |
| Lady Lee Steere OBE [49] | 1947 | Commissioner for Girl Guides in Western Australia |
| Irene Fairbairn (1899–1974) [50] | 1948 | Chief Commissioner of Guides Australia, Federal Secretary [51] |
| Shylie Katherine Rymill (1882–1959) [52] | 1948 | Australian Girl Guide Commissioner. State Commissioner for South Australia (1938–1950) |
| Ruth Herrick CBE (1889–1993) [53] | 1949 | Chief Commissioner for New Zealand Girl Guides (1934–1961) |
| Mrs Stewart [54] | 1949 | Scottish Chief Commissioner |
| Recipient | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| H. S. Gresham [55] | 1950 | State Commissioner for Queensland, Australia |
| Olive Hillbrook [56] | 1950 | Rangers Commissioner, England |
| Mrs Douglas [57] | 1950 | |
| Begum G. A. Khan [58] | 1951 | Chief Commissioner of the Pakistan Girl Guides Association. |
| Enid, Lady Burnham CBE (1894–1979) [59] | 1952 | Girl Guide Chief Commissioner for England |
| J. W. Haughton OBE [60] | 1952 | Ulster Guides Chief Commissioner |
| Jessie Kerridge [61] | 1952 | Commissioner for training, Jamaica |
| Gwen Hesketh MBE [62] | 1953 | Guide International Service Commissioner, Tasmania State Commissioner (1956–1962) |
| Helen McSwiney OBE [63] | 1953 | |
| Florence Mitchell [64] | 1953 | Assistant State Commissioner, Victoria, Australia. President, Victoria Guide International Service |
| Eleanor Manning OBE (1906–1986) [65] | 1954 | Chief Commissioner of Guides Australia, World Committee of WAGGGS (1955–1962) |
| Miss Tuckwell [66] | 1954 | Treasurer of WAGGGS |
| Mrs Barnham [67] | 1957 | Post Box Secretary for CHQ and England |
| E. M. Beveridge [68] | 1957 | Commonwealth Camp Advisor |
| Mrs Durrant [69] | 1957 | Commissioner for Kenya |
| Beryl Gibson [70] | 1957 | Commissioner for Training, Cyprus |
| Senator W. E. Greeves MBE [71] | 1957 | Ulster Guides Chief Commissioner |
| Mrs Nesbitt [72] | 1957 | Commissioner for Canada |
| Anne Shepherd [73] | 1957 | County Commissioner, Yorkshire Central |
| Iona M Taylor [74] | 1957 | For international service, and untiring work in Hampshire |
| W Rankine Nesbitt [75] | 1957 | Chief Commissioner of Canada |
| Mollie Walker MBE [76] | 1957 | |
| Lady Elizabeth Pleydell-Bouverie (1897–1982) [77] | 1958 |
| Recipient | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| E Henrietta Osler [78] | 1962 | Chief Commissioner of Canada |
| Hon. Beryl Cozens-Hardy OBE (1911–2011) [44] [79] | 1963 | Chief Commissioner for England (1961–1970). Chair of WAGGGS (1972–1975) |
| Nancy Eastick MBE (1920–2011) [80] | 1963 | Guide International Service volunteer, trainer and author |
| Safiya Abdel-Rahman [81] | 1965 | Egyptian Federation for Scouts and Girl Guides, also extremely active in sports for girls in Egypt |
| Gladys "Jim" Buntine OBE (1901–1992) [65] | 1966 | Chief Commissioner of Guides Australia (1962–1968) |
| Sybil Canadine [82] | 1967 | One of the original founders of the Girl Guide movement |
| Joyce Price OBE, CMG (1915–2009) [83] | 1967 | Australian Chief Commissioner (1968–1973), Chairman of WAGGGS, Vice President of Olave Baden-Powell Society (1985–1994) |
| Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowden (1930–2002) [84] | 1967 | President of the Guides |
| Dame Anne Parker Bowles DCVRO [85] | 1969 |
| Recipient | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Margaret Turnbull (1907–1986) [86] | 1971 | Chief Commissioner for New Zealand |
| W P Gurd [87] | 1976 | Chief Commissioner for Canada |
| Vivienne Vaughan-Cox OBE [88] | 1978 | Chair, Overseas Committee for Girl Guides. Commissioner in Gibraltar and Malta. |
| Mrs Owen Walker JP [89] | 1979 | Chief Commissioner of GGA |
| Recipient | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Kathryn Benson-Evans [90] | 1980 | Training Advisor for Wales |
| Rosemary Cadbury Dickson [91] | 1980 | Chief Commissioner for Ulster |
| Dr Helen Laird [92] | 1980 | Vice Chair of WAGGGS |
| Edna Banham [93] | 1981 | |
| Margaret Coleman [94] | 1981 | Editor of Australian magazine Guiding in Australia |
| Mrs Owen John [95] | 1981 | |
| Stella Cunliffe (1917–2002) [96] | 1982 | County Commissioner for London South West |
| Aline Fenwick OBE [97] | 1985 | |
| Mary Hill OAM [98] | 1985 | WAGGGS Commissioner for training |
| Betty Clay [ citation needed ] CBE (1917–2004) | 1995 | Active in Guiding in both Northern Rhodesia and England. Daughter of Lord and Lady Baden-Powell. Like her mother she received the only other gold Silver Fish. |
| Recipient | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dorothy Naylor [99] | 2015 | British Guides in Foreign Countries. Special Needs Advisor. |
| Nicola Grinstead [100] | 2016 | Chair of WAGGGS Board of Trustees. |
| Anne Llywelyn-Jones [101] | 2016 | Girlguiding's Overseas Branches advisor |
| Angela Milln [102] | 2016 | Deputy Chief Guide |
| Leslie Knighton MBE [103] | 2018 | Chief Commissioner, British Girlguiding Overseas. |
| Carol Selwyn-Jones [104] | 2020 | British Girlguiding Overseas, Safeguarding Leader |
| Recipient | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lady Clinton (1863–1953) [105] | County Commissioner for Devon | |
| Helen Storrow (1864–1944) | Donor of Our Chalet | |
| Julia Cobb Crowell (1877–1957) | Cleveland's first Girl Scout Commissioner | |
| Dame Helen Gwynne-Vaughan GBE (1879–1967) [44] | ||
| Countess Gowrie (1879–1965) [106] | Chief Commissioner, New South Wales, Australia | |
| Rose Kerr OBE (1882–1994) [44] | One of the founders of the Rangers. Involved in the formation of WAGGGS | |
| Jane Deeter Rippin (1882–1953) [44] | National Director of Girl Scouts of the USA (1919–1930). | |
| Anne Hyde Choate (1886–1967) | Second president of Girl Scouts USA and goddaughter of its founder Juliette Gordon Low. | |
| Kari Aas (1886–1978) | Chief Scout of the Norsk Speiderpikeforbund (1927–1935). Designed World Flag. | |
| Hon. Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth MBE (1886–1967) [107] | First County Commissioner (1916). First Heraldry Advisor. | |
| A. M. Victoria Rossiter (1887–1977) [108] | Stores Commissioner for Dominion Headquarters | |
| Dame Joan Marsham DBE (1888–1972) [44] | Chairman of the Guiding Association's executive committee for 10 years from 1938. | |
| Mary Cuningham Chater MBE (1896–1990) [44] | Music Advisor to Girl Guides Association (1949–1961) | |
| Hon. Ruth Hubbard (1896–1955) [109] | Assistant Division Commissioner, Buckinghamshire | |
| Violet Synge [44] (1896–1981) | Chief Commissioner of England | |
| Princess Mary (1897–1965) [3] | Honorary President of the Girl Guides Association from 1920 until her death. | |
| Jean Helen St. Clair Campbell, Lady Stratheden and Campbell CBE (1901–1956) [44] | Girl Guide Chief Commissioner for the British Commonwealth (1949–1956) | |
| Connie Stableford (1901–1987) [110] | ||
| Agnes Maynard OBE [111] | Awarded Silver Fish twice | |
| Margaret Crosfield (1902–1988) [112] | Deputy Chief Commissioner for India | |
| Kathleen Mabel Davies-Cooke OBE (1903–1994) [113] | Chair of Girl Guides Association. Chair of Trefoil Guild. Vice-Patron of Trefoil Guild. | |
| Vera Armstrong MBE (1904–1992) [44] | Founded Guide Friendship Fund. | |
| Dame Anstice Gibbs DCVO, CBE (1905–1978) [44] | Chief Commissioner and Chair of British Commonwealth Girl Guides Association (1956–1966). Vice-chair of WAGGGS (1957–1960) | |
| Elizabeth Hartley OBE (1906–1996) [44] | Vice Chair of WAGGGS 20th World Conference. Leader of World Training team. | |
| Alix Liddell [44] (1907–1981) | Editor of WAGGGS' The Council Fire magazine for 30 years | |
| Penelope "Pen" Wood-Hill (1909–1990) [44] | Ran Our Chalet. | |
| Lady Chauvel [114] | State Commissioner, Victoria, Australia | |
| W. Coxon [115] | ||
| Lady Davies [44] | ||
| Betty Fripp [44] | ||
| Mrs Arthur Lewin [116] | Editor of Girl Guide Magazine in South Africa. Awarded Silver Fish pre-1935 | |
| Margaret Martin [44] | ||
| Alice M. Maynard [44] | ||
| Mrs Robotham [117] | India Girl Guides |
Olave St Clair Baden-Powell, Baroness Baden-Powell was the first Chief Guide for Britain and the wife of Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell. She outlived her husband, who was 32 years her senior, by over 35 years.
Girlguiding is the operating name of The Guide Association, previously named The Girl Guides Association. It is the national guiding organisation of the United Kingdom. It is the UK's largest girl-only youth organisation. Girlguiding is a charitable organisation.
Pax Hill, near Bentley, Hampshire, England, was the family home of Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Scout movement, and his wife, Olave, for over twenty years during the 20th century. It is located at the end of a half-mile drive, off the main A31 road.
The National Scout and Guide Symphony Orchestra (NSGSO) was formed in 1976 by George Odam and Sue Stevens as a joint youth orchestra of The Scout Association and Girlguiding in the United Kingdom.
Scouting and Guiding in Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha is administered by the United Kingdom Scout Association and Girlguiding UK, due to Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha's affiliations as a British Overseas Territory.
Lone Guides or Lones are Girl Guides and Girl Scouts who do not attend group meetings for a variety of reasons. They are organised into groups that keep in touch, for example, by letter or email. Members carry out their organisation's normal programme on their own as much as they are able. The first official Lone Guides started in 1912 in the UK. Many countries have Lone Guides.
Girlguiding London and South East England is one of the nine Regions and Countries of Girlguiding. Region HQ is in Wandsworth Common, London. The Chief Commissioner is currently Amanda Tessel.
Rose Margaret Guthrie Kerr was a British pioneer of the Guiding movement.
The World Conference is the governing body of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts and meets every three years. If a country has more than one association, the associations form a federation for coordination and world representation.
Clarita Elizabeth Hartley, OBE was active in the Girl Guiding movement both in the United Kingdom and internationally.
The Rt. Hon. Enid Lawson, Baroness Burnham CBE served as the Girl Guide Chief Commissioner for England.
Marguerite de Beaumont was a Girl Guide leader, horse breeder, author and poet. She published biographies of Lord and Lady Baden-Powell, and was a recipient of the Silver Fish Award, Girl Guiding’s highest adult honour.
Allison Greenlees formed a group of girl scouts before it was possible for her to become Scotland's first ever Girl Guide and a founder member of Girlguiding Scotland.
Mary Cuningham Chater, MBE was an English composer, author, music advisor to the Girl Guides Association and editor of several Girl Guide songbooks. She was a recipient of the Silver Fish Award, the highest adult honour in Girl Guiding.
Dame Anstice Gibbs, DCVO, CBE was the Chief Commissioner of the Girl Guides Association in the UK for ten years, and vice-chair of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) from 1957 to 1960.
Lady Helen Whitaker was County Commissioner for Hampshire Girl Guides from 1917 to 1924 and Commissioner for British Guides Abroad. She was one of the earliest recipients of the Silver Fish Award, Girl Guiding's highest adult honour.
Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten were offered many cakes from well-wishers around the world for their wedding on 20 November 1947. Of these they accepted 12. The principal, ‘official’ cake, served at the wedding breakfast, was baked by the Scottish biscuit maker, McVitie and Price. The other 11 cakes – from prominent confectionary firms and smaller, family-run bakers – were displayed on “specially strengthened tables” in Buckingham Palace’s 20-metre long Blue Drawing Room, and distributed to charitable organisations after the wedding. All the cakes were delivered to Buckingham Palace the day before the wedding ceremony, with Princess Elizabeth greeting each arrival personally.
Ann Kindersley was a Girl Guide leader, trainer and writer. She was Commissioner of Girl Guides for France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Italy.
Rosa Ward OBE, JP was a pioneer of the Girl Guide movement. She was chair of the Guide International Service from 1942 to 1954. She was a recipient of the Silver Fish Award, the movement's highest adult honour.
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