Dorchester Boys' Brigade Parade and 120th Anniversary

Being the oldest uniformed organisation for Boys in the United Kingdom, the Dorchester Boys’ Brigade was very pleased to celebrate its 120th Anniversary this April. It was delighted, further, for the Anniversary to be marked with an annual parade involving members of neighbouring Companies from as far afield as Bath, all joining us for a commemorative service at St Peter’s Church, presided over by our Chaplin, Reverend Vicky Thurtell.

Today we are pleased to welcome girls into the Company, and the Dorchester contingent continues to thrive, its service unbroken since its foundation, even during the two World Wars. It is perhaps remarkable that the object of the Brigade, laid down by its founder Sir William Alexander Smith in 1883 in Glasgow, has remained unchanged to this day. ‘The advancement of Christ’s kingdom among boys and the promotion of habits of obedience, reverence, discipline, self-respect and all that tends towards true Christian manliness’ is still pursued throughout the Brigade in the United Kingdom, across much of the globe, and very much in Dorchester, with ardour today.

Tony Day

2nd Dorchester Company