The Silver Fish is the highest adult award in Girlguiding UK. It is awarded for outstanding service to Girlguiding UK combined with service to world Guiding. The award has changed greatly since it first appeared in 1909, 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 UK award.

Contents 1 Award criteria 2 History 3 Recipients 4 See also 5 References

[edit] Award criteria

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 UK, 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]

[edit] History

The award of Silver Fish existed from the beginning of the Guiding movement. It 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.^[2] 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.^[3] This was later reduced to fifteen and, additionally, good all round work was required.^[2] The award was considered a sign of a girl 'who could make her way upstream'.

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.^[4]

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.

The award became the highest in worldwide Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting^[5], but then changed to become a Girlguiding UK specific award.

Olave Baden-Powell was presented with a gold Silver Fish in 1918, then the only one of its kind. In 1995, Betty Clay was presented with a gold Silver Fish in the form of a brooch.

[edit] Recipients

• Safiya Abdel-Rahman^[6] (given 1965) Egyptian Federation for Scouts and Girl Guides, also extremely active in sports for girls in Egypt
• Vera Armstrong^[7]
• Nesta G. Ashworth nee Maude[1] (given 1911 old-style [one of the first], also given 1920). One of the girls who showed up at Crystal Palace Rally in 1909 wanting to be Scouts. Later instrumental in the setup of Lone Guides.[2]
• Olave Baden-Powell^[2]. Chief Guide. She received a special Silver Fish.
• Gladys "Jim" Buntine^[8] (given 1966) Chief Commissioner of Guides Australia
• Mona Burgin ^[7][9] (1903–1985) (given 1945) Active in New Zealand and as a trainer internationally
• Enid, Lady Burnham ^[7] (1894–1979) Girl Guide Chief Commissioner for England
• Mary Chater ^[7] Music advisor
• Betty Clay^[10]. Active in Guiding in both Northern Rhodesia and England. Daughter of Lord and Lady Baden-Powell. She received a special Silver Fish.
• The Honorable Lady Cochrane ^[7]
• The Honorable Beryl Cozens-Hardy ^[7]
• Lady Davies ^[7]
• Irene Fairbairn^[11] (given 1947) Chief Commissioner of Guides Australia
• Betty Fripp ^[7]
• Dame Anstice Gobbs ^[7]
• Dame Helen Gwynne-Vaughan ^[7] (GBE) (1879–1967)
• Elizabeth Hartley^[7]
• Ruth Herrick, (given 1949) ^[12]
• Gwen Hesketh ^[7]
• Rose Kerr ^[7]. One of the founders of the Rangers
• Alix Liddell ^[7]
• Eleanor Manning^[8] (given 1954) Chief Commissioner of Guides Australia, World Committee of WAGGGS
• Dame Joan Marsham ^[7], chairman of the Guiding Association's executive committee for 10 years starting in 1938.
• Margaret Martin ^[7]
• Princess Mary^[2]
• A. M. Maynard ^[7]
• Lady Pellatt^[13] (given 1922) first Chief Commissioner for Girl Guides of Canada (1912-1921)
• Joyce Price^[14] (given 1967) Australian Chief Commissioner, Chairman of the World Committee of WAGGGS
• Shylie Katherine Rymill, (given 1948) ^[5]. Australian Girl Guide Commissioner. Her son Henry Rymill was also involved in Scouting.
• The Lady Stratheden and Campbell ^[7] (?–1956) Girl Guide Chief Commissioner for the British Commonwealth
• Violet Synge ^[7] Chief Commissioner of England
• Verona Wallace Williamson ^[7]
• Penelope Wood-Hill ^[7]
• Rosa Ward ^[7]

[edit] See also

• Bronze Wolf

[edit] References

• Forbes, Cynthia. 1910... and then?. 
• Kerr, Rose (1976). Story of the Girl Guides 1908-1938. Great Britain: Girl Guides Association. 
• "Betty Has Gone Home". http://pinetreeweb.com/betty-clay.htm. Retrieved 2006-09-25.