The Boys' Brigade was founded in Glasgow on Thursday 4th October 1883. It was the first uniformed youth organisation, which has since spread all over the world.

William Alexander Smith was twenty-nine years of age when he founded The Boys' Brigade. He was born on 27th October 1854 at Pennyland, near Thurso, on the stormy north west coast of Scotland. His father and his grandfather before him were officers in the army, and it was not surprising that William Alexander Smith enrolled in the 1st Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers when still in his teens.

The Boys' Brigade first came to Tewkesbury early this century, when a Company was formed in 1906 - 1909. Almost fifty years after the first company closed, the present 1st Tewkesbury Company was formed. This took place on 6th December 1957 in what was then Holy Trinity Parish Church Hall. This hall was situated next door to the present Holy Trinity vicarage in Barton Street, next door to Tewkesbury Hospital. The Abbey accepted the company in 1990 and continues to nourish it.

The founder Captain, Mr Colin Durrant served for thirty-three years as Captain, and is still active in the Company and the Battalion.

The Company is split into four sections: - Anchors for 5 to 8 years, Juniors for 8 to 11 years, Company for 11 to 15 years and Seniors for 15 to 18 years. The company draws its members from several schools in the town and the surrounding rural areas.

The Boys' Brigade 1st Tewkesbury Company is part of The Gloucestershire Battalion made up of fourteen Companies drawn from Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, Churchdown, Gloucester, Malvern, Stonehouse, Chalford and Tewkesbury.

Boys attend their meeting or parades each week, Anchors on Mondays 6.30 - 7.30pm, Juniors on Fridays 6.30 - 8.00pm and Company/Seniors on Fridays 7.00 - 9.30pm.

The Anchor and Junior Sections are held at The Boys' Brigade HQ and Community Centre at Canterbury Leys and the Company and Senior sections are held at Link Road Youth Centre. The boys are encouraged to come along for six weeks, to see what takes place at BB. Many who come like what they see, join the Company and want to wear the uniform as soon as possible.

What do we do in BB? Certainly every section has a varied and interesting programme. The Anchors work towards certificates presented at the end of the year for attendance, inspection, church and craft. The Anchors in their last year complete their Anchor Achievement Book and receive a certificate and an Anchor Badge. The Juniors work to complete six badges (two each year) hoping to finish with the Gold Award, the highest award in the junior section. The President's Badge is the highest award in the Company section (which takes a minimum of three years) and the Queen's Badge is a very special award (a further two years) that only a few boys achieve, but is what every boy should aim for.

For many years football has been an important part for the boys in Junior and Company sections. We have regular Saturday morning matches or training sessions and fixtures with other BB companies and youth organisations. On Saturdays, out of the football season, we play a different selection of field games. The summer sessions are more geared to leisure activities.

The Company has had a successful history in Boys' Brigade Battalion competitions over many years.

We have held company camps travelling to various parts of the country including East Anglia, the South Coast, Wales and the Channel Isles. The company section has joined the Gloucestershire Battalion Company Camps for the last fifteen years.

The Junior section helped to form a Gloucestershire Battalion Junior holiday section travelling to Torquay, Deal, The Boys' Brigade West of England Centre near Bovey Tracey etc . It has previously held Junior holidays at Brixham, Torquay, the West of England Centre etc, as well as in the past having joint holidays with the Company section.

The Boys' Brigade is a Christian organisation and every Company is attached to a church and part of belonging is attending a church or Sunday school as often as possible. The Company is part of the outreach of Tewkesbury Abbey which has a Sunday school held in the Abbey Hall.