The Boys Brigade in North Ayrshire

The Boys Brigade was founded by William Alexander Smith who was born on 27th October 1854 at Pennyland House, Thurso, the second of five children born to parents Major David Smith, a distiller, and his wife Henrietta Fraser.  William came from a military family; his grandfather William Smith fought with the 78^th Regiment of Foot in the Napoleonic Wars and his father served with the Dragoon Guards in southern Africa before rising to the rank of Major with the Caithness volunteers.

At the age of thirteen, William’s father died while on a business trip to China, and soon after William moved to 28 St. James Street, Partick, Glasgow to live with his maternal uncle, Alexander Fraser, a shawl merchant.  In 1874 William enlisted with the 1^st Lanark Rifle Volunteers and rose through the ranks.  In 1875 he became a member of the Free College Church, Glasgow.  William also joined the Y.M.C.A. and became a teacher at the Sabbath School, held in the Mission Hall, 329 North Woodside Road, Glasgow.

In 1878 William left his uncle’s employment and set up in business with his younger brother Donald as Smith, Smith and Co., which specialised in the exportation of tartans, plaids and shawls.

It was while working as a Sabbath teacher, that William came up with the idea for the Boys’ Brigade.  Many of the older boys were misbehaving due to boredom and nothing he had tried seemed to grab their interest.  Now an officer in the Volunteers, William had no problem controlling the men under his command, but had trouble dealing with these unruly teenagers!  He talked over his idea of turning the Sabbath school into a volunteer brigade for boys applying the military teachings of obedience, discipline and self-respect with two of his best friends from the Y.M.C.A. who also served with the Volunteers, brothers James and John Hill.  Together, they carefully drew up a programme of training designed to appeal to boys.   

On 4^th October 1883 the three men invited boys, aged 12 to 16, from the North Woodside Sabbath School to join the Boys’ Brigade.  The distinctive Boys’ Brigade Badge featuring an anchor with the words “Sure and Steadfast” was based on the bible verse from Hebrews, chapter 6, verse 19 “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast”.  At the end of December 1883 six boys were promoted to Sergeant, Corporal and Lance-Corporal based on their drill work, written work, conduct and character.  The 1^st Glasgow Company of the Boy’s Brigade was now established. 

In North Ayrshire, three Beith companies registered with the Boys’ Brigade in April 1886.  1st Beith Company with Sergeant-Major Coles as Captain; the 2nd Beith Company with Mr Hugh Crawford of Mainshamilton as Captain, and the 3rd Beith Company with Rev. John Lennox as Captain. 

By 30^th April 1886, 44 Boys’ Brigade Companies had been formed throughout the United Kingdom with a membership of 1,999 boys.  The 1st, 2nd and 3rd Beith Boys’ Brigade Companies formed a Battalion in May 1886 with Lieutenant-Colonel A. W. Faulds of Muirston as Battalion President and Rev. H. Glen of the United Presbyterian Church as Battalion Treasurer.

The first Boys’ Brigade Camp was held at Tighnabruiach in Argyll in July 1886.  Fifty boys from the 1^st Glasgow Company stayed at the Royal Hotel hall at Auchenlochan accompanied by Captain William A. Smith, and Lieutenants James Hill, John Hill and John Dalziel.

On Monday 4th October 1886 the annual meeting of the Boys’ Brigade Council was held at the Christian Institute, Glasgow.  As well as representatives from the Glasgow Battalion, there were representatives from Edinburgh, Kilmarnock, Ayr, Stirling, Beith, Alexandria and Hamilton, with several other Battalions throughout Britain sending their apologies. 

By September 1899 there were 811 companies of the Boys’ Brigade in Britain consisting of 2,889 officers and 35,146 boys.  In the United States there were 650 companies of the Boys’ Brigade with 27,500 boys, and in Canada there were 120 companies with 5,000 boys.  Another 19 companies had been set up across the world with a further 2,354 boys.  Altogether 70,000 boys had now joined the Boys’ Brigade.

In November 1889 the 1^st Ardrossan Company of the Boys’ Brigade was formed under the command of Major Emslie and Lieutenants Robert Thomson and William Craig.  They held their first public parade on Friday 31^st January 1890, followed by a display of drill exercise in Ardrossan Town Hall.  In January 1891 a special collection was held in four Ardrossan churches to raise funds to equip the boys.  Unfortunately the 1^st Ardrossan Boys’ Brigade struggled to survive due to difficulties in appointing officers and was eventually disbanded.

1^st Ardrossan Boys’ Brigade was reformed in 1925 and in 1933 received new colours (flags). 

1st Dalry Boys’ Brigade was formed in December 1893 with John Brown as Captain, George Crawford as Lieutenant and 70 boys.

The Boys’ Brigade 50^th anniversary celebrations were held in 1933 at Queen’s Park, Glasgow and the 100^th anniversary celebrations at Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow in 1983.  Amongst those taking part in the 1983 celebrations was John Boyd Smith who joined the 1^st Beith Boys’ Brigade in 1924; became an officer in 1932 and served as Captain from 1937 to 1977.  In 1983 he was the Honorary Captain of the 1^st Beith Boys’ Brigade and Honorary Vice-President of the Paisley and District Battalion. In June 1909 William Alexander Smith was knighted by King Edward VII for service to boys.  When he retired from the 1st Lanark Rifle Volunteers, he was given the rank of Honorary Colonel.