Sunday May 10th saw a fantastic celebration of Girl Guiding, at the Caldwell halls in Torrance, part of Torrance Girl Guide’ celebrations of their 90th anniversary. On the day of the celebratory event, former ‘Captain’ Sheena Pirie, was dutifully honoured by the celebration with more than 70 current and former rainbows, brownies, guides, rangers, leaders and trefoil guild members coming from as far afield as Manchester and Dumfries and Galloway to take part. The community had come together to offer up a taste of the fantastic Torrance hospitality by way of a vintage tea, full of sandwiches and home baking all generously shared and enjoyed by all attending.
Along with artworks on show, there was a fantastic array of Miss Pirie related objects – many that had been given as gifts to the many people there on the day and others, again kept safe by the Guides over many years. These included original embroidered banners and knitted, crocheted and lace work made by Miss Pirie herself. Myself, Esmee Thompson and Rachel Mimiec from the East Dunbartonshire Culture and Leisure Trust’s Trails and Tales team were there supporting the day with a selection of some of the digitised images from Miss Pirie’s log books and the personal artworks inspired by Miss Pirie’s log books made by current Guides. Janice Miller Archivist, East Dunbartonshire Leisure & Culture and Morven Hinson Dunbartonshire County archivist brought a selection of guide related material and one of the original log books now in their safe care. Glasgow Women’s Library also attended. They have been working with Trails and Tales exploring women’s histories across East Dunbartonshire and an event held in Torrance recently showed that Miss Pirie figured strongly as a woman who deserved to be remembered for her remarkable contribution to the community. Glasgow women’s library used some of the the selected digitised log book images of trails and walks and art to talk with those attending about their memories of being a guide and of Miss Pirie, recording some of the oral histories associated with Miss Pirie
Thanks to photographer Paul Monaghan from the Kirky Studio we were able to document a quite remarkable day and coming together of generations, memories and stories. The photographs will be used by Trails and Tales and on the EDLC website and archive and shared with others as a record of a rich history and a generous day – one that I think Mss Pirie would not only have approved but have been proud of.
