Old Boy Reflections
A few thoughts from
an Old Boy of the 25th Belfast Company, TheBoys Brigade.
By Mr John Knox.
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| Sgt. John Knox (Aged 18 yrs) |
John Knox 2004 |
I also believe that through my connection with the 25th B.B. and Cregagh Methodist Church I also met my wife Joyce Burgess to whom I have now been married for 44 years. For these two events in my life I owe a great deal to past leaders in Cregagh and the B.B. neither of which I would change for any reason. I regard a past Captain Sam Doak as perhaps the most influential of all who helped form my life in and around Cregagh for which I thank God for all the guidance received there.
The 25th B.B. were always forward looking especially when it came to camp, going to such places as The Isle of Man and Torquay among many other destinations. In 1960 we camped in North Wales and were caught up in a shipping strike. There we were with about 35 boys and 5 Officers with little or no money trying to find an alternative way home. However by pooling all our cash together we managed to find an alternative way home, via Dublin, arriving very exhausted in Belfast in the dead of night.
I have maintained my interest in the 25th B.B. right to this day and have had the pleasure of organising the presentation of the 25th B.B. colours and also the Captains Board displayed in the Church entrance at Cregagh.
There are many occasions when I can look back and give a smile when I think of how the 25th B.B. helped me in life's journey. I was proposed for promotion in the business I worked in at a time and the manager asked me how I thought I could handle personnel, some of whom would be older that me and again some younger. I told him that I was an officer in the 25th B.B. and faced many difficult occasions especially on parade nights and so far I was still standing. I was successfully promoted. Another occasion was when I was in Birmingham, and had forgotten my bank card I went into the local T.S.B. and asked the manager to phone my bank manager in Belfast who happened also to be an old boy of the 25th B.B. in Belfast. The manager came back to the counter with a smile on his face and asked me to name the best B.B. Company in Belfast and of course I said the 25th B.B. he then asked, "How much do you want".
During my time in the 25th B.B. there emerged quite a number of boys who were to make a significant contribution to our province.
Firstly there was Jim Brady (a past captain), had the honour of playing Rugby for Ireland seven or eight times.
Alan Kerr, became a Doctor and a Senior Consultant in the Royal Victoria Hospital in charge of the Ear Nose and Throat department.
Tommy Noble, (many times sent home for minor offences), a Methodist Minister, indeed he became Chaplain to the 25th Belfast Company and to the Belfast Battalion.
Wesley Starr, (also a past captain of the 25th B.B.), started his career as a teacher in Wallace High School Lisburn and moved on to become Director of Further Education at Queens University Belfast .
I could go on but enough is enough, I would like finish by paying a personal tribute to all that the 25th B.B. has meant to me, and I tried to put into practice all I was taught there, especially it must be said in the Sunday Morning Bible Class. I am indeed grateful to all who in any way helped to shape my life. I can only close by recalling the picture which hung in the Minor Hall of Christ with his arm around that of a Boys' Brigade Boy.
Photograph taken in 1961 at a farewell party to Rev T Noble as he prepared to leave to take up missionary work in Africa
Back row -: John Knox, Richard Farmer, Alex Porter, Wesley Starr, Rev Billy Buchanan, Cyril Hinds, Alan Kerr
Centre row-:,Norris McClure, June McClure, Muriel Wylie, Joan Buchanan, Betty Hinds, Rosemary McClure, Paddy Kerr, David Johnston.
Front Row, -: Irene Starr, Margaret Porter, Rev. Tommy Noble, Thelma Noble, Joyce Knox, and Alma Farmer.
One interesting point, all of us (except a few who have passed on ) still meet together as a group every six weeks or so. No one has separated, No one is divorced an we all still live with the girls we married.
John Knox.
If you have any memories or memorabilia please do not hesitate to contact us
by E-Mail
25thbelfast@boys-brigade.org.uk
