In 1932 Margaret Williams became a Brownie at 1st Elsternwick Brownies Pack, on the Hotham Street corner, meeting on Saturday afternoons.
With three younger brothers, her mother had enrolled her in this all-girls’ activity. Margaret progressed into Girl Guides and joined the 1st Elsternwick Guides Company in 1935 until her family moved to 63 Altona Street, West Heidelberg about 1939 when she was 16 years old.
Margaret became a Ranger Guide and attended a State Camp round this time. Her Assistant Leader had been to a Guide World Camp in Hungary, just before the War broke out. This was Margaret’s first glimpse into the wider world of Guiding.
Margaret enrolled as a Sea Ranger with the “SRS Invincible” group at Ivanhoe, but the war years paused that as an activity. However, Britannia Park had been purchased in 1937, renovated and was ready to open in 1939. Margaret made plenty of visits to Britannia Park over the following years for day trips, camping week ends and week-long camps, plus working bees at this Victorian Girl Guides outdoor facility. During the war, the Army used the property.
Around this time (1939-1940) Margaret also became the assistant for the 2nd Heidelberg Girl Guides Company within the Austin Hospital, Heidelberg. (when the attached photograph was taken). After turning 18, in 1941, Margaret became the Leader of the 2nd Heidelberg Girl Guides Company until 1946. The Girl Guides comprised, in-patients, who were hospitalized for up to 6 months at a time, recovering from infectious diseases such as polio and measles. Being part of the Girl Guides gave them an activity to pursue. The Hospital Nursing Staff would have the girls dressed in a Girl Guides uniform blouse ready and waiting, for their weekly, Tuesday nights 6.30pm – 8.30pm Guide meeting. The beds would be in a horseshoe shape.
Margaret was married in 1943 and lived in Rosanna, but still with easy access to the Austin Hospital continuing her work with the Guide Group there.
In 1958, Margaret, now Mrs Margaret Boyle of Rosanna, was invited to take over the one- year-old, 1st Rosanna Girl Guide Company as Guide Leader / Captain.
Margaret’s three children would subsequently be part of the Guides, Scouting Movement with son Ken obtaining the Queen’s Scout Award and daughter Jeanette her Queen’s Guide Award. In her 20 years as Captain of 1st Rosanna Girl Guides Company, Margaret had 19 Queen’s Guides and she loved attending Government House to see the Queen’s Guides Awards presented.
Margaret Boyle was Captain of 1st Rosanna Girl Guides Company from 1958 till 1978.
Access to travelling the world was available in 1978 and Margaret went on a 6 weeks Girl Guides (adults) World Centres Tour. She knew that Guiding was world- wide and so took the opportunity to visit the 4 Guide Centres at “Sangam” in India, “Our Chalet” in Switzerland, “Olave House” in London and “Our Cabana” in Mexico. She passed on her enthusiasm and knowledge to her Guides of her 1st Rosanna Company. A number of them attended Guide Jamborees overseas.
Margaret’s association with Guiding paused from 1980 to 1992 when she and her husband Frank retired to Hervey Bay, Queensland, although she kept in touch with her long- term Guiding friends from Victoria. Her Birthday, February 22nd coincided with the Guides Annual Thinking Day.
In 1992 Margaret joined the Queensland, Maryborough Trefoil Guild, a Branch for older Guides, and at age 80, along with the other members, ran the September 2003 Queensland State Trefoil Guild Conference at Hervey Bay, at the request of Val Watt, who was the State Commissioner for Guiding Queensland. The Maryborough Trefoil Guild continued until 2003 and is currently in recess. Margaret, at age 80, was their last President.
Margaret took another trip in 1999, when Beatrice Lawrence organised a seven week Adult Guides Tour via Paris, France, then Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary, then into Turkey, over to Los Angeles, Hawaii and return to Melbourne.
in March 2018, the Queensland Girl Guides Association presented Margaret with a long service award.
Margaret remains part of the Girl Guides Association as a lone Trefoil Guild Member.
She meets up occasionally with other members and contributes to their newsletter.
Margaret’s Guiding friendships have sustained her over her ninety years involvement and continues as she celebrates her 101rd birthday in February 2024.
Rhonda Lynch (nee Boyle) with Liz Pidgeon, Yarra Plenty Regional Library, March 15, 2021.
Updated February 2024.
