Garth Morrison

Sir William Garth Morrison, KT CBE DL (8 April 1943 – 24 May 2013) was the Chief Scout of the United Kingdom and Overseas Territories from 1988 to 1996.^[1][2][3] He also spent twelve years in the Royal Navy.

Background

Education and military service

Morrison attended Pangbourne College where he was Chief Cadet (i.e. head boy) and Captain of the English Schools Rugby Football Union (15 group). He continued his education at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth where he was awarded the Queen's Telescope and Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he graduated in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts. In the Royal Navy he served as an Engineer Officer, retiring in 1973 with the rank of Lieutenant at which time he took over the running the 560-acre (2.3 km²) family farm in West Fenton, Scotland.

Scouting service

After retiring from the Royal Navy Morrison subsequently began a number of Scouting appointments. He was named Area Commissioner for East Lothian the same year and was then appointed Chief Commissioner for Scotland in 1981. During this time he attended the 15th World Scout Jamboree in Canada. In 1982 he was awarded Scouting's Silver Wolf Award.

After acting as Deputy Leader of the United Kingdom contingent at the Australian World Scout Jamboree in 1987, he was appointed Chief Scout the following year, a position he held for eight years. He was a reforming Chief Scout. During his tenure girls were admitted to Scouting and rules and uniforms were relaxed.^[4]

Farming

Garth Morrison's farm in West Fenton, East Lothian provided grains for brewers and distillers in Scotland.

Other Achievements

• Membership of the Society of High Constables and Guard of Honour at the Palace of Holyroodhouse
• Membership of the Lothian and Borders Committee of the Royal Jubilee and Prince's Trust
• Trustee of the Lamp of Lothian Collegiate Trust
• Appointment as Deputy Lieutenant of East Lothian in 1984
• Appointment as Lord Lieutenant of East Lothian in 2001

Awards

Morrison was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), for services to Scouting, in the 1994 New Year Honours.^[5]

On 30 November 2007 Morrison was appointed to the Order of the Thistle by Queen Elizabeth II.^[6]

References

1. "Meet the Chiefs" (PDF). The Scout Information Centre. October 2004. Retrieved 8 December 2007.
2. "Gone Home - Sir W Garth Morrison". Scouts. 2012-12-21. Retrieved 2013-05-25.
3. Obituary in East Lothian Courier
4. Orbituary in "The Times", 18 June 2013
5. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 53527. p. 9. 31 December 1993.
6. The London Gazette: no. 58529. p. 17439. 30 November 2007.