Boys' Brigade Uniforms: Purchasing the Uniform

Figure 1.--Here a British boy wears what was for decades the standard Boys' Btigade uniforn, a suit with a oillbox cap, Brigade belt abd buckle, and wjhile shoulder strap. He was apparentlt part of the musical section as he has a small buggle. The snapshot is undated, but look like th 1940s to us.

The Boys' Brigade (BB) was the first uniformed youth group. It was founded in Glasgow, Scotland (1883). The Brigade was thoughtup by Sir William Alexander Smith to use drill and activities appealing to boys to help build Christian values. The initial program involving extensive drill was not as appealing to boys as the outdoors Scout activity program would prove two decades later. We suspect that there was more parental involvement in the boys joining the BB ans few we examples of the boys getting odd jobs to purchase the needed items. The BB as conceived by Smith had a basic approach to a uniform. They did not have a full uniform, only a few items like a cap and white belt with an attached shoulder strap was worn by the boys. We do not have many written accounts, but suspect thst parents bought the uniforms. If the churches chipped in for some boys we are not sure. So there was very little for the parents to purchase. Thus virtually any boy could participate. Buying a uniform was not required. Memberhip was built around churches. And we believe included many working-class boys, altgiugh we have not seen this specifically addresed in the literature. Most BB units are attached to churches and thus have similar social-clas orientations to the churchs. Smith unlike Baden-Powell did not have a military background. So the idea of a military-like uniform was not part of the BB program. Eventually a blue uniform wasadopted, but we do not see many fully uniormed groups until after World War II. Increasing prosperity meant that purchasing uniform was a relatively minor matter for even working-class families.