Ida G Lloyd AM BEM

Ida G Lloyd, AM, BEM

This post is about remarkable woman Ida Lloyd, 15 December 1914 – 15 August, 2006.

Ida was born in England in 1914 where she was a Brownie and a Girl Guide.  In 1951 she and her husband John migrated to Australia with their two daughters.  She was a Brownie Leader in Sydney, Brisbane and Hobart.  In 1959 the Lloyds settled in Perth. An active member of Western Australian Guiding, Ida held many positions including:

• PR Adviser (5 yrs)
• International Adviser (5yrs)
• Trefoil Adviser (5yrs)
• Chairman Uniform and Equipment Committee (5yrs)
• Assistant State Commissioner (5yrs)
• Member of Executive Committee (over 20 yrs)
• Chair of Our Barn Committee (7yrs)
• Member of Seaward Trefoil.

It is largely because of Ida Lloyd, her vision and energy that Guides and their friends are able to enjoy Our Barn as you see it now.

Back in 1971 as a member of the State Executive Committee she paid a visit to see how the York Guides were progressing in their efforts to create for themselves a meeting place out of the derelict barn and coach house of Faversham House.  They were having a bit of trouble as it was a huge task.  Standing there amongst the rocks and rubble Ida could imagine a Guide holiday house with ‘rows of little beds’ where Guides and Brownies could come to stay and have fun.

On her return to Perth she enthused the rest of the State Executive and with the support of the State Commissioner, Mrs Margaret Aitken, a committee was formed with Ida as its tireless chairperson. The committee worked to obtain grants from the Lotteries Commission, the National Estate and the State Government to buy the ruins and surrounding two acres of land.

From that time, on Ida and her committee organised, encouraged and cajoled Brownies, Guides, Leaders, parents, friends, Trefoil Guilds, Local Associations and everyone else to help in fund raising to pay for re-building, re-roofing, re-flooring, paving, plumbing, electrical work and all the other tasks necessary to make Our Barn liveable!

• Ranger crews spent weekends cleaning old bricks and serving meals at the annual York Fair.
• Guide Units baked and sold apple pies
• Brownie Packs sold sticks of ‘Our Barn’ rock candy
• There was an ‘Adopt-a-bed’ scheme and a patchwork quilt making drive

And Ida was in there with her sleeves rolled up organising, directing and encouraging.

At last on 1^st May 1977 Our Barn was officially opened by His Excellency the Governor, Sir Wallace Kyle. No one was more delighted than Ida!

Our Barn has had many birthdays since it was first opened, but the occasion of the 21^st Birthday will always be remembered by those who were present. Ida was in her element, ensuring that everything was running smoothly, afternoon tea was in full swing and the special birthday cake was about to be cut when disaster struck.  Ida fell and broke her hip.

An ambulance was called and she was about to be taken to hospital when she remembered the cake.  The small setback of a broken hip could not deter Ida.  She cut the cake from her stretcher as she was being wheeled in to the ambulance.

We think she would approve of our Fundraising Challenge for the Centenary year, devoted to renovations to Our Barn!

Ida has been recognised by Guiding with a 40 Years Long Service Award, an Emu Award, a Red Kangaroo Award and Life Membership.

– As recorded on the commemorative plaque at Our Barn.

Contributor: Ann Miller