Georgie Anderson - a tribute

Georgie sadly died earlier this year, on her 92nd birthday, and touched many of our lives. Her family have sent us information about her life and Girlguiding "career".

Georgina Stafford Ferguson (Georgie) was born in 1934 in Glasgow’s West End. She joined Brownies age 8 and never left Girlguiding, becoming a Guide, a Ranger Guide, a Guider (Leader) and a Trefoil Guild member. She loved Guiding and had various roles and responsibilities over the years,  Georgie just got on with the task in a diligent, quiet way and often her actions remained behind the scenes so if anything is missing in her history it is a result of her modesty. She never, of course remained quiet when she knew she was in the right.

Her life in the Brownies was just right, a pleasant activity providing a foundation for many years of Guiding. When Georgie joined the Guides her company (unit) sadly had not planned a camping trip. Her sister, Jean, paid up for a Guide camp at another company but felt she could not go. The Leader ‘Captain Hall’ visited the family suggesting that the wasted place could be transferred and the adventurous Georgie took it up. It was there Georgie met her life long friend Betty who she shared many Guiding adventures with including a Guider's trip to Norway in recent years.

Georgie and Betty joined the Ranger Guides and enjoyed other adventures too, cycling to their destination or using Betty's Mums' ex army Motorbike when it was further away. Georgie married Campbell Anderson in 1958. Campbell (a Boy's Brigade man) later supported Scouting as an adult. 

In an era when many husbands expected their spouse to be a housewife  and nothing more, Campbell was very supportive of Georgie’s Guiding activity as she progressed into Guide Leadership. He was a real listening ear and provided practical back up and solutions when needed. Despite Georgie working (and later working and studying) as well as having two children (Neil and Joyce), she continued as a Guider, and he even helped squash a large number of Guides in the Estate car in Ayr to take them for an outing.

Georgie made an enormous number of Guiding friends over the years and this really helped her connect with people as she moved from Glasgow to Ayr, to Droitwich, to Johnstone, to Howwood and later to Dundee. She joined “the Trefoil” in Dundee, transferring to Monifieth Trefoil Guild and latterly she became a member of TG'13 in Dundee. She was very supported by the fellowship there and was able to enjoy activities up until earlier this year.

Georgie carried out various roles in Guiding over the years. Many of the Guides she supported continue to value the experiences she gave them. She took part in and was instrumental to organising a Guide County Camping trip to France (in the early 80s). She also organised a Switzerland Guide trip in 1983 and many other trips. She was part of the Guidehaven Support Group at Lochgoilhead for many years and was the bookings secretary for this. She took up canoeing as a new sport at this time. The number of things she was treasurer for were too many to keep track of!

She contributed to committees in Guiding and Trefoil for many different projects and travelled to London for meetings, enjoying staying at the Union Jack Club. She became a member of Friends of Glasgow Guiding Local Association travelling to Glasgow for meet ups, as well as Friends of Scottish Guiding groups.

She had a zest for life that was unmatchable and her personal achievements and strengths are legendary. For the many of us who had the privilege of being part her life she will never be forgotten.

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