Girl Guides Certificate

Girl Guides in Busselton

In 1917 the Rev. John Milward (C.E. Rector 1916-1924), who was in charge of Boy Scouts in Busselton, asked his then fiancé Flora Brockman to Captain a company of Girl Guides, as the girls had been clamouring for something similar to the Boy Scouts.
There were 22 girls in that Company – with surnames which feature largely in the early history of Busselton: Adamson, Bignell, Barnard, Baird, Bovell, Brockman, Cammilleri, Coombes, Killerby, MacFadyen, Packard, Lund, Lockhart, Mann, McSweeny and Stone.
It is thought, but not documented, that Guides ceased in about 1921 and were formed again in 1928 by Mrs (E) May Yates who became District Commissioner at that time, a position she held until 1931 when she became Divisional Commissioner for most of the South-West, she retired in 1960. Mrs E M Yates died in 1983.
In the 1950’s the Busselton Guide Association raised funds throughout the district and purchased a Mess Hut from the wartime buildings at the Busselton Aerodrome, with help from the entire community, this was originally situated in Peel Terrace, but had to be moved as a Carwash was built on the site. It was then situated at the entrance to town near Rotary Park, when the plans were passed to build the Eastern Link, the Guides beloved Hall was passed to the City of Busselton by Guiding Headquarters in Perth and the building was demolished in 2019. The Guides now meet in Churchill Park Hall.
Much of the Guide memorabilia owned by the Historical Society was lost in the fire, but May Yates’ Bell was saved and restored, this display has been built around that Bell which hung at the May Yates Campsite, Marybrook. This also has been relinquished and is no longer owned by the Guides.

Mrs May Yates

Evelyn May (May) yates was born in Halifax, Yorkshire in 1889. She was a Guide in the north of England from 1912 to 1917. She followed the arts, played the piano and guitar and also did wood carving.
After her marriage she came to Busselton as the wife of the only doctor in the area in the 1920’s. She was always interested in Guiding and the welfare of girls.
Guiding in Busselton had started in 1917, but records are sketchy, we do know that in 1928 the Country Organising Commissioner for W.A., Mrs C.E.F. Bull visited the area to form a local company of Guiders, and that Mrs Yates had been running a small informal company and was District Commissioner from 1920. The movement was formalised on May 30th 1928 when First Busselton Guides were formed.
Mrs Yates remained the District Commissioner and in 1931 she took up the post of first Divisional Commissioner for the South West, which was not only Capel, Busselton, Margaret River and Augusta but Bunbury, Brunswick, Collie and Darkan! All this in a time when horse and buggy were the main means of transport, although Mrs Yates had access to a car, her husband being a doctor and he was not called into the country she took full opportunity to use it. As well as Divisional Commissioner she remained District Commissioner for Busselton and outlying districts until 1958.
May Yates also gave up rooms in her house for Brownie and Guide meetings, trained leaders and was always there for all her “girls”.
In 1950 she received the Award of the Medal of Merit for outstanding service to Guiding.
She worked tirelessly to enable a campsite to be opened in the area, eventually this campsite was opened in 1958 and later named the May Yates Campsite in her honour. Unfortunately this campsite was closed in 2011.
In 1958 she handed over the District Commissioner’s job to another but continued as Divisional Commissioner until 1960 when she retired. She then became an elected member of the State Council of Girl Guides and remained involved with the movement for many more years.
Mrs Yates died in 1983 at the age of 94 years.