3rd Enfield Company history
1888 - 1899 | click on the year you want to visit
1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899
1888
| 12th October | The 1st Enfield Company, formed by Dr J J Ridge, holds their meetings each Saturday evening at Christ Church hall. The Christ Church Young Men's Society holds meetings every Tuesday evening at the Lecture hall. |
1889
1890
| 26th May | The 1st Enfield hold their second annual inspection on a field adjoining Christ Church. The Rev H S Toms acted as Inspecting Officer, and A J Ridge read the report. It was hoped that other Companies in Enfield would soon be formed. |
| 31st October | The 2nd Enfield hold their first parade evening in the presence of A J Ridge. He spoke to the Boys about the aims, Object and the rules of the Brigade. During the address he made special reference to the folly of smoking, betting and the use of bad language. Of the 29 Boys present, 27 accepted the terms of membership. Any tobacco found on the Boys was collected in a heap and burnt. |
| 3rd December | The 3rd Enfield hold their first parade night. The Company was formed by the second son of the Christ Church Minister, Mr Norris Storer Toms. The Company Captain is Charles Coote. The Company has 33 Boys. |
1891
| 16th January |
A public meeting is held in support of the Boys' Brigade at 8 o'clock at the Lecture hall in Chase Side and is attended by Mr J Downing and Mr Robinson (President of the London Battalion). This was the first public appearance of the 3rd Enfield, but not in uniform. The aims of the BB were discussed, it was attempted to bring out the positive benefits of the Brigade.
Advert in a local paper for the public meeting |
| 26th January | The 3rd Enfield's application for enrolment is made. |
| 29th January | The 3rd Enfield Company is registered, on the same day as the 2nd Enfield Company. |
Page from the Boys' Brigade Gazette mentioning the enrolment of the 2nd and 3rd Enfield Companies
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| 19th April | The 1st, 2nd and 3rd Enfield hold their first Church Parade, at Christ Church. The Rev H S Toms presents the Stripes to the NCOs of the newly formed 2nd and 3rd Enfield Companies. |
| 22nd April | There is a free fight occasioned by a row outside the 3rd Enfield Drill hall, after an Officer in the Brigade knocked out one of the hooligans who had been making a nuisance of himself. |
| 18th May | The third annual Inspection of the 1st Enfield Company takes place at Enfield on Whit Monday. The newly formed 2nd and 3rd Enfield and the 1st New Barnet also take part in the proceedings. The 1st give an exhibition of rifle exercises. A J Ridge reads the report, which talks of the formation of the 2nd and 3rd Enfield Companies. At the Christ Church institute two rooms had been devoted to the use of the Boys. |
| May | The Boys' Brigade, with the Cricket Club and the Band of Hope, rent the field adjoining the manse grounds for cricket and other open air sports. |
| 29th May, 1st June, 12th June, 19th June and 26th June | Several letters complaining about the BB are published in the Gazette; the letters were from local Churchmen who believed that military drill could not be combined with religious teaching for the benefit of the Boys. |
| 26th June | A letter is published from William A Smith, the Founder, explaining the aims of the Brigade. This stops any further bad press. |
| 1st October | The Company sets up a small printing press in one of the rooms in their headquarters. |
1st Enfield recruitment poster signed by Captain Harry Toms |
1892
| February | Mr Thomas Room Plowman becomes Captain of the Company. |
| 24th March | The United Enfield Companies (1st, 2nd, 3rd Enfield Companies) give a demonstration at the Bycullah Athenaeum. Captain Bowles MP takes the chair for the evening. The Drum and Fife Band of the 16th London was present. The 5th London gave a demonstration of Ambulance Drill. |
1893
| March | A Battalion parade is held on Easter Monday, and after drill they played football, tug of war etc. until 7pm. In the evening they had a lantern slide show. |
| 22nd May | The Whit Monday Parade: The first ever inter-Company competition is held. This is for sport and a handsome silver cup is presented by Mr W H Brown to the Companies. The 3rd were the first winners of the Cup. |
| May | The first issue of the magazine of the 3rd Enfield was published, called "Union Jack" and is four pages long. |
| August | The first camp is held at Burnham-on-Crouch. Twenty boys from the Company attend the camp. |
1894
| A new headquarters opens for the Boys' Brigade at 51 Lancaster Road, after being given to the BB by the Liberal and Radical club. The headquarters have one large room downstairs and two small rooms upstairs. One of the rooms upstairs is for games and the other for reading; this room contained a library for Boys books and a fire in the corner, with Boys being allowed to take books home. Bible Classes were held there (the 1st downstairs and the 3rd upstairs); club rooms and a printing press featured on weekdays, while on Sunday evenings sometimes 200 Boys crowded in for a lantern service. Football, cricket, ambulance drill and woodcarving are also started. | |
| May | The Whit Monday annual Inspection is held at the Guild Field, Chase Side. A J Ridge talks of the increased numbers, the Sunday evening lantern shows, then cricket, football and athletics. The 1st Enfield win the Sports Cup with 77 points to the 3rd Enfield's 48 and then the 2nd Enfield's 29pts. |
The annual Summer Camp is held at Burnham-on-Crouch.
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1895
| May | The Whit Monday annual Inspection and Sports is held at the Brigade Field, Chase Side. The Companies are inspected, by Captain J A Hunt. The lantern services prove very attractive to the 3rd Enfield Boys. The 1st Enfield win the Sports Cup with 65 points to the 3rd Enfield's 50 points and the 2nd Enfield's 29. |
| 16th October | Thomas Plowman replies to the complaint made about the noise of the Drum and Fife Band of the 3rd Enfield, which was formed in 1894, and practice at the United Enfield Companies headquarters. The complaint came from Mr J W Grainger of the Herb and Drug store next door. |
1896
| February | The Battalion Church Parade is led by the Drum and Fife Band of the 3rd Enfield. |
| 10th February | The annual Parents and Friends Entertainment and Display is held in the Lecture hall, Chase Side. They give a display of dumbbell drill under Lt Toms. The band, under Mr W Clements, also give a display. |
| April | A concert takes place at the Lecture hall in aid of the Camp fund of the United Enfield Companies. |
| May | The Whit Monday annual Inspection and Sports is held at Brigade Field, Chase Side. The Inspecting Officer is Captain Hunt. The Drum and Fife Band of the 3rd play at the event. The 1st Enfield win the Sports cup with 70 points; the 2nd Enfield have 38 points and the 3rd Enfield 36. |
| 27th June-4th July | The Summer Camp is held at Hayling, and costs 12s 6d for each Boy. |
1897
| 30th January-1st February |
The visit of Sir William A Smith to Enfield takes place. He visits the Enfield headquarters (30th January) and inspects the comfortable reading rooms and the printing press. He visits the 1st Enfield drill evening.
On 31st January Mr Smith speaks at a United Bible Class of the three United Enfield Companies. In the evening he attends a lantern service for Boys only (220 were present). On 1st February a parade from the market place is held in the slush. The 3rd Enfield Drum and Fife Band play outside the Bycullah Athenaeum. The evening involves a sword drill exercise by the 3rd.
Article in the Boys' Brigade Gazette about the visit of Sir William A Smith to Enfield |
| February | The 3rd Enfield hold their fifth annual Entertainment and Display evening to parents and friends in the Lecture hall at Chase Side. |
| May | The first London Display is held at the Queen's Hall. |
| June | The Whit Monday annual Inspection and Sports is held at Brigade Field. Mr A J Ridge talks about the summer camp the previous year year at Hayling Island, which was the first only United Enfield Companies Camp. He also mentions the visit by William Smith and the squad of Enfield Boys who gave a display of bayonet exercises. As part of the Queen Victoria Jubilee celebrations, 40 Boys went to the Royal Military Tournament. The first inter-Company Drill competition is won by the 2nd Enfield. The 1st Enfield won the sports cup (65 points) with the 2nd Enfield second (42 points) and the 3rd Enfield third (37 points) |
| 26th June | Summer Camp is held at Hayling Island. |
| September | The Brigade Council is held in London, and makes a visit to the headquarters of the United Enfield Companies in Lancaster Road. The Officers are given a photo of the headquarters as a souvenir. |
1898
An article in the Boys' Brigade Gazette about the Company Band by Norris Storer Toms, founder of the 3rd Enfield |
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| February | A concert is held in aid of the Summer Camp fund of the United Enfield Companies. |
| April | A Battalion Church Parade takes place at Christ Church. Pte Trappschuh was presented with a silver watch as first prize in the Christmas competition. Captain T R Plowman reads a letter from Mr William A Smith. The winning letter was entitled "How does prayer help a Boy to seek first the Kingdom of God?". |
| May | Whit Monday annual Inspection and Sports at Brigade Field: The Companies are inspected by Captain J A Hunt. Captain Plowman reads the report, the activities of the Companies include Company and Sword drill, ambulance classes, football, cricket, Drum and Fife Bands and Bugle Bands. The inter-Company Drill competition is won by the 1st Enfield. The Sports competition results are as follows: 1st - 1st Enfield (66), 2nd - 3rd Enfield (46), 3rd - 2nd Enfield (32). |
| 16th-25th July |
Summer camp is held at Hayling Island.
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Back row left to right: Lt Norris Toms, Charles Chopping, H Smith, Fox, unknown boy, H Marshall, W Chopping, F Stinton Middle row sitting, left to right: J Randall, unknown boy, Captain Tom Plowman, unknown boy, G Kirby Standing right hand side: J Birse, J Jordan Front row sitting, left to right: unknown boy, C Trappschuh, G Randall, F Randall, Titmus |
1899
| March | The United Enfield Companies hold the annual concert in aid of the Summer Camp at the Lecture hall. |
| May | The Whit Monday annual Inspection and Sports is held at the Brigade Field, where Captain Plowman reads the report. The Sports competition results are as follows: 1st - 1st Enfield (72), 2nd - 2nd Enfield (34), 3rd - 3rd Enfield (38). |
| 15th-22nd July |
Summer Camp is held at Hayling Island.
3rd Enfield Band at the Hayling Island Camp. In charge of the band is Mr Davis of Gordon Hill |
| 24th July | An Old Boys Camp is held. |
Latest news 
We're back...!
Added 3rd September 2010
Our new session at BB starts this Monday, 6th September.
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We're back...!
Added 3rd September 2010
Our new session at BB starts this Monday, 6th September.
(read full article)
Summer camp 2010
Added 22nd August 2010
From 24th to 31st July, members of the 3rd Enfield joined with the 10th Enfield Boys' Brigade and 1st Winchmore Hill Girls' Brigade for our summer camp, which was held in Beeston Regis, Norfolk.
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3rd Enfield Summer BBQ
Added 13th July 2010
On Monday 12th July we held our summer BBQ, which was the last night of our summer programme.
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Enfield Battalion visits Thorpe Park
Added 12th July 2010
On Saturday 10th July, Enfield Battalion organised a trip to Thorpe Park for members of Companies in Enfield.
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Motto: Sure and Steadfast (Hebrews 6:19), Object: The advancement of Christ's Kingdom among Boys and the promotion of habits of Obedience, Reverence, Discipline, Self-respect and all that tends towards a true Christian Manliness