Garth Morrison
Encyclopedia
Sir William Garth Morrison, (born 8 April 1943 in Edinburgh
) was the Chief Scout
of the United Kingdom
and Overseas Territories
from 1988 to 1996. He also spent twelve years in the Royal Navy
.
where he was Chief Cadet (ie. 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
. Garth spent twelve years in the Royal Navy, where he served as an Engineer Officer, retiring in 1973
with the rank of Lieutenant
at which time he took over the running the 560 acres (2.3 km²) family farm in West Fenton, Scotland
.
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.
by Queen Elizabeth II
.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
) was the Chief Scout
Chief Scout (United Kingdom)
The Chief Scout is the head of The Scout Association. The post originated with the appointment of Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scout Movement, as Chief Scout. He was designated Chief Scout of the World in 1920 at the first World Scout Jamboree in Olympia, London...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Overseas Territories
British overseas territories
The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories of the United Kingdom which, although they do not form part of the United Kingdom itself, fall under its jurisdiction. They are remnants of the British Empire that have not acquired independence or have voted to remain British territories...
from 1988 to 1996. He also spent twelve years in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
Education and Military service
Morrison attended Pangbourne CollegePangbourne College
Pangbourne College is a coeducational independent school located in the civil parish of Pangbourne, just South West of the village, in the English County of Berkshire....
where he was Chief Cadet (ie. head boy) and Captain of the English
Schools Rugby Football Union (15 group). He continued his education at the Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College is the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy, located on a hill overlooking Dartmouth, Devon, England. While Royal Naval officer training has taken place in the town since 1863, the buildings which are seen today were only finished in 1905, and...
in Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Devon
Dartmouth is a town and civil parish in the English county of Devon. It is a tourist destination set on the banks of the estuary of the River Dart, which is a long narrow tidal ria that runs inland as far as Totnes...
where he was awarded the Queen's Telescope and Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...
, where he graduated in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
. Garth spent twelve years in the Royal Navy, where he served as an Engineer Officer, retiring in 1973
with the rank of Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
at which time he took over the running the 560 acres (2.3 km²) family farm in West Fenton, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Scouting Service
After retiring from the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
Morrison subsequently began a number of Scouting
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
appointments. He was named Area Commissioner for East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
the same year and was then appointed Chief Commissioner for Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1981. During this time he attended the 15th World Scout Jamboree
15th World Scout Jamboree
The 15th World Scout Jamboree was held in 1983 and was hosted by Canada at Kananaskis, Alberta, an area of Provincial Park 4,000 feet in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, 80 miles west of Calgary, Alberta...
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
16th World Scout Jamboree
The 16th World Scout Jamboree was held 30 December 1987 to 7 January 1988, the first World Scout Jamboree held in the Southern Hemisphere, and the first to change the date from the traditional August to January to coincide with summer...
in 1987, he was appointed Chief Scout the following year, a position he held for eight years.
Farming
Currently Garth Morrison owns and runs a farm situated in West Fenton, East Lothian. It provides 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 LieutenantDeputy LieutenantIn the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of East LothianEast LothianEast Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
in 1984 - Appointment as Lord Lieutenant of East LothianLord Lieutenant of East LothianThis is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of East Lothian.*George Hay, 7th Marquess of Tweeddale 17 March 1794 – 9 August 1804*Charles Hamilton, 8th Earl of Haddington 18 September 1804 – 1823...
in 2001
Awards
On 30 November 2007 Morrison was appointed to the Order of the ThistleOrder of the Thistle
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order...
by Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
.