Guide

Fourteen years ago, I blogged about Doris and Ken - a sweet old couple who once lived on the corner of our street. They had no living family in England - just a niece in Lower Hutt, New Zealand.

As a family, we befriended them and I oversaw some key matters for them as their lives entered the endgame  - arranging residential home places, their funerals and the clearance and sale  of their house.

In some ways, their home was like a museum that accommodated so much evidence of the wholesome lives they had lived. They had both been born before World War One.

 

Doris was involved in girl guiding, first as a girl guide and then later as a guide leader. Amongst her many papers I found an edition of "The Guide" dated November 11th, 1922 - "A journal for lovers of the open air, camping, hobbies etc.."  That flimsy magazine is now 103 years old and it is in effect washed up historical detritus from a very different age.

I just want to share two features from this magazine with you. First of all, I am aware that nowadays many lady bloggers and visitors have little idea how to make full use of their aprons....

I do not know if you can read that but essentially readers are being advised to hook their aprons to the table in order to create a kind of hammock. Very useful for peeling vegetables, shelling peas or polishing shoes etc.. And below there's great advice for fashion-conscious lady bloggers who  who are not quite sure how to put their hair up into bobs. Again, it might be tricky to read but both styles being addressed require several fine hair pins. As Edna Yorke who sent in the item declared, "These ideas will be found quite easy and practicable." Thank you for your attention to this matter!!! And thanks also to Edna for her sterling work with girl guides in Rugeley, Staffordshire. It was a long time ago.