MRS. VIVIEN HARMER
The beginnings and the seed was sown.
Well, as I sit on my verandah overlooking the Essexvale Hills, it seems a far cry to those days in the late twenties when I became a Guide in the 8th Reading Company in England. We were a large church group with Brownies, Guides and Rangers, and a brave sight we made, when each month, some 70 girls strong we paraded to church. We formed up some distance away and were led by the Boys Brigade with their band, and marched smartly with our colours. I remember clearly my first church parade, when as a recruit I could not march, but, (as I still am) I was quite overcome by the splendidly carried out ceremonial. My enrolment was the great day, and as it was our annual open-day for parents, the Divisional Commissioner came, and our ceremony was carried out on the platform, since the hall was quite full! We called our Commissioners 'Madam', and she was resplendent in silver cords, gauntlet gloves, black stockings and shoes. Afterwards in the entertainment I played a piano solo, and I knocked the music clean off the piano, and amid much laughter had to pick it up and start again. Highlights of this period were when I became P.S. of the Swallow Patrol, and about a year later the P.L. of the new Shamrock Patrol, and finally as the greatest privilege, to be the bearer of the Union Flag, and in charge of the colour party. I remember vividly my agony when doing the Needlewoman's Badge for First Class, when my Captain made me do five darns before she would allow me to enter, by which time my baby cousin had completely outgrown the smocked frock I had so laboriously made! My certificate bears the words 'Careful work'.
Passing on to Rangers I went all out for hiking and camping. Most clearly remembered is the camp where I was tested for the Ranger Campcraft Certificate. Having been chosen for colour ceremonial at a big function I fluffed the breaking of the colours. Oh dear! the dead silence as I hauled down the offending flag, unhitched the cord, and praying hard hauled it up again, when it mercifully 'broke'. As a Ranger I went abroad for the first time to France and Switzerland. In those days Guiding was in the forefront with travel overseas for youth. Travelling cheaply the seats in the French train were extremely hard, and I was bodily heaved up onto the luggage rack. Needless to say I became wedged! You can imagine the hilarity, it brought forth all the rest of our party, and ultimately the guard to my rescue. I regret I was severely dressed down as a bad example to Guiding.
Launching out. Becoming a Guider and finding my sea-legs.
After college days I continued as a young Guider in Hampshire as a Ranger Lieutenant and Guide Captain, and on to Lancashire where I found myself as a too young District Commissioner. Returning to my home town of Reading I set about gaining my Campers Licence. This proved to be a marathon of ten days constant effort, during which about 20 candidates hauled tents and screening up and down, acting as in-experienced Guides for the luckless Guider being tested. I got top marks for my marmalade roly-poly and my stalking game, but failed dismally with my huge ridge-tent, when, in a howling gale, the fly sheet took off and landed in a tree. I won't record the remarks in my tent that night. Those were indeed the days!!
About this time I was approached by a Guiderless Ranger Company and would I be Skipper if they changed to Sea Rangers. Well, that started a seven year period of war-time Guiding, when with a full-time job as a Milk Adviser, a part-time job as an Ambulance Driver, I had the finest company I ever had, of rarely less than 30 girls. Many of these became Wrens, and many returned later on to give service to the Movement. We bought an old ex-Admiralty Gig, and spent four months making her sea-worthy (as we thought). Then came the great launching day. When the bottle broke over her bows, the chosen crew smartly launched S.R.S. Achilles, and we proudly invited our V. I.P's. to be taken for a ceremonial trip on the River Thames. Alas, alack, we had quite omitted to remember that four months on the land opened up the clinker built gig, and no sooner had the bow-man pushed off when trickle, trickle came in the water, and we realised that the floor-boards would soon be awash!! Making hastily for the bank we mercifully landed our guests without getting their feet wet, and quickly we moved everybody off for refreshments. One guest was heard to remark, "That was very nice, but I'd have liked the trip to be much longer!!" All through the war our annual holiday was spent camping on the river. We raised money and bought very old cheap boats, repaired them, and finally all 30 of us could go off in our fleet, towing supplies behind in an old dinghy. In this way, we explored the River Thames from Caversham up to Oxford, and down to Windsor. We reckoned to row about 20 km each day, and visit all the lovely villages en route.
The proudest moment of our history was when we received invitations on two occasions to visit the Windsor Crew, of which the Queen, then Princess Elizabeth was a member. This first time had to be done in complete secrecy, all I could tell the Rangers was that they must be on Reading Station looking like band-boxes at a certain time, and that their parents must trust me to get them safely home by a certain time. I could only tell them when in our reserved compartment on the train, "We are going to the Windsor Crew for their Christmas Party." The only Ranger to be worried was my senior Bo'sun who would have to propose the vote of thanks from S.R.S.Achilles. We composed her speech on the train. We had a super time in one of the banquet halls at Windsor Castle, and we were also honoured when Her Majesty (the now Queen Mother) came and joined us. Princess Margaret as a Guide was invited and she was quite the life and soul of the party. She distinguished herself in a hectic game by nearly tearing off one of her black stockings, and had to retire to be repaired!
Another tremendous day was the Thanksgiving Service for Sea Rangers at St. George's Chapel, Windsor. It rained in sheets prior to and during the service, but notwithstanding we marched past wearing somewhat fixed smiles. I remember seeing literally rivulets of water running through the pews whilst we sang our praises. The return journey however was hilarious when one of the Rangers discovered her whole body was dyed a bright purple! It was soon discovered we all were, our serge uniforms not being colour-fast.
One last wonderful moment was when we went to look at a canoe we wished to buy. It was moored right under the Caversham Bridge, in full view of the people enjoying watching the river scene on a pleasant evening. Skipper was invited to have a trip, so with a Ranger holding the craft firmly she stepped in bravely. The sad end to this tale was Skipper standing in 1.5 m. of water, with her white tricorn hat serenely in position, with the Sea Rangers in convulsions, and the crowd above on the bridge shouting their encouragements, and alas, the canoe upside-down! I was duly elected a member of the "All-in-Club".
Towards the end of my Sea Ranger adventures I had a most interesting experience, The Guide Movement was asked to provide 24 able bodied youngish Guiders with nautical experience to. attend an Outward Bound Training at Aberdovy, to see if the then infant scheme could be extended to include girls and young women. I was one of the guinea pigs on this course and we were given the works. We rather felt as if the men, all tough naval instructors, were quite sure we could not take it, and we were all quite sure we could. The highlight of the course was two days sailing before the mast, and we did all the handling of the sails, out over the bowsprits, and cleaned the ship with a will. I shall never forget on the first morning I was detailed to cook breakfast for the ward-room, eggs and, bacon, toast and coffee at 7.0am. sharp. The galley was down below, and had a coal stove, a shelf with a few pots, and was about 2m long and lm wide. The ventilator above opened onto the deck through which at regular intervals a head would appear. "How goes Vivien?" "For heaven's sake don't break the eggs." "Do you feel sick Vivien?" The ship was pitching badly, so I propped myself against one side with legs well apart and held the frying pan firmly. The worst moment was when the ship dropped, several of the eggs scrambled themselves. However, prompt on time we somehow got the breakfast served and into the wardroom, although I was glad not to have to appear. Fried eggs and bacon did not appeal for some time afterwards! We also rowed in whalers with 17ft sweeps, but ve were all fit and nobody reported to the sick bay, it was really an exhilarating experience. Towards the end our instructors became positively human, and had to admit the ship was more efficiently run, was cleaner, and the food much more attractive than they had had it before, so we relaxed, and learnt a tremendous amount.
The end of this tale was that Outward Bounds was opened to the weaker sex, but thankfully the course was amended, but still with flavour of adventure and toughness.
P.S. Another result were two romances!! This, the powers that be had not reckoned for.
We travel Overseas
My Guiding adventures started anew when some time after my marriage we went to Mauritius for four years, Here was a fresh challenge, since I found myself to be the only Guider with a campers' licence on the island, and nobody else with any experience of training. Guiding was well established but I found that the districts were not geographical, but consisted of fixed groups belonging to the same ethnic communities or. religions. I started a mixed Cadet Company from all districts, and it proved a startling success. We had French, British, all types from the Coloured Communities, Chinese, Muslims and Hindus. Religion was a real problem, 90% of the French and Coloured Communities being very strict Catholics, and the Hindus and Muslims observing their own customs very strictly too. Our camps were most complicated, but good will prevailed, and the various diets respected. It took my whole four years to achieve and organise the first wholly mixed rally ever held, but these days all is very changed. Commonwealth H.Q. decided they should legalise my position, so this was how I became a trainer! When Miss Pilkington arrived one of her jobs was to test me, and the Guiders training at which this took place was again the first ever really mixed training. I still remember with nostalgia the wonderful camping sites, the sea on our doorsteps, beautiful blue lagoons with wonderful goggling, and warm water. The French Guides made the most wonderful gadgets and always included a lovely chapel. I shall always remember their camp-fires.
Our next home was in South West Africa at Windhoek. We arrived at Walvis Bay, cold, and in a thick fog, and then the quite frightening drive up through real desert, up and up to Windhoek. Here however is a highly cultured community, and a bright modern city. Guiding was once again quite different, and most of my new friends were either German or Afrikaans speaking. In my company of Cadets, which again was my first job, three languages were often being spoken at once, and the girls changed from one to another in the same sentence, which rather foxed me!
My first camp was literarily hair-raising. We travelled in an open lorry, and not ducking quick enough under a thorn tree my hat was speared through and was left impaled neatly by the thorns. There was great hilarity as the lorry was backed to retrieve my precious headgear. The site which was further up in the mountains, was tremendous. We used rocks for tent pegs, and everything was brought up including the water. The lorry retreated leaving us alone, after Mauritius the change could not be greater. I felt truly thankful that I was not in charge nor the responsible Guider. During the night the Guiders took it in turns throughout darkness to watch the encroaching bush fires rapidly coming our way) fanned by a steady wind. I had secretly made plans for the mass evacuation into the dam which was near us, but very filthy as it was used by large herds of cattle! However all was well, nobody else appeared to be worried, I really felt I had arrived and been truly baptised into real Africa. I remember chuckling to myself as I recollected my test for my Campers Licence. I wondered what my Test C.A. would have made of this site and these sturdy youngsters? The real flavour of adventurous Guiding was there, and all the essentials too, it was a great introduction to another part of our great family of Guiding.
Rhodesia
And now the last chapter, and we reach Rhodesia which from 1960 became our permanent home. Many highlights are carefully stored away and only a few will I add in closing. Firstly the tremendous thrill to me of having the opportunity to travel for ten years in the bundu, to help with the building up of Guiding in the rural areas, and welding the huge Province of Matabeleland together as a Guiding community. The adventures on bush road, rivers coming down, and always friendly people to help me along. My husband's patient but worried face when I sometimes could not phone to say I was held up, and arrived home after dark. Dear old "Connie" in whom I travelled safely for some 70,000 miles, and who always managed to bring me home whatever the conditions. (Sorry I forgot to be metric). Taking Mrs. Rea to Musume Mission with all the stream running fast. We crossed nine safely, and got stuck in the last one The joy on the Guides faces who rushed laughingly to push us out, and their welcome. Accompanying Mrs. Kaufman on her first bundu journey to Nkai, and on returning we had a blow-out! Another anxious husband was awaiting us, and we looked like tinkers.
The tremendous success of our "Feed the Children Scheme" and the responsible way the companies undertook this real service in the schools.
The building-up of Rowallan Park over the years. Mrs. Wynne arriving with Mrs. Betty Clay for the Tokozani Camp and the official opening of the Lodge.
The arrival of the Chief Guide for the dedication of the Rowallan Chapel.
The great polka in the foyer of the Bulawayo City Hall: The occasion was when Mrs. Ellman-Brown announced that as a result of her wonderful Fete, we had raised enough to buy the Matabeleland Bus.
And then subsequently when Miss Payne and I drove the bus for the International Ranger Round-Up, right down the Honde Valley, and climbing the Inyangani Mountain.
Now for the great finale, our Jubilee Celebrations, the Great Diamond Trek, the Rowallan Music Camp, and all the fund raising for the future of Guiding. The great triumph of Mrs. Weeks and Mrs. Malaba in Canada when we achieved full membership of WAGGGS, the joint effort of so many leaders both past and present who brought Rhodesian Guiding to this climax. For many, these last reminiscences will belong to you too, but for me they complete the jottings of my various journeys.
Well, I have surely had some wonderful times, and so many friends in various parts of the world. I have had a red face on many occasions, but many more happenings of real fun, and quite a few riotous times. I hope the younger
generation may have the same opportunities as I have had from their Guiding days. To continue along the road it leads, as you can see, to a very full and happy life.
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