English Boys' Brigade: Activities--St. George's Day

Figure 1.--The I.M.P.S is the section below the juniors, which has been called the Anchor Boys since the earley eighties. This photo was taken in the mid to late 1970s during a parade, normally on Easter or St. Georges day.

Of course the St. George's Day parade is especially important. St. George is England's patron saint and honored by annual parades in England. A sharp uniform was as important part of parade preparations. An English Boys' Brigade members has prodvided the following description of St. George's Day. St. George is England's patron saint and honored by annual parades in England. A sharp uniform was as important part of parade preparations.

1970s Parade

During the late 1970s preparing for parade on a special occation, probably St.Georges Day or the like, we used to meet up at the Boy's Brigade hut at the local methodist church, this was always on Sunday mornings at about 10:00 pm,as the parade was about 11:00 pm. The parades where only about three times a year and only for special occations, were all volentary uniformed groups would partisipate such as all youth groups, Red Cross, Scouts, Guides, Boys Brigade and other adult orginisations would partisipate. Our meeting would be 10:00 pm prompt, for inpection, this would involve all the boys lining up in two rows, one row behind the other to be inspected. First the leader,a boy of the group, would walk down the first line inspecting the first boy by the palms of his hands then his knee's as we all wore short trousers,for cleanliness, then for polished shoes and all aspects of uniform such as correct badges and buttons on our armbands and cap. This would continue untill all the boys were inspecteted and anyone without the correct uniform was outfitted the appropriate uniform parts from a spare supply. Finnaly, we would all look somewhat all the same, rather a regimental line up was the final result.

At last half an hour later, all clean and smart we would practice our drills, halt, about turn would echo from our room, each divition would have thier own room for practice and drill except the imps who were just catered and pampaered for, they didn't now what was ahead of them when they turned seven, playing was all they knew with light disipline, the junior and company department was were the strict and regimental procedures lay with constant drills and inspections on every meeting.

We then made our way down to the beging of the march were all the partisipants were gleaming and smart, we slotted into our position in the line up, somewere at the back, and prepared for the band to start playing with the command to march. At last we were on our way,our leaders were very insistant on keeping in step with the other boys, left right left right,somewhat impossible at such a young age, constantly stareing at the boy in front, watching his legs to keep in time with all of us constantly hopping and skipping at the attempt. Keeping our caps on was also demanding as they kept sliding of our heads with all the prancing to keep in time. A thought that always sticks in my mind was the Brownies and Guides always were allowed to wear or carry their coats in cold weather, we were not allowed that privilidge, we had to freeze in the cold weather as were all the boys from any orginisations, this didn't bother me to much at the time as all the skipping and prancing kept us warm (this is bringing some great memorys back and a smile as well).

At last, the end, almost,finished somewere near the church with a riot of charching parents, we had finished with flashing cameras and broody mothers and fathers, we were taken home, a mass of people would make for the cars ready for the journey home as the parade was so large it had two bands,one at the front and at the rear. Although these parades still are carried out today, some twenty years later, we had one to two hundred participants,this has become to but a fraction if this with only one band of only about eight members and only about less than 40 participants.

Created: 6:49 PM 7/14/2004
Last updated: 11:10 PM 7/14/2004