The
229th Glasgow Boys' Brigade company
celebrated its centenary in 2011
Past and present members of
a Cambuslang Boys’ Brigade company
took part in a series of events to
celebrate their centenary.
The
229th
Glasgow Boys' Brigade Company marked 100
years with various events held over
three days. They started the weekend of
celebrations on Friday, 21st
October 2011 with an open evening in
the halls of Cambuslang Parish Church.
A spokesman said: “As well
as providing an opportunity to see what
our boys get up to on their company night,
it was also an opportunity to view
photographs and memorabilia from
throughout the company's life, with some
items dating back almost to the very
founding of the company.
“Saturday
22nd October night's event at Cambuslang
Rugby Club was the centenary dinner.”
Invited guests included company
chaplain Rev. Leslie Milton,
minister of Cambuslang Parish Church, and
Tom Greatrex, MP for Rutherglen and
Hamilton West. The evening was chaired by
Robbie Tennent, who introduced the
after-dinner speakers.
Warrant
Officer
David Young gave a toast to the
Boys' Brigade, replied to by Alistair
Burrow, vice-president of the Boys'
Brigade.
Sergeant Lewis Tennent
presented a toast to the 229th
Company, replied to by John Neil
OBE, honorary president of the BB
movement in the UK and Northern Ireland.
Mr
Neil
paid particular tribute to three
important figures in the history of the
229th – current captain Miss Jean
Black, who has been involved in
the company since 1964; Rev. Bob
Bell, company chaplain; and George
Sinclair, who twice served as
company captain, in the 1960s and 1980s
Russell Smith, a former
boy and officer, told many stories about his
time in the 229th BB.
Entertainment
was
by folk group PiggeryBrae,
three of whom are former BBs while band member
Jim Ferguson, is a former 229th
captain.
The
final
event of the weekend was a celebration service
in Cambuslang Parish Church, which saw the
dedication of new company colours. Among those
present were South Lanarkshire Provost
Russell Clearie, and Councillor Pam
Clearie.
The spokesman added: “The
celebration events were all well attended and
brought memories flooding back for those who
have been a part of the 229th. It was
unanimously felt that the company shouldn't
wait 100 years to hold another reunion!”
The
229th Glasgow Company goes back to the
3rd Cambuslang Company, formed in Rosebank
Church in 1911.
The
company have around 40 members across three
sections – Anchor Boys, Junior Section and
Company Section.
Rutherglen
Town Hall, 2011 229th Glasgow Boy's Brigade Centenary Captain
Jean Black being presented
with a commemorative obelisk by Provost
Russell Clearie
2011 has
seen the 299th Glasgow Boys' Brigade hold a
series of commemorative events, but it was
their turn to let someone else do the work
when they were given a civic reception at Rutherglen
Town Hall in December 2011.
Boys
from
the anchor boys and junior and company
sections were joined by officers and invited
guests for the event.
Cambuslang West councillors David Baillie
and Clare McColl also attended with Provost
Russell Clearie and his wife, Councillor
Pam Clearie.
The
Provost
presented company stalwart and Captain
Jean Black with a commemorative obelisk.
The Provost, himself a former
BB, told the guests that the 229th
continued to provide their members with “the
fundamental building blocks to ensure that
they develop into upstanding and indeed
outstanding members of our communities. As an
ex-BB boy myself, I know just how important
brigade life is and how it has touched on so
many people's lives. It really does give so
many boys a great start in life.
“It
is
very much a team effort that has ensured the
BB remains what it is today - an organisation
that not only impacts on boys’ lives but helps
create good citizens and healthy communities
as well.”
The 229th BB began life
in 1911 as the 3rd Cambuslang
Company, attached to Rosebank Church,
with its first captain being Mr
John Reid.
However,
when
war broke out just three years later the 2nd
and 3rd Cambuslang companies
decided to merge.
The move was so successful that the boys
resisted attempts after the war to break the
companies up again and they became the 192nd
Glasgow Company.
With battalion reorganisation
the 229th Glasgow BB was formed in
1926 attached to Rosebank UF
Church, Cambuslang.
In
1965,
the company became affiliated with the new St
Andrew’s Parish Church, while a young female
officer also joined - and 46 years later Jean
Black is still there.
The
company
held a weekend of events in October 2011 to
mark the centenary.
29th
May 2008 at Glasgow City Chambers
Captain Jean Black with two of her boys who
gained their Queen's badge.
The boys are
David Young & Scott Laidlaw, giving
Scott support is his parish priest Father
Paul Morton from St.Brides
chapel, Cambuslang.
Father Morton told me young Scott is a bit
of a lad and he came to chapel one Sunday
with a fitba top on with 'Gazza' on the
back!
.
SEE 2008 The Queen's men parade and
all the names
April 2015
It was the end of an era for the
229th Glasgow,
Cambuslang Boys’ Brigade Company as their
captain is retiring after 30 years in charge.
Captainn
Jean Black, who has been an officer in the
company for over 50 years, has decided
it’s time to scale back her involvement and hand
over the reins to someone else.
However that doesn’t mean she’s
leaving the Cambuslang Parish Church based
company entirely, as she will be continuing in
her role as company treasurer.
Jean
took
over the captaincy in 1986, making her
one of the first female company captains not
just in Glasgow but in the entire organisation.
Prior to that, she had been an officer in the
company, beginning with the Junior Section
in 1964.
Taking over from Jean will be Lt. Angus
McColl, who has been involved in the
company for 44 years as both officer and
boy. He said: “I’m very pleased to have
been asked to fill the position of Captain here
at the 229th Boy’s Brigade. “I’ve been in the
company since my childhood, and having seen many
friends and boys pass through the company go on
to make great use of the object of the Boy’s
Brigade, I will endeavour to continue building
the company, making opportunities for current
boys and future ones to learn the habits of
obedience, discipline, reverence, self-respect
and true Christian manliness.”
To
celebrate
Miss Black’s service to the company, a special
service is to be held in the church on Sunday 19
April 2015 at 10.30am. There will also be a
social event on Friday, April 17 at Cambuslang
Rugby Club. Current and former members of the
company are invited to attend both events.
The Boys’
Brigade is Christian organisation for boys and
young men, with over half a million members
worldwide. It was founded in Glasgow in
1883. The 229th Glasgow Company meet
in Cambuslang Parish Church every Thursday
evening from September through until May, and is
open to all boys of school age. New members are
always made more than welcome.
.
In 2021
Cambuslang Bowling Club donated a pool
table to the local 229th Boys' Brigade
Company