BB History

The Boys' Brigade was founded in Glasgow on 4th October 1883 by Sir William Alexander Smith.

From this one Company formed in Scotland the BB has grown in to a world wide movement having worked with millions of children and young people
for well over a century.

Below is a little bit of history of the Boys' Brigade

William Smith was born on 27th October 1854 at Pennyland House, Thurso, Scotland. At 15 he moved to Glasgow to work in his uncle's business. While there, he joined the volunteers and by 19 he had become a Lance Corporal in the 1st Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers. The very same year he joined the church after hearing the evangelists Moody & Sankey.

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By 1883 William Smith had become a Lieutenant and was teaching in the North Woodside Mission Sunday School. The boys in his Sunday School class were a challenge, and he was open to new ideas about how best to deal with them. Someone suggested that the methods used in the volunteers might be appropriate, and by this inspiration the Boys' Brigade was created.

William Smith took a leading role in the new organisation, accepting a full-time post as the first Brigade Secretary in 1887. He worked non-stop for the movement, on two occasions even crossing the Atlantic to promote the Boys' Brigade in Canada and the U.S.A. Throughout he remained Captain of the 1st Glasgow company, rarely missing a meeting.

Sir William Alexander Smith

'The Founder'

In 1909 William Smith was knighted by King Edward VII for his service to boys.

Sir William Smith died on 10th May 1914 after being suddenly taken ill at a Boys' Brigade meeting in London. He was buried in Glasgow.

The Reith Halls (the birth place of the BB)

The Life Boys

Although The Boys' Brigade catered for teenage boys, during the early part of the 20th century there had been unauthorised groups for younger boys below the age of 12 the BB minimum age. Demand had grown for a younger age group organisation as a result of the formation in 1916 of the Wolf Cubs within Scouting.

In January 1917 at a Brigade Executive meeting a proposal was made by the Plymouth Battalion to form a Junior Corps for younger boys, which would legitimise the existing groups and bring order and control of their activities. There was general support for this and F. C. Carey Longmuir Captain of the 1st Warley Company in Essex was requested to report back detailed proposals at the next Executive meeting.

Captain Longmuir's plans for a junior brigade were outlined in the April edition of the BB Gazette and at the May meeting the Executive oversaw the plans produced that were submitted to the Brigade Council in Manchester. Then after discussions the resolution to form "The Boy Reserves" was passed by a large majority.

The object of the Boy Reserves was: - The Advancement of Christ's Kingdom among boys and the training of suitable recruits for The Boy's Brigade.
When originally constituted in 1917 the organisation for the younger boys was called The Boy Reserves. The age limit was set at 9 to 12, which remained unchanged until 1960. The initial uniform for The Boys Reserves was a round flat naval style hat and dark blue jumper. The naval salute was adopted that is palm of the hand facing downwards and so too were naval titles.

A Life Boy

All the Staff members were male until 1920 when female staff were allowed as honorary instructors. Boys' Brigade Staff sergeants and NCOs were rated as Petty Officers while serving in the Reserves.
For a time there was a parallel organisation to the Boys' Brigade, The Boys Life Brigade. The BLB members followed on from the formation of their junior organisation The Lifeboys whose uniform was a cloth schoolboy cap.
In 1909 it had been proposed that a union with the Boys Life Brigade should be considered and although discussed it was not until 1926 this amalgamation preceded successfully. Thereafter the young boys in the Reserves became known as The Life Boys.
Whilst naval ranks were dispensed with the naval style flat hats and dark blue jerseys were retained. The uniform remained unchanged until the title Junior Section was adopted when full merger was made with The Boy's Brigade.

BB Camp

Across from the Isle of Bute at the Kyles of Bute on mainland Argyll is situated the small town of Tighnabruaich Gaelic for house on the bank by the shore. It was here in Auchenlochan that The First Glasgow Company held it's first camp in the summer of 1886. As was tradition the Boys marched in full uniform to the Broomielaw to catch the paddle steamer "Columba" and sail down the River Clyde to Tighnabruaich. The camp was run with the same strict discipline as on parade nights and the uniform was worn at all times unlike in later years when there was a more relaxed informal atmosphere.

Sailing was an activity greatly enjoyed by the boys and William Smith who was an accomplished yachtsman would lead the flotilla of sailing boats on the calm waters of the Firth of Clyde with each squad having it's own craft. Later other outdoor activities were introduced such as games, sports hill walking and expeditions.

1st Glasgow's First Camp at Tighnabruaich

It was here in Tighnabruaich on a late Wednesday evening in July 1909 that William Smith left the camp bound for London from where he returned the following Friday morning to rounds of applause and resounding cheers from the boys having been knighted by the King.

In Victorian days travel was not as easy as it is today therefore many of the lads had never ventured far from their own homes. The experience of camping, now general practice in the Boys' Brigade was quite an adventure for the boys who found it a novelty to be under canvas and so a permanent campsite was eventually based at Portavadie on the eastern shores of Loch Fyne were there was a mess in the form of a wooden hut.

Over the years many First Glasgow Company boys have enjoyed the outdoor experience under canvas in the Argyllshire countryside at Portavadie where the permanent campsite was established in 1919. The summer camp proved popular with the boys and they very much looked forward to this annual event.

In 1974 it was announced that Portavadie was selected as the location of a proposed yard for the construction of oil production platforms. This was sad news for the Company as Portavadie conjured up memories of happy carefree summer days spent there in our youth for many Old Boys. So the last BB camp at Portavadie took place in July 1974.

The Company set up a committee to search the whole of the West Coast from all round the Firth of Clyde including West Loch Tarbert to Loch Melfort without success. Fortunately a new campsite was eventually found at Stillaig not far from Portavadie and the first camp there was held in July 1975.

Uniforms

The Boys’ first uniform was always worn over ordinary clothing of the day, with children usually school clothing, with officers usually over their normal daily clothing.
The Boys’ Brigade started on the 4th October 1883 and by the first Inspection in March 1884 the uniform consisted of a red ribbon rosette, worn in the buttonhole and made by William Smith’s wife.
By 1885, a soft Forage Cap (Pillbox) with two rings of white braid was introduced. A belt was introduced in the 1st Glasgow Company made of brown leather with an "S" shaped buckle. This was worn with a large single strapped white duck haversack (for lunch on excursions only), later adapted for parade uniform. (Worn folded when not in use.) As more companies were formed a silvery metal one-inch number was also introduced on the Cap with the company number and a more robust (stiff) cap introduced. This uniform was to serve the BB with a few alterations for the next 120 years.

The traditional brown leather and brass buckle boys’ belt was introduced around 1885/86, which was destined to stay the same through the 20th century, the only modification being that of the cross added behind the anchor on the buckle emblem after union with the BLB. In the early 1900s a chin strap and one inch button was added on top of the pillbox. This button was later changed to 3/4" inch.

Variations of uniforms were worn within BB from boys to officers from the 1800s to present, they have gone through many changes throughout the ages and introductions of new uniforms for new sections within BB.

Boy 1886 Officer 1893 Staff Sergeant 1912 BB Scout 1909 Life Boy Life Boy Sergeant 1945 Boy Piper Boy (Nigeria) Anchor Boy Lady Officer
1927 Leader 1927 1965 1975 1983 Lieutenant 1983
1975