Wikipedia / Silver Fish Award
Wikipedia / Silver Fish Award
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.
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, have done outstanding service to Guiding in more than one capacity and made a contribution to world Guiding. Ideally candidates should be at least 18 months from retirement and have held an appointment within 6 months of the nomination.
History
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.
Award for Girl Guides
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. 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. This was later reduced to fifteen and, additionally, good all round work was required. A. M. Irvine published the Girl Guide story Nora, the Girl Guide; or, From Tenderfoot to Silver Fish in 1913.
By 1918 a Silver Fish was awarded by headquarters "on the recommendation of County Commissioners for some very special Service to the Movement". In May 1918 The Girl Guides Gazette reported that the requirements for the Silver Fish would change in order to capture the award's "original character" and that it would become "the highest award that was given and not gained."
Award for Girl Scouts of USA
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.
Five American women were awarded the Silver Fish:
Juliette Gordon Low, founder of Girl Scouts USA
Anne Hyde Choate, Juliette's goddaughter and the second president of Girl Scouts USA
Helen Storrow, donor of Our Chalet
Jane Deeter Rippin, National Director of GSUSA
Julia Cobb Crowell, Chair of the Committee
Award for adults
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. Percy Everett, one of the "original Brownsea campers" was GGA's Hon. secretary in the early years. He was awarded the Silver Fish in June 1921. 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.
Recipients
1911–1919
Recipient | Year | Notes |
née Maude (1893–1982) | 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. |
(1895–1935) | 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. |
1914 | ||
1915 | ||
1916 | ||
1916 | ||
GBE (1889–1977) | 1918 | Chief Guide. She received a special 'Golden Fish' "as a public recognition of her wonderful work" |
1918 | Patrol leader, 1st Royal Eltham | |
1918 | Patrol leader, 1st Pendleton | |
1918 | First Guide to earn the Silver Fish Award in India | |
(1896–1955) | 1918 | Captain, 1st Addington |
1918 | Lieutenant, 2nd Ealing | |
1918 | Lieutenant, 1st Durham | |
1918 | District commissioner, South Manchester | |
1918 | Lieutenant, 1st Pendleton | |
1918 | Patrol leader, 2nd Ealing | |
1918 | Patrol Leader, 1st Kingston | |
1918 | Lieutenant, 1st Claremont | |
1918 | Captain, 4th Woking | |
1918 | Captain, 9th Birkenhead | |
1919 | 1st Woking | |
1919 | Lieutenant, 1st Wolverhampton (YWCA) | |
1919 | Patrol leader, 2nd Ealing | |
1919 | ||
(1860–1927) | 1919 | Founder of Girl Scouts of the USA. She was buried wearing full uniform and her Silver Fish Award. This was one of the first adult awards |
1919 | Captain, 1st Kidderminster | |
1919 | Lieutenant, 2nd Woking | |
1919 | Patrol leader, 1st Muswell Hill | |
1919 | Lieutenant, 1st South Manchester |
1920–1929
Recipient | Year | Notes |
1920 | Provincial commissioner, Transvaal | |
(1890–1929) | 1920 | County commissioner, Hampshire |
1921 | For saving a young boy's life by pulling him out from under a lorry | |
(1886–1967) | 1921 | Second president of Girl Scouts USA |
(1863–1953) | 1921 | County commissioner, Devon |
1921 | County commissioner, Dublin | |
1921 | GGA Hon. treasurer | |
1921 | For rescuing someone who was drowning | |
OBE | 1921 | Division commissioner, Wimbledon Awarded Silver Fish twice |
(1864–1944) | 1921 | Deputy chief commissioner, Wales |
(1857–1924) | 1921 | First chief commissioner, Girl Guides of Canada (1912–1921) |
(1864–1944) | 1921 | Donor of Our Chalet |
(1863–1946) | 1921 | County Commissioner, Warwickshire |
(1871–1959) | 1922 | Cadet branch, head. County commissioner, Worcestershire |
1922 | Deputy chief commissioner, Scotland | |
MBE (1886–1967) | 1922 | First County commissioner (1916) First heraldry advisor |
(1879–1969) | 1922 | Deputy chief commissioner, Wales |
1923 | District commissioner, Clevedon | |
1923 | Chief commissioner, Canada | |
1924 | Great Brown Owl | |
1924 | Chief's diploma, "for excellent service to the movement both at home and abroad" | |
1924 | For good service to the movement in Australia | |
1925 | Imperial council | |
(1897–1965) | 1925 | Honorary president, Girl Guides Association from 1920 until her death |
1925 | Head of camping, Scotland | |
1925 | Head of training for Scotland | |
1925 | Assistant county commissioner, Warwickshire | |
1925 | County commissioner, Cheshire | |
1926 | Division commissioner, Kingston | |
1925 | Division commissioner, Bath | |
1927 | ||
OBE (1893–1984) | 1928 | Chief commissioner, WalesChair, Guide International Service (1942–1954) |
| 1929 | Head of Rangers |
(d. 1989) | 1929 | Great Brown Owl |
1929 | Scottish Chief Commissioner | |
1929 | Chief Commissioner |
1930–1939
Recipient | Year | Notes |
MBE | 1930 | General secretary, London headquarters |
1931 | Division commissioner, South-East Victoria, State committee, Victoria, Australia | |
(1885–1958) | 1931 | Acting State commissioner, New South Wales. First Australian recipient. |
1931 | Commissioner for Lone Guides, South Africa, Editor, South African Guide magazine | |
1931 | Provincial commissioner, Transvaal, South Africa | |
1931 | Provincial commissioner, Bengal | |
1931 | Outstanding work in connection with the 1927 Dominion Guides camp held in Australia | |
CBE (1896–1981) | 1931 | State commissioner, Victorian Girl Guides, AustraliaGirl Guides Association chief commissioner (1943–1949) |
1931 | Chief commissioner, New Zealand | |
1932 | Island commissioner, Jamaica | |
1932 | Commissioner for overseas Guiding | |
(1872–1951) | 1932 | Chair, All-India executive committee |
1933 | Deputy chief commissioner, Wales | |
1933 | Chair, committee of the council | |
1933 | State chief commissioner, South Australia | |
1933 | Eagle Owl of Canada | |
(1899–1989) | 1934 | Cambridgeshire County commissioner. One of the girls who showed up at Crystal Palace Rally in 1909 wanting to be Scouts. |
1934 | Chief State commissioner, New South Wales, Australia | |
1933 | Commissioner for extensions | |
1934 | Bedfordshire's first County commissioner (1917–1938) | |
1934 | Divisional commissioner, Woking | |
1934 | Excellent service to the movement | |
1935 | South Africa Girl Guides, president | |
1936 | Commissioner, Egypt | |
1936 | Funding London's East End Scouting home, Roland House | |
1936 | Durham County commissionerExecutive committee of the Council at Imperial Headquarters (1932–1935) | |
1936 | County commissioner, Yorkshire | |
(d.1959) | 1937 | Provincial commissioner, Burma |
(1869–1958) | 1937 | Ulster chief commissioner |
1937 | Scottish post and extension branches | |
(1891–1964) | 1937 | Girl Guide Association, Manitoba, Canada |
(1893–1945) | 1937 | County commissioner, Angus and AberdeenshireScottish executive committee member |
OBE | 1937 | Deputy chief commissioner, Ireland |
JP | 1937 | Assistant County commissioner, Fife |
OBE | 1937 | Executive committee, vice-chair |
1938 | Provincial commissioner, Bengal | |
1938 | Kent County commissioner | |
1938 | Edinburgh County commissioner | |
MVO | 1938 | Council of Girl Guides Association (1927–1961) |
1939 | Commissioner for extensions | |
(1894–1962) | 1939 | Imperial commissioner, training |
(1896–1979) | 1939 | Scotland's first GuidePresident of Scottish GGA, VP of GGA |
1939 | Chief commissioner, India | |
1939 | Assistant County commissioner, KentAssistant commissioner, awards | |
1939 | County commissioner, Midlothian | |
1939 | Provincial commissioner, United Provinces, India | |
MBE | 1939 | Commissioner for Hebrew Guides, Jerusalem |
(1890–1961) | 1939 | Dominion secretary, Canada (1920–1941) |
1940–1949
Recipient | Year | Notes |
1940 | Organising commissioner, Argentina | |
1940 | Hon. secretary, Overseas Association | |
1940 | Island commissioner, Jamaica | |
1942 | District commissioner, Canterbury City Guides. Awarded for gallantry during an air raid | |
1942 | Commissioner, Madras | |
1942 | Hon treasurer, All India | |
1943 | Chief commissioner, Scotland | |
1943 | Chief commissioner, India | |
MBE | 1943 | |
1943 | Provincial commissioner, Punjab | |
1944 | Chief commissioner, Canada | |
DBE (1888–1972) | 1944 | Chair of Guiding Association's executive committee for 10 years from 1938 |
(1881–1950) | 1944 | Deputy chief commissioner, Ulster |
OBE | 1944 | Guider-in-charge, Foxlease |
1944 | Dundee County commissioner | |
(1903–1985) | 1945 | Active in New Zealand and as a trainer internationally |
JP (1883-1966) | 1945 | County commissioner, Birmingham |
1945 | Chief commissioner, India | |
DCVO, CBE (1905–1978) | 1945 | Chief commissioner and chair of British Commonwealth Girl Guides Association (1956–1966)Vice-chair of WAGGGS (1957–1960) |
MBE (1904–1980) | 1945 | Chair of Welsh Guide CouncilChief commissioner, Wales |
(1878–1972) | 1945 | Chief commissioner, New South Wales, Australia |
1945 | Division commissioner, S E Hertfordshire | |
(1898–1980 ) | 1945 | Edinburgh County commissioner |
(1902–1988) | 1946 | Chair, All-India training subcommittee |
1946 | Hertfordshire County commissioner | |
1947 | Imperial commissioner, Brownies | |
OBE | 1947 | Dominion secretary, New Zealand |
1947 | Commissioner for training | |
OBE (1886–1948) | 1947 | Tasmanian state commissioner (1940–1948) |
OBE | 1947 | Commissioner for Girl Guides, Western Australia |
MBE | 1947 | Chief commissioner and training advisor, Southern Rhodesia |
1948 | Chief commissioner, Canada | |
(1899–1974) | 1948 | Chief Commissioner of Guides Australia, Federal Secretary |
CBE (1889–1993) | 1948 | Chief commissioner, New Zealand (1934–1961) |
(1882–1959) | 1948 | Commissioner, Australia State commissioner, South Australia (1938–1950) |
1948 | Chair, Scottish public relations committee | |
1949 | Scottish chief commissioner (1946–1950) | |
1949 | Deputy chief commissioner, New Zealand |
1950–1959
Recipient | Year | Notes |
OBE (1903–1994) | 1950 | Chair, Girl Guides AssociationChair and vice-patron, Trefoil Guild |
1950 | County commissioner, Glasgow | |
(1906–1973) | 1950 | State commissioner, Queensland, Australia |
(1901–1953) | 1950 | Chief commissioner, Malaya and Singapore |
1950 | Chief commissioner, Canada | |
1951 | Publications committee | |
1951 | Chief commissioner, India | |
MBE (1896–1990) | 1951 | Music advisor, Girl Guides Association (1949–1961) |
1951 | Deputy chief commissioner, India | |
1951 | Brownie advisor | |
1951 | Rangers commissioner, England | |
1951 | Chief commissioner, Ceylon | |
1951 | Chief commissioner, Pakistan Girl Guides Association | |
1951 | Island commissioner, Barbados | |
CBE (1894–1979) | 1952 | Girl Guide chief commissioner, England |
OBE | 1952 | Chief commissioner, Ulster |
1952 | Commissioner for training, Jamaica | |
(1879-1986) | 1952 | Executive committee. Chair, education panel |
MBE | 1952 | Guide International Service commissionerTasmania state commissioner (1956–1962) |
OBE | 1953 | |
(1891-1970) | 1953 | Assistant state commissioner, Victoria, AustraliaPresident, Victoria Guide International Service |
1953 | Division commissioner, Western Transvaal | |
1953 | Chief commissioner, South Africa | |
CBE (1901–1956) | 1953 | Chief commissioner, British Commonwealth (1949–1956) |
1954 | Chief commissioner, Scotland | |
OBE | 1954 | Commissioner, British Guides in Foreign Countries |
1954 | Chair, Sussex County camping committee | |
OBE (1906–1986) | 1954 | Chief commissioner of Guides, AustraliaWorld committee of WAGGGS (1955–1962) |
OBE | 1954 | Treasurer, WAGGGS |
1955 | Commissioner for British Guides, Egypt | |
1955 | Chief commissioner, South Africa | |
1955 | Training advisor, Australia | |
MBE (1906–1985) | 1955 | Guide International Service team leader |
MBE (d.1991) | 1956 | County commissioner, Essex (1947–1957) |
1956 | State commissioner, South Australia | |
1957 | Post box secretary, CHQ and England | |
1957 | Commonwealth camp advisor | |
1957 | Commissioner, Kenya | |
1957 | Commissioner for training, Cyprus | |
MBE (1894–1979) | 1957 | Chief commissioner, Ulster |
OBE | 1957 | County commissioner, Yorkshire Central |
(1908-1978) | 1957 | For international service, and untiring work in Hampshire |
1957 | Chief commissioner, Canada | |
MBE | 1957 | Training advisor, England |
1958 | Provincial commissioner, Natal, South Africa | |
(1897–1982) | 1958 | Captain, 1st Alderbury Company, Wiltshire |
OBE | 1958 | Chief commissioner, Southern Rhodesia |
1959 | Ranger branch committee, chair | |
1959 | Camp advisor, Victoria, Australia |
1960–1969
Recipient | Year | Notes |
1960 | Training advisor, Australia | |
1960 | Commonwealth training advisor | |
1960 | Deputy chief commissioner, England | |
OBE (1906–1996) | 1960 | Deputy chief commissioner, England |
(1907–1981) | 1960 | Publications committee, chair |
MBE (1908-1994) | 1960 | Deputy chief commissioner |
1961 | Provincial treasurer, Transvaal, South Africa | |
1961 | International commissioner, South Africa | |
1962 | Training advisor, New South Wales, Australia | |
1962 | Assistant state commissioner, Victoria, Australia | |
1962 | Chief commissioner, Canada | |
OBE | 1962 | General secretary, Commonwealth headquarters |
1963 | Queensland, Australia | |
OBE (1911–2011) | 1963 | Chief Commissioner for England (1961–1970). Chair of WAGGGS (1972–1975) |
MBE (1920–2011) | 1963 | Guide International Service volunteer, trainer and author |
1963 | Victoria, Australia' | |
1963 | ||
DBE | 1963 | Director, World Bureau |
1963 | South Australia | |
1965 | Egyptian Federation for Scouts and Girl Guides, also extremely active in sports for girls in Egypt | |
OBE (1901–1992) | 1966 | Chief Commissioner of Guides Australia (1962–1968) |
1967 | One of the original founders of the Girl Guide movement, County commissioner, Gloucestershire | |
(1909–1990) | 1967 | Ran Our Chalet. |
OBE, CMG (1915–2009) | 1967 | Australian Chief Commissioner (1968–1973), Chairman of WAGGGS, Vice President of Olave Baden-Powell Society (1985–1994) |
(1930–2002) | 1968 | President of the Guides |
MBE | 1968 | Deputy chief commissioner of the Commonwealth, Commissioner for the Branch Association within the Commonwealth |
DCVRO | 1969 | In recognition of her wide and selfless service to the Association |
1970–1979
Recipient | Year | Notes |
1970 | Commonwealth advisor, Gloucestershire | |
1970 | Chief commissioner, Canada | |
MBE (1915-1991) | 1971 | Chair, Diamond Jubilee Coordinating Committee |
1971 | New Zealand Guide Handbook, author | |
(1907–1986) | 1971 | Chief Commissioner for New Zealand |
MBE | 1972 | Chief Commissioner, Jamaica |
| 1973 | State Commissioner, South Australia |
| 1974 | Deputy Chief Commissioner, GGA |
1976 | Chief Commissioner, Canada | |
1978 | Executive Director, Girl Guides of Canada | |
OBE | 1978 | Chair, Overseas Committee for Girl Guides. Commissioner in Gibraltar and Malta. |
JP | 1979 | Chief Commissioner of GGA |
1980–1989
Recipient | Year | Notes |
1980 | Training advisor, Wales | |
1980 | Chief commissioner, Ulster | |
OBE, DL (1931-2020) | 1980 | Vice chair, WAGGGS |
1981 | ||
1981 | Editor, Guiding in Australia magazine | |
JP | 1981 | Chief commissioner, Ulster |
1981 | New Zealand guiding | |
(1917–2002) | 1982 | County commissioner, London South West |
1983 | General commissioner for special projects, Barbados | |
OBE | 1985 | Outstanding service to Guiding in the fields of law and finance, Australia |
OAM | 1985 | Commissioner for training, WAGGGS |
1988 | Chief commissioner, Scotland | |
1989 | Deputy chief commissioner | |
CBE | 1989 | Chief commissioner, Commonwealth |
1990–1999
1990 | Commissioner for Branch Associations | |
1990 | Chief commissioner, Ulster | |
1990 | Programme and training advisor | |
1990 | Chair of uniform panel | |
1992 | Community involvement and development advisor, County trainer, Staffordshire | |
1993 | Advisor, British Guides in Foreign Countries | |
1994 | Chief commissioner | |
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. |
1998 | Chair of programme and training for GGA |
2000 onwards
Recipient | Year | Notes |
2015 | Special needs advisor, British Guides in Foreign Countries | |
2016 | Chair, WAGGGS board of trustees | |
2016 | Advisor, Girlguiding's overseas branches | |
2016 | Deputy chief guide | |
MBE | 2018 | Chief commissioner, British Girlguiding Overseas |
2020 | Safeguarding leader, British Girlguiding Overseas | |
MBE | 2024 | County Commissioner, Girlguiding Sussex West, and Lead Volunteer World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, for services to young people |
2025 | Duke of Edinburgh Award adviser, Girlguiding Cymru |
Date of award unknown
Recipient | Year | Notes |
(1877–1957) | First Girl Scout commissioner, Cleveland, USA | |
(1879–1965) | Chief commissioner, New South Wales, Australia | |
OBE (1882–1994) | One of the founders of the RangersInvolved in the formation of WAGGGS | |
(1882–1953) | National director, Girl Scouts of the USA (1919–1930) | |
(1883–1953) | ||
(1885–1952) | First commissioner, first head of training | |
(1886–1978) | Chief Scout of Norsk Speiderpikeforbund (1927–1935). Designed World Flag | |
(1887–1977) | Stores commissioner, | |
(1896–1981) | Chief commissioner, England | |
(1901–1987) | ||
MBE (1904–1992) | Founder, Guide Friendship Fund | |
(1905–1998) | Division commissioner | |
State commissioner, Victoria, Australia | ||
India Girl Guides | ||
(d. 1985) | Scottish executive committee | |
India Girl Guides. She also had a Silver Elephant Award | ||
(d. 1977) | Camp trainer |
See also
Thanks Badge Girl Scouts of USA highest adult honour
Silver Wolf Award for distinguished service to Scouting in the UK
References