The Silver Fish Award is the highest adult award in

Girlguiding Girlguiding is the operating name of The Guide Association, previously named The Girl Guides Association and is the national guiding organisation of the United Kingdom. It is the UK's largest girl-only youth organisation. Girlguiding is a char ...

. 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.

Award for Girl Scouts of USA

Around the time of the foundation of the

Girl Scouts of the USA Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA), commonly referred to as simply Girl Scouts, is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. Founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912, it was organized a ...

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 Julia Cobb Crowell (June 27, 1877 – January 16, 1957), known socially as Mrs. Benedict Crowell, was a clubwoman in Cleveland, Ohio, and an early leader of Girl Scouting in the United States. She was married to military officer and politician B ...

, 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. 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.

Award criteria

History

Award for Girl Guides

Award for Girl Scouts of USA

Award for adults

Recipients

1911–1919

1920–1929

1930–1939

1940–1949

1950–1959

1960–1969

1970–1979

1980–1989

1990–1999

2000 onwards

Date of award unknown

See also

References