years. These articles consisted of scarves, gloves, mitts, balaclavas, socks, sea

boot stockings and pullovers. Members also helped the local farmers in the

fields.

‘When the war was over the W.R.I. once again had the use of the Youth

House, until early 1976 when the building was damaged by fire. The Village

Hall was the venue for meetings until 1979, when permission was given to

hold meetings in the Church Hall where they still are held.’

Girl Guides

Another group which used the Youth House was the Girl Guides. Miss

Dorothy Robertson, Girl Guide Captain for many years, has written about

the early years of the Strathkinness Girl Guides, who were registered in 1918.

‘Although there have been many ups and downs over the years, the Girl

Guides have continued to function. The Strathkinness Group first took part

in county rallies in 1921 when they went to Tarvit, near Cupar, and in 1922

they went to Dunfermline.

‘An old log book of the Strathkinness Thistle Patrol shows that they, along

with the St. Andrews Guides and Brownies, were inspected in 1924 by the

then Duchess of York, the present Queen Mother. That year also, the Group

for the first time went camping, to Boarhills. Although camping had to be

cancelled during the war it started again soon afterwards, and by the 1960s

every member of the Strathkinness Group was going on camping trips.

‘In 1968 the Jubilee Year was celebrated, when the guest of honour Miss

Watson, the first Guide Captain, cut the cake with fifty candles on it.

‘During the 1970s the older girls in the Guides had a barge holiday on the

Grand Canal and another year they went to London, which was a new adven-

ture for them. Over the years several girls, have gained Camp Permits, which

allows them to take others camping, and there have been several Queen’s

Awards.’

Since 1974 Mrs. Anna Coutts has been Guide Captain, and meetings are

now held in the Village Hall.

The Brownies

Mrs. Mary Wemyss has given the following information about the Brownies

in Strathkinness:

‘Like the Guides the Brownies formerly met in the Youth House, but they

now meet every Tuesday in the Village Hall, from 5.55 — 7 p.m. The Lucklow

160