Nancy was one of the first Girl Guides on the North Shore. Apparently Devonport Company opened before Takapuna but Mrs Wilson, who was instrumental in getting Guides started on the North Shore, was travelling to England and took the Takapuna Company registration with her thereby beating the Devonport registration which had been posted. Nancy was too old for Brownies and went straight into Guides, while Barbara joined Brownies. Ethelwyn also became involved and was Captain of Takapuna Company for some years, with Nancy's assistance, when she was old enough. Nancy then became a Brownie leader. She continued to take Brownies from 1933 until she married when she became District Commissioner for Waitemata District as it was considered more suitable for the DC to be a married lady. Waitemata District was part of Auckland Province and extended from Devonport to Browns Bay. Nancy retired from this position in 1955 after more than 20 years of service to guiding but was asked to return as District Commissioner for the newly created East Coast Bays District and held this position from 1956-60.
Ethelwyn kept up her involvement with Guiding as Captain of Belmont Guides. My memory, as a child, is being asked to act as patient for the girls coming to the house for their First Aid tests. One of my brothers and I used to sneak away through the orchard to avoid this but were usually spotted from the upstairs bathroom window and called back.
The photo, taken about 1927, shows Barabara (on the left) in Brownie uniform, Ethelwyn centre and Nancy, right, with Joan aged about 2.
