Dame Anstice Gibbs, DCVO, CBE (1905-1978)

I found Dame Anstice very inspiring. She was a signed up member of the Girl Guides Association for 70 years, but "only" started aged 17, having missed out on being a Brownie (her only regret, apparently, which is rather sweet).

I enjoyed tracing herjourney around Canada during the two years she spent as a lady-in-waiting for her friend, Viscountess Alexander of Tunis, wife of the Governor General of Canada. Although to be honest, I could have done with fewer column inches being dedicated to what the pair were wearing everywhere they went.

I found a detailed Gibbs family genealogy website and have contacted them with this link. It's been slightly disappointing how few family members I have been able to locate for these extraordinary women. The current total for 10 biographies is 1 family member.

Visit: Dame Anstice's page

Next Up: Vera Armstrong - Guide leader and children's fiction author

Photo Credit: The Ottawa Journal, 18th March 1949