Alice Behrens

Alice Behrens Gaddum
Behrens from a 1927 newspaper
Born
Alice Muriel Behrens

23 April 1885
Dunham Massey, Altrincham, Cheshire, England
Died28 June 1952(1952-06-28) (aged 67)
Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Other namesMrs Arthur Gaddum
Lady Behrens
Spouse
Arthur Graham Gaddum
​
​
(m. 1929)​
[1]
Children1
Parent(s)Sir Charles Behrens and Emily, Lady Behrens

Alice Gaddum née Behrens (23 April 1885 - 28 June 1952) was Girl Guiding pioneer, becoming the movement's first de facto commissioner in 1914.[2] She was the movement’s first head of training,[3] oversaw the senior Guides, which would evolve into Rangers[4] and was the first Guider-in-Charge at Foxlease. She was a recipient of the Silver Fish Award, the Girl Guide movement's highest adult honour.[5]

Personal life

[edit]

Born to Sir Charles and Lady Emily Behrens, Alice was the youngest of three sisters.[6] She married neighbour and Scout commissioner Arthur Gaddum (1874-1948) in 1929, moving to Cheshire, close to both their former homes. They had one daughter. Around 1933 they moved to Orielton House on the Pembrokeshire coast[7][8] where Gaddum took a keen interest in supporting the local hospital.[9] Arthur died in 1948. In her later years she suffered ill health and became blind.[10][11]

Girl Guides

[edit]

Alice joined the Girl Guides in 1913 where she met and learnt from Lord Baden-Powell. With encouragement from Helen Malcolm, she became the first de facto commissioner for Guides in Manchester, Salford and district,[12][13] "even before that position as such had been invented," the movement's still being in its "chrysalis stage."[14][15] Between 1913 and 1915 the number of Guides in the region increased from 200 to 2,000.[16]

In August 1914 she organised a Hadfield Girl Guide centre at the Ancoats University Settlement which functioned as a "modified labour bureau". Guides volunteered their time in a variety of ways as part of the war effort, including clerical work, cleaning and acting as "patients" for trainee nurses to practice on.[17]

In 1915, Baden-Powell asked Gaddum to arrange a conference of the approximately 25 commissioners located around Britain. It was held in Matlock, Derbyshire the following year. After Olave Baden-Powell became the movement's first chief commissioner, she "sought [Gaddum's] advice unceasingly."[18] In 1916 she devised and arranged a "Challenge Shield" – a competition featuring a broad range of challenges - for 110 Manchester Guide companies.[19] Gaddum subsequently became the Girl Guides' first head of training,[20] and in 1917 oversaw the senior Guides (a forerunner to today's Rangers). She also served as East Lancashire's county commissioner,[21] deputy chief commissioner of the north of England,[22] head of training for headquarters[23] and a member of the central executive committee.[24] She became the first person from the London headquarters to visit Southern Rhodesia in an official capacity after it started Guiding in 1919. In Australia she trained leaders who would go on to volunteer with the Guide International Service after WWII.[25] She published The Girl Guides' Book of Games in 1920.[26]

When Foxlease was donated to the movement by Mrs Archbold, Gaddum became its first Guider-in-charge in 1922.[27][28] She subsequently travelled internationally working with Guides in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa.[29][30] In 1924 she was responsible for the programme of a world camp held at Foxlease.[31][32] She served as Girl Guides' chief commissioner for South-East Lancashire from 1914 to 1935.[33]

After her marriage in 1929 she cut back on her Guiding duties but remained a member of the headquarters council.[34] In November 1952, following her death, the Mrs. Gaddum Memorial Fund was established.[35]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005
  2. ^ Ray King (11 November 1970). "Girl guides have kept the camp fires burning". Manchester Evening News. Manchester, UK. p. 14.
  3. ^ "Girl Guides". The Tweed Daily. Murwillumbah, Australia. 21 July 1926. p. 2.
  4. ^ Margaret Jones (20 May 1960). "They salute 50 great years". Manchester Evening News. Manchester, UK. p. 10.
  5. ^ Margaret Jones (20 May 1960). "They salute 50 great years". Manchester Evening News. Manchester, UK. p. 10.
  6. ^ "Mrs Alice Gaddum". The Guardian. Manchester, UK. 11 July 1952. p. 12.
  7. ^ "Mrs Alice Gaddum". The Guardian. Manchester, UK. 11 July 1952. p. 12.
  8. ^ "Orielton to become a nature reserve". Western Mail. Cardiff, UK. 2 November 1954. p. 3.
  9. ^ "Obituary". Western Mail. Cardiff, UK. 30 June 1952. p. 3.
  10. ^ Olave Baden-Powell (August 1952). "Alice Gaddum 1885 - 1952". The Guider (Vol. XXXIX No. 8 ed.). London, UK: Girl Guides Association. p. 161.
  11. ^ Margaret E Poskitt (16 October 1952). "Memorial Fun". The Bolton News. Bolton, UK. p. 2.
  12. ^ Ray King (11 November 1970). "Girl guides have kept the camp fires burning". Manchester Evening News. Manchester, UK. p. 14.
  13. ^ "County and District warrant commissioners". The Girl Guides' Gazette (No. 26 ed.). London, UK: Girl Guides Association. February 1916. p. 24.
  14. ^ Olave Baden-Powell (August 1952). "Alice Gaddum 1885 - 1952". The Guider (Vol. XXXIX No. 8 ed.). London, UK: Girl Guides Association. p. 161.
  15. ^ "Useful work by Girl Guides". The Guardian. Manchester, UK. 25 August 1914. p. 7.
  16. ^ "North Country News". The Queen. London, UK. 12 June 1915. p. 58.
  17. ^ "How Girl Guides are helping during the war". Glossop Dale Chronicle and North Derbyshire Reporter. Glossop, UK. 28 August 1914. p. 8.
  18. ^ "Editorial". The Girl Guides' Gazette (No. 35 ed.). London, UK: Girl Guides Association. November 1916. p. 168.
  19. ^ A Behrens (July 1916). "how we are awarding our challenge shield". The Girl Guides' Gazette (No. 31 ed.). London, UK: Girl Guides Association. p. 100.
  20. ^ "Diploma'd Guiders". Girl Guides' Gazette (No 57 ed.). London, UK: Girl Guides Association. September 1918. p. 129.
  21. ^ "List of commissioners". Girl Guides' Gazette (No 37 ed.). London, UK: Girl Guides Association. January 1917. p. 6.
  22. ^ Olave Baden-Powell (August 1952). "Alice Gaddum 1885 - 1952". The Guider (Vol. XXXIX No. 8 ed.). London, UK: Girl Guides Association. p. 161.
  23. ^ "The 2 ZY Women's Hour". The Guardian. Manchester, UK. 6 May 1924. p. 11.
  24. ^ "The Girl Guides". Hampshire Independent. Hampshire, UK. 30 March 1923. p. 2.
  25. ^ "Mrs Gaddum Memorial Fund". The Guider (Vol. XXXIX No. 12 ed.). London, UK: Girl Guides Association. December 1952. p. 255.
  26. ^ "To-day's books". The Daily Telegraph. London, UK. 4 June 1920. p. 6.
  27. ^ Margaret E Poskitt (16 October 1952). "Memorial Fun". The Bolton News. Bolton, UK. p. 2.
  28. ^ "Foxlease Park". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. Leeds, UK. 11 September 1922. p. 10.
  29. ^ Olave Baden-Powell (August 1952). "Alice Gaddum 1885 - 1952". The Guider (Vol. XXXIX No. 8 ed.). London, UK: Girl Guides Association. p. 161.
  30. ^ "Miss Behrens' visit to South Africa". The Guider (Vol. VIII No. 85 ed.). London, UK: Girl Guides Association. January 1921. p. 3.
  31. ^ "Girl Guides in the New Forest". Taunton Courier, Bristol and Exeter. Taunton, UK. 23 July 1924. p. 3.
  32. ^ "Scouts and Guides". Hampshire Advertiser. Hampshire, UK. 19 July 1924. p. 10.
  33. ^ "Guide leaders". Manchester Evening Chronicle. Manchester, UK. 15 March 1935. p. 3.
  34. ^ Olave Baden-Powell (August 1952). "Alice Gaddum 1885 - 1952". The Guider (Vol. XXXIX No. 8 ed.). London, UK: Girl Guides Association. p. 161.
  35. ^ "Mrs Gaddum Memorial Fund". The Guider (Vol. XXXIX No. 11 ed.). London, UK: Girl Guides Association. November 1952. p. 233.
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