Agnes Baden-Powell - The Guide Movement

The Guide Movement

Following the creation of the Boy Scout Association, Robert Baden-Powell organised a gathering of Scouts at the Crystal Palace in London in 1909. He was upset to see amongst the many Girl Scouts gathered a small group without tickets who had gatecrashed the event.

Popular opinion at this time was against mixed activities for girls, growing pressure forced Robert Baden-Powell to consider setting up a separate organisation for the Girl Scouts, and having been turned down by first aid societies, he approached his only surviving sister, Agnes, who reluctantly agreed to take on the organising of the new sister group, Girl Guides. Agnes Baden-Powell's character was useful in counteracting negative opinions of the new Girl Guides. A friend wrote of her:

Anyone who had come into touch with her gentle influence, her interest in all womanly arts, and her love of birds, insects, and flowers, would scoff at the idea of her being the president of a sort of Amazon Cadet Corps.

In 1909, Robert Baden-Powell published "Pamphlet A: Baden-Powell Girl Guides, a Suggestion for Character Training for Girls" and "Pamphlet B: Baden-Powell Girl Guides, a Suggestion for Character Training for Girls". These were precursors to the handbook.

By April, 1910, there were 6,000 young girls registered as Girl Guides. In 1912, Agnes brought about the formation of the 1st Lone Company and was the de facto President of The Girl Guide Association.

During this time, Agnes set to create the Guides' first handbook. Entitled "The Handbook for the Girl Guides or How Girls Can Help to Build Up the Empire", and published in 1912, it was a reworking of the Scouting for Boys book written by Robert several years earlier. The Girl Guide Movement was given official recognition in 1915. In 1916 the new County Commissioners voted Olave Baden-Powell into the new post of Chief Guide, and Agnes was offered the honorary post of President which she reluctantly accepted.

In 1917, following pressure, Agnes resigned from the Presidency in favor of Princess Mary, who was also a keen supporter of the Girl Guides.

Agnes continued in her role as Vice-President until her death.