Biographies of past members
Vera was born in 1904 and became a Guide in Cheltenham in the 1920’s. She went to work at CHQ in 1928 in London and became the editor of ‘the Guide’ magazine until her marriage to Richard Pain in 1934. During this time she organised a rally for 27,000 Guides and Rangers in London and travelled around the UK in the guide car ‘Gulliver’.
After her marriage she lived in India and was of course involved in Guiding there. Back in England during WWII she did secretive work for Guiding. She married her second husband in 1955 and she joined WAGGGS in 1954 during this time she founded the Guide Friendship Fund in 1964 and administered it until 1977. She returned to Gloucestershire in 1966 and became County Commonwealth Adviser and was Mid Gloucestershire Division President. She also began the League of Friends of Deer Park.
She was awarded the Silver Fish by CHQ in 1970, MBE in 1975 and Gloucestershire County Award in 1982.
After her marriage she lived in India and was of course involved in Guiding there. Back in England during WWII she did secretive work for Guiding. She married her second husband in 1955 and she joined WAGGGS in 1954 during this time she founded the Guide Friendship Fund in 1964 and administered it until 1977. She returned to Gloucestershire in 1966 and became County Commonwealth Adviser and was Mid Gloucestershire Division President. She also began the League of Friends of Deer Park.
She was awarded the Silver Fish by CHQ in 1970, MBE in 1975 and Gloucestershire County Award in 1982.
Mildred started the first Rodborough Guides in 1914 with her sister as Captain and they had a visit from Lord and Lady Baden-Powell in 1916. She took over from her sister and continued running the company until 1936 when she moved to Amberley. She was County Secretary from 1941 to 1961 and in 1951 was presented with Beaver Award. After Mildred died in 1964 it was decided to obtain a County HQ and after lots of searching Deer Park was built in her memory.
Having volunteered for Scouts in France during War she returned to England 1916. She was persuaded to join Guiding by Lady BP herself and became the first County Commissioner 1916-1922. In 1922 she resigned to become Deputy Chief Commissioner for SW Midlands and was awarded Silver Fish in 1924.
Born in 1921 Pauline was a Guide and Ranger in Seven Oaks, Kent with her 2 older sisters in the 1930s. At the beginning of the war the family moved to Oxfordshire and the sisters started the 1st Cinnor Guides. She moved to Cheltenham around 1943 to teach music at the Cheltenham Ladies College. She became a Lieutenant at St James Guides and in 1945 moved to become the Guider of 11th Cheltenham (Highbury) Guides where she stayed until she retired in 1973. She obtained her Guide Training diploma in 1954 with a music specialism and ran many campfires and trainings nationally as well as music camps within the county.
Pauline was awarded the medal of Merit in 1963. She produced the Brownie pageant ‘The Tailor of Gloucester’ which was part of the County Rally in 1964, being presented to Olave Lady Baden-Powell, which she was very proud of. She was also very involved in the Guides Alive Pageant held in 1985. She was awarded the Gloucestershire County Award in 1986.
Pauline was awarded the medal of Merit in 1963. She produced the Brownie pageant ‘The Tailor of Gloucester’ which was part of the County Rally in 1964, being presented to Olave Lady Baden-Powell, which she was very proud of. She was also very involved in the Guides Alive Pageant held in 1985. She was awarded the Gloucestershire County Award in 1986.
Sybil was one of the girls who attended the Scouts Rally in London and asked for girls to have something for them and became a Guide in 1910 in the 1 st London Company. She held various appointments in many different Counties as well as Malta where she joined her husband where she became island Commissioner. In 1961 she came to Gloucestershire and became County Commissioner until 1967. She moved away again and returned to the county in1979 joining the Trefoil Guild. She was awarded the Silver Fish award in 1967 and the County Award in 1987.
Eileen was a Guide in 2nd Cheltenham Guides in 1910 and later became the Brown Owl of the 17th Cheltenham (Bethesda) Brownie Pack from 1926. She became a Brownie Trainer in 1949 and was awarded the medal of Merit in 1952. She was the first Brownie Adviser in the County in the 1940’s and received a Gloucestershire County Award in 1975.