Essay
Girls who would not wait
How Guiding began, 1908–1920: girls who called themselves Scouts, the adults who gave them a scheme of their own, and the argument about what girls should do.
Longer reads
Essays
Six essays on the big themes of Guiding history, each sourced, and each clear about what is still uncertain.
These essays draw together the timeline, people and objects on this site. Each one starts with a short summary, cites its sources, and says where the evidence runs out.
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Essay
Girls and the outdoors
Camping, hiking and fresh air were at the heart of Guiding's appeal. They were also managed, costly and not open to everyone equally.
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Essay
War and service
In two world wars Guides grew food, raised money, carried messages and, after 1945, worked in relief camps across Europe and beyond. How much did girls actually do, and how do we know?
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Essay
Empire and internationalism
Guiding grew up inside the British Empire and became a world movement. How much did the move from empire to world association change, and who decided?
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Essay
Badges, uniforms and handbooks
What Guides wore, earned and read, and what those objects can and cannot tell us about the girls who used them.
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Essay
Who could belong?
Disability, race, belief, class and gender identity: how the question of who could join Guiding has been answered, and re-answered, since 1910.