Many organizations for boys and girls followed the pioneer example of William A. Smith and The Boys' Brigade. Among them were The Church Lads' Brigade, The London Diocesan Church Lads Brigade, The Catholic Boys' Brigade, The Jewish Lads Brigade, The Boys' Life Brigade and The Boy Scouts. Cadet Corps, boys' clubs and other youth organizations were to follow.

Parallel organizations for girls were The Girls' Guildry (founded by Dr. W. F. Somerville, a Glasgow B.B. Officer and close friend of William Smith), The Girls' Life Brigade, and The Girl Guides. Further afield was The Boys' Brigade in the British Commonwealth overseas and in the United States of America. The B.B. was also the inspiration for the Danish Boys' Brigade - Frivilligt Drenge-Forbund. The F.D.F. has always kept in friendly touch with their older brothers of the B.B.

Two stalwart members of the F.D.F. 

There have been many Royal occasions on which all the British youth organizations have paraded together, but there was never any doubt which was 'First for Boys'. At Windsor Castle in 1943, for instance, during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, His Majesty King George VI inspected a review of The Boys' Brigade and said:

When The Boys' Brigade was founded sixty years ago, your Founder, Sir William A. Smith, builded better than he knew, for he started not only a great movement, but one from which all our present widespread youth training was destined to spring. Good luck to you and all your comrades! May all you Boys live to see the centenary of this great movement.

The Princess Elizabeth, the King's daughter and future Queen was there to hear her father's words. The Boys' Life Brigade had a very similar background to the B.B. Their accoutrements were field service cap, belt and haversack, and their badge a crown and the Geneva cross. Their motto was 'To Save Life'. As early as 1914 it had been suggested that the two organizations might unite, but the Council of the B.L.B. could not agree.The insuperable objections were the rifle used in B.B. drill and the fact that some B.B. Companies were associated with the military Cadet Force. Ten years later these difficulties had disappeared. Few mourned the passing of the dummy rifle, least of all the Boys to whom it had become an old-fashioned toy. On lst October 1926 The Boys' Brigade and The Boys' Life Brigade united.The membership of the B.B. at the time was 1436 Companies and 71,087 Officers and Boys, and of the B.L.B., 654 Companies and 29,473 Officers and Boys.

The newly united organization took the name The Boys' Brigade. The B.B. anchor badge combined neatly with the Geneva cross of the B.L.B. to form their emblem. The Junior name Boy Reserves disappeared, and the cheerful title 'Life Boys' was adopted from the junior league of the B.L.B.

It is astonishing how uniforms have varied through the years for both senior and junior Boys. By and large England hankered after a full uniform, while Scotland stuck obstinately with cap, belt and haversack. It was probably the rigour of clothes rationing in World War II which brought the B.B. back to the simple accoutrements of its earliest days.Haversacks, for example, became as scarce as gold and were washed, ironed, and handed on from one Boy to another. The 9th Thames Valley (Kingston) Company launched a Haversack Salvage Campaign to make sure their new recruits were properly outfitted. Another Company bought yards of twill sheeting and persuaded a sympathetic mum to turn them into haversacks. Others used some of the family sheets, or resorted to flour bags. Meanwhile there was a strict directive about B.B. belts: 'Belts are now only supplied on condition - stipulated by The Board of Trade - that they are collected when a Boy leaves and re-issued.' At least it diverted the thinking of the B. B. from the medley of military leggings and other refinements which were sometimes suggested at Council meetings.

The new Life Boys instantly scored a success with boys between 9 and 12. The usual uniform was a Naval-pattern cap with 'The Life Boys' on the ribbon, the lifebelt badge on the lieft breast, smart blue jersey and shorts, and black stockings with two saxe-blue rings. The whole programme for the younger Boy was bright and cheerful, with games, singing, figure-marching, hobbies, nature study, and a seal system for competition. They had their own naval style salute. And for the first time women had a full part in the movement. Many a young Boy first lost his heart to a bonny girl Leader in her trim uniforni.The fact that many of them were trained day school teachers gave them an understanding of the ways of youngsters.

The Life Boys were enthusiasts in everything they did.To give but one example - the missionary movement of the Brigade owes them a great deal in the Boys' response to the Christmas Appeal. Rather surprisingly, the Haynes Committee of 1963 recommended that they be brought completely into the Brigade, and at Brigade Council in Edinburgh in 1966 The Life Boys were dissolved - Badge, Leaders, Object, and Salute. From September of that year they were merged in The Boys' Brigade as The Junior Section. Their present uniform is a field service cap with B.B. badge, blue jersey, grey shorts or trousers, and grey stockings. Their four-sided Achievement Scheme is based on Christian Citizenship, and Physical, Educational and Service activities, and the badges to be won shine in white, green, purple, blue, red and gold on the right arm.

To hold the loyalty of the Junior Section is not hard.But what about their little brothers who insist on being noticed? William Smith's judgment was firmly set. His ages were to be 'all boys between the ages of 12 and 17'. He even mentioned a 'standard height' in the early days, 'prnbably 4'6" '. To take in younger boys meant losing older boys. Smith's aim was to hold the older boys and pass them on to membership of the Church, and perhaps to his beloved Volunteers.

The argument about age has raged ever since. When Brigade Council is not discussing the niceties of uniform it is involved in an argument about 'B.B. age'. But the youngsters won their place, at first unofficially, and then with full approval. The six-year-olds have flocked in to form the Pre-Junior Section, variously known as 'Imps', 'Sparks', 'Shipmates', 'Cabin Boys', 'Robins', 'Anchor Boys', or what you will. Their uniform is a red jersey with sewn B.B. cloth badge and grey trousers. They meet for a play-hour of fun and good company and attend Sunday School or Church Service. The days of the Achievement Scheme, Badges, and the uniformed parades and discipline of The Boys' Brigade are something to look forward to.

The modern plan takes in the following age limits for the whole Brigade:

Pre-Junior Section: 6th birthday to the end of the session in which the Boy reaches 8 years of age. Junior Section: 8th birthday to the end of the session in which the Boy reaches 12 years of age.

Their very first display. 

Company Section llth birthday to the end of the session in which the Boy reaches 17 years of age. Where a Senior Section does not operate the upper age limit is the end of the session in which the Boys becomes 18 years of age. Senior Section: l6th birthday to the end of the session in which the Boy becomes 18 years of age.

But, as usual, Sir William Smith was right. The B.B.has more and more lost its Senior Boys. So there will be changes still to come.

Company Section.