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The Boys Brigade

Have been down this morning to see my dad,and he was reminicing about when he was in The Boys Brigade.
He joined the 37th.Birmingham company,in 1924,it was in Alfred St.Aston,in a building which had previously been a small school.During his time with them he went to 3 annual camps in Alcester and 2 in Ledbury.
 
Around 1958 I used to attend a BB group at the church on the corner of Watford Rd and Franklin Rd (between Cotteridge and Bournville). All I can remember is that you earned a shoulder badge (a think in diamond shape, and known as a "pip") for each year's membership completed, and I think you had to make so many attendances at church to qualify, plus we did band practice, in my case on the bugle. We boys went on annual camp to Dyffryn Ardudwy, Gwynedd in Wales. Fantastic fun amongst the sand dunes, but a bit brutal if it was your first year, as the 'initiation' was having your trousers and pants pulled down, shoe polish applied to a sensitive place, and then being tossed in a blanket! The big event of the (end of the) week was waiting and watching out for the 'Commander' (or whatever the top man was called) to appear in a coloured shirt. This was his signal that he was going to run off at a pace and we could all chase him. The object was to catch him - preferably with a rugby tackle to bring him down - remove his shirt, race back to camp and fly it from the top of the camp flag pole. It was a great honour to be the boy who actually got the shirt and shinned up the pole.

I don't know when or why this tradition was started, but it is interesting to compare it with anthropological research on community festival days held across the world. Time and time it is found that these days involve some form of turning upside down of power just for the day e.g. in India there are such days where village peasants are 'allowed' to chase out those normally in authority in the village and mercilessly shower them in muck, coloured powder etc., then everything returns to normal the next day and the status quo for the rest of the year is thereby somehow legitimated.
 
I was in the 61st Birmingham BB, six ways Erdington for about a week. I left to join the Army Cadets Holly lane Erdington.
 
I was in the 24th BB Company based at Sparkhill methodist Church and before that i was in the Lifeboys. While i was in the BB the Captrain was Frank Allbut during the 1960s.
 
My dad has just found this B.B.handbook,it belonged to his good friend,who was later killed in Singapore.
I found the inscription inside very sad,considering he died for these very values,which are now derided by so many.
Oh,his father was killed in France,so he never knew him either.
 
Dave, like you my dad was in the BB,l have his badge and belt buckle but know very little else, l know it would have been in Aston and l sure it was at Dyson Hall, he attended the Weslyan Methodist Church on Lichfield Road, like you my Parents Married in 1929 so it was a long time ago....l have tried to get info etc. but have had very little response.....maybe they don,t keep records that far back...Brenda
 
Deeply toutched Ray, I love this world but I know how unforgiving it can be, my son William was a BB member in Histon Cambridge, and is now in Afganhistan with the Para's .
paul
 
Brenda,
I know Dyson Hall,but where was it ?... I can't remember.:rolleyes:
If your dad lived in the Lichfield Rd.area,he could have been in the 37th.company,B.B. Birmingham,they were located in an old school in Alfred Rd.off Lichfield Rd.Aston.
My dad is 96,and still around,and he has photo's of when this company were at their annual camp.
What was your dad's name,shall go and ask the old man and see if it rings any bells,he does have a good memory.:)
 
Ray, my dad Wilfred Barr lived in Park Road, the family had a corn and feed store there, my dad was born in 1905 so l gather he was about 10yrs older than your dad......still who knows maybe your dad does remember, now about Dyson Hall l have been to it numerous time in my chikdhood and l can see it in my mind but the address escapes me....it was'nt down our end.....l bet Astonion would know... if dad was in the 37th, company B.B l have something to work with now ....Brenda
 
hi brenda and ray
yes i can tell you for definatealy where itwas excactly dyson hall
for two reasons , i lived at 5 back of 92 lichfield rd which was about one hundred and twenty yards from the methodist church along
the lichfield rd between the off licence and the crockery shop and earhern ware thats was the chuch with front steel gates on
almost facing was the shops one which was recently put on the forum of the milk man deliverying milk to my grand fathers shop
when walking past the church for about another one hundred yards crossing the rd to the same side of the coffee shop
you came to park rd my auntie edith and uncle frank from wiggan whom name was marsden lived at no 10 park rd
along with my three cousins val sheila christine walk down park rd you came to the corner thats where the corn shop was and as you just passed the shop and contine across the rd thats where dyson hall and captain roberts was the captain frtom albert rd he lived in
my two older brothers was in the bb and i was in the life bouys there in dyson hall
i would like very much like to see the pic of the campas my two brothers always went to these camps every year
along with john lloyed and john latham and terry jarratt and ray jarrat
so if you was born and raised on the lichfield rd you would have been in the 1st company which was in dyson hall
but i will add that on parade days and sunday marching they always teamed up with the ladds from the nursery rd as as well
and they actualy made a record of the birmingham boys brigade from the two companys it was on the old seventy eight vinyl
it was at the bbc head quarters in broad st at the time best wishes astonion
 
I remember the Finnemore's, both highly respected.

I joined The Girls' Life Brigade in the 1960s which then changed to Girls' Brigade.
I was with 43rd Birmingham Company at Small Heath Methodist Church. I knew the Captains during my time there, one was Mrs Medley, another was Miss Enston who became Mrs Wakeman and thirdly was Miss Barton who became Mrs Macdonald.
I became the Company Captain in 1970's. I transfered to 1st Burntwood Company, later becoming Chase District Commandant.
I left Girls' Brigade in 1997 and moved over to the Air Training Corps.
 
I started of in the Boy Scouts during the war, then moved to the Boys Brigade, cannot remember where either where situated but lived in Shirley at the time, in 1943 my Mother died and I went to live with my Nan in Aston and then joined the ATC (Air Training Cadets) that would be about 1944/45, I think it was 157 Squadron in or near St Margerets Street. I enjoyed my time in all three movements, the ATC was the reason I Joined the RAF in 1948. Happy vdays Eric
 
i was in the boys brigade , 20th company, from 1947 to 1952 held at st catherines church hall in scholfield street, the captain was mr douglas winter, mr timmins was leutenant, mr ravenhall was band master, staff sergent was donald bevan, i was solo drummer, also in the band were as i remember dennis drew (bugler) bill smith, charlie boardman, barry jackson, peter butterworth, brian duckworth another drummer, his mom and dad kept a green grocers in saltley, peter jackson bass drummer, anyone remember me or anyone mentioned my name is frank smith
 
Hi. You might be interested in a new book on The Boys' Brigade around the world, produced by the 2nd Sutton Coldfield. Please take a look at our website www.planet-bb.co.uk All royalties are going to the BB where there is a desperate need for funding - mainly in Africa. Thank you..
 
Interesting to see these Rob. My brother was in the BB in the 30s and went to Denmark with them. There is a photo of a Denmark camp at that link but it is much later in 1952. Here is a photo of my brother mid to late 1930s

alf_bb.jpg
 
I have only been able to find one other photo that could be from Denmark but no sign of my brother there. However, I have found him in a 1939 group photo, bellow. He is in the back row, second from the left side of the photo. He would be 15 then. I am not sure how long he remained in the BB. He probably signed up to the Warwickshire about 1942 and was subsequently wounded on D Day. He did survive the war though and later served in Palestine.

6329375887_45920cd802_b.jpg
 
Absolutely brilliant collection of pics - Spent most of Monday last week leafing through them- great to see the Old man, Mr Parry, Dave Pearce, Roger Tipper, saw one of my elder brothers - couldn't spot the other!
Brings back plenty of memories

The BB has a good charity shop in Erdington High St - pop in most weeks with stuff - often come out with even more than I went in with!

Brian
 
Hi
Not sure if you are still interested in finding out which BB your dad was in, the 1st Birmingham in Aston is still going and I am the captain, contact me if you would like to know more. Jennifer
 
The 1st BB is still going and if you would like to know more info, please let me know, I'm the current captain. Jennifer
 
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