THIS year is the centenary of the Brownies.

Local celebrations began yesterday at the Hilton Hotel with a party for 600 Swindon and North Wiltshire girls aged from seven to 10.

The images here are from a collection assembled by Gwen Knight, Guiding’s archivist for Wiltshire North.

Gwen, a former teacher, has been involved with the movement since the age of seven, when she herself became a Brownie.

The organisation was founded for younger girls who wanted to do the sort of activities Guides already enjoyed.

“In those days girls were not allowed to run, to jump, to enjoy games outside,” said Gwen.

“You had to walk like a little lady.

“To see their big sisters out lighting fires, walking in the woods, working on crafts and doing first aid left them very anxious to join in.”

Members were initially known as Rosebuds, but didn’t like the name and it was changed the following year.

Details of the very earliest days of the Brownies in Swindon are scant, but there were five groups, known as Packs, by 1921. The first was at Sanford Street Congregational Church, and eventually nearly every church in the town had its own pack.

Gwen said: “In summer Brownies would meet up with other Swindon Packs at Brownie Revels often held on the Lawns, where they would play games and enjoy a picnic tea.

“Thinking Day – February 22 – was another opportunity to meet up and take part in games and activities from around the world as they thought about Brownies and Guides in those countries.”

Pack holidays were introduced in the 1960s, with camping destinations including Lydiard Park and the Scout Hut at Marlborough.

A century on from the founding of the organisation, Swindon Brownie Packs are still being established. One of the most recent was set up in Oakhurst.

Anybody with Brownie or Guide photographs, memorabilia or memories is invited to get in touch via the email address archivist@wncounty.org.uk, while prospective Brownie leaders should visit girlguiding.org.uk