History
The history of both The Boys Brigade and of Southport and District Battalion.
The Boys’ Brigade is the worlds premier voluntary youth organisation founded in Glasgow by Sir William Alexander Smith on 4th October 1883. It’s object is the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom among Boys and the promotion of habits of Obedience, Reverence, Discipline, Self-Respect and all that tends towards a true Christian Manliness. Worldwide the membership now stands at around half a million.
In 1905 the Brigade came to Southport and in June 1946 with six companies the Southport & District Battalion was formed. Over the past 69 years new companies have continued to be established and others closed, now there are seven.
Southport itself is a popular holiday resort in the North West of England and is an ideal location for Company Camps as well as family holidays.
A History of The Boys’ Brigade
in the Southport District
by the late Kenneth Blundell J.P.,
onetime Brigade Honorary Vice-President
THE BRIGADE IN SOUTHPORT
A certain Mr. John Henry Silverside was caretaker at Saint Philip’s School, Southport, and played his part in the life of the Church as a Sunday School teacher. One of his boys, name Whitehead, died rather tragically and for his funeral, Mr. Silverside borrowed some B.B. uniforms from a Liverpool company so that a few boys from the Sunday School could attend the funeral. It seemed that in those days, all had to be in a formal order and uniforms were foremost in the minds of most leaders. These few Boys in their uniform caused great interest and on 23rd February, 1905, The Boys’ Brigade was founded, with a company of 40 Boys and four officers. This company was called the 1st Southport Company and had its Captain, Mr. Fred Burnett.
The 2nd Southport, connected with All Souls’ Parish Church, Blowick, was enrolled during March 1905, quickly followed by the 3rd Southport at Saint Peter’s Parish Church, Birkdale. Little is known regarding the early days of these two companies owing to time taking toll of the records.
On 13th October, 1910, the 4th Southport Company, SS Simon & Jude’s Parish Church held their first meeting in the Mission Room, High Park Road. The Company was enrolled on 1st December, 1910.
These four companies in general, the 1st, 2nd and 4th in particular, were the rock on which the strength of the Brigade in Southport were founded.
1910 saw the first camp for Southport Boys at Bakewell in Derbyshire, the cost being 2/6d per head. (12.5p)
It was not until 1913 that reliable records for the Brigade in Southport were kept.