History – 1900s

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1900


During 1900

The below shows the 3rd Enfield Drum and Fife Band in Chase Side, before houses were built.

January 1900

The 1st, 2nd and 3rd Enfield help with the inauguration of a new Company at a display at the central hall of the Alma Road Board School. A display of bugle calls, Company Drill, Ambulance Drill and dumb bell exercises is given.

January 1900

The annual inspection and entertainment evening of the 3rd Enfield takes place in the Lecture Hall; 50 Officers and boys are on parade. The evening includes piano solos, sing songs and a lantern show of camp life by Lt N Toms and Lt Marlow.

Thursday 29th March 1900

A public meeting and demonstration is held at the Bycullah Athenaeum, Enfield. A parade of 200 marches from the market place to the Bycullah Athenaeum. The 3rd Enfield contributes to the programme with a display of Bayonet Drill.

Friday 27th April 1900

The 3rd Enfield gives a display of Bayonet Drill at the Queen’s Hall.

August 1900

The Summer Camp takes place in Lowestoft; it is the first year under canvas.


1901


Monday 18th February 1901

A concert is held in aid of camp funds.

Sunday 5th May 1901

The largest Church Parade to date is held, with two new Companies joining the United Enfield Companies. They parade from the Market Place.

Friday 10th May 1901

A combined team of 74 boys from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Enfield gives a display of bayonet exercises, as the first item of the first Royal Albert Hall Display.

August 1901

Summer Camp takes place in Felixstowe.


1902


Monday 19th May 1902

The first Battalion Inspection takes place on Whit Monday. The 3rd Enfield wins the Drill competition for the first time, by 16 points.

Saturday 2nd to Saturday 9th August 1902

The first real Battalion camp takes place in Felixstowe.

October 1902

Mr Norris Storer Toms leaves the 3rd Enfield, which he founded, but he still writes newspaper reports on The Boys’ Brigade.

Monday 3rd November 1902

Lt Eachus returns from the Boer War to an annual mess of NCOs and Officers of the Battalion at the headquarters in Lancaster Road. He shows many things he has gained from his visit to South Africa.

Sunday 16th November 1902

The inaugural 1st and 3rd Enfield Church Parade takes place at Christ Church Hall, Lancaster Road. 116 are on parade. The Companies meet at the Lecture Hall on Chase Side and march to Lancaster Road.


1903


During 1903

The below photo shows the 3rd Enfield football team for 1903-1904.

During 1903

The below photo shows the 3rd Enfield Colour Party. Shown are an unknown boy, Bray, Mr F J Tucker, Bell, an unknown boy.

During 1903

The below photo shows single stick drill with Robert Plowman.

Friday 13th March 1903

New Battalion Colours are presented by Mr Hardman of the 2nd Enfield.

Thursday 19th March 1903

A concert takes place at Bycullah Athenaeum in aid of Battalion funds for camp, with many interesting songs.

Friday 17th April 1903

Lieutenant Randall leaves Enfield and the 3rd Enfield to live in Ipswich.

Friday 8th May 1903

Major General R S Baden Powell CB occupies the chair at the Royal Albert Hall Display. Below is the programme from the event.

View the Display Programme.

Monday 1st June 1903

The annual Whit Monday Inspection and Sports takes place at the Enfield Town Park, including the first inter-Company competition for the Battalion Colours (the Hardman Colours).

The Battalion Colours consist of a silk flag with the Union Flag in the corner and the anchor of The Boys’ Brigade in the centre, with the name of the Battalion worked on a blue background. The 3rd Enfield wins the competition with 259 points to the 1st Enfield 248 points. The judge for the competition is Major Moffatt. The 3rd also wins the Sports Cup.

At this Whit Monday event the wearing of coloured ties is introduced by the Companies. The 1st Enfield has blue ties, the 2nd Enfield has yellow ties and the 3rd Enfield has red ties.

Wednesday 10th June 1903

The annual Sing Song takes place at the School Hall, Chase Side. It includes celebrations of the Colours and Sports Cup victories.

Plowman’s Song
How the good old 3rd did peg away, buck up red peg away;
The colours they prepared to bear away;
To win them for the ‘red’;
Cavalry right, they practised every night, double up to the right;
Till with column of sections and marching smart;
The Colours won the good old 3rd.

August 1903

Summer Camp is held in Clacton.

Saturday 26th September 1903

The annual Council takes place at Mr Hardman’s house. Mr R L Plowman becomes a Lieutenant.

Tuesday 3rd November 1903

The 3rd Enfield is featured in the BB Gazette as winners of the Enfield Battalion Colours and the Sports Silver Challenge Cup.

Sunday 22nd November 1903

The annual Church Parade of the 1st and 3rd Enfield takes place at Christ Church Hall.


1904


During 1904

The Boys’ Brigade has a medal called the “Cross for Heroism”, which is awarded to young people who perform brave deeds. The 1st Enfield has one of these medals gained by one of its members in 1904.

Private James Conway is swimming with his younger brother in the River Lea when he notices his brother is in difficulty. James swims to his rescue and manages to get near enough to the edge for his father to seize hold of the younger boy’s hand and pull him to safety. However, James is now exhausted and falls back into deep water and is drowned. Because of his keenness and loyalty to the BB the parents request that the Company should keep the medal as a memorial to their son’s bravery.

During 1904

The below photos show the Drum and Fife Band.

During 1904

The below photos show the 3rd Enfield in 1904 – first the whole Company, second the NCOs and Officers.

During 1904

The below photo shows the 3rd Enfield gymnastics team for 1904-1905.

Wednesday 6th January 1904

Below is an NCO appointment certificate that is presented to Fred Motts.

April 1904

The 3rd Enfield wins the Newth Football Challenge Shield, gaining 18 points out of a possible 20.

Monday 23rd May 1904

The Whit Monday Inspection and Sports takes place. The Sports Cup is won by the 3rd Enfield whilst the 1st Enfield wins the Colours competition.

Wednesday 15th June 1904

The annual Sing Song and tea takes place at the School Hall, Chase Side. The boys celebrate their Sports Cup victory.

Saturday 30th July to Sunday 7th August 1904

The Enfield Battalion Summer Camp takes place in Clacton.


1905


During 1905

The below photo shows the 3rd Enfield football team during 1905.

During 1905

The below photo shows the 3rd Enfield gymnastics pyramid squad during 1905.

During 1905

The first photo below shows the Officers and NCOs in 1905. The Company is the London District Drill champions, winning the Meares Colours, which is the flag in the background. This is the last year of the competition; the Daily Telegraph Shield would be started the following year. Lt Chas Chopping is the Officer on the left hand side. Captain Thomas Plowman is in the middle, behind the Cup with Lt Alfred Winsley on his right hand side. Lionel Plowman is the Officer on the right hand side.

The second photo below shows the whole of the 3rd Enfield, again as London District Drill champions (Meares Colours).

Thursday 11th May 1905

The 3rd Enfield gives a drill demonstration at the Royal Albert Hall Display.

View the Display Programme and a report from the event.

Monday 29th May 1905

The 3rd Enfield wins the Meares Colours at the headquarters of the London Rifle Brigade in Bunhill Row. This is first London District trophy won by the Company.

Result: 1st – 3rd Enfield (184), 2nd – 5th London (166), 3rd – 66th London (156), 4th – 46th London (146).

Monday 12th June 1905

The Whit Monday Inspection and Sports: The 3rd Enfield wins the Sports Cup for the third successive year. It also wins the Enfield Battalion Football League for the second year running.

Saturday 5th to Sunday 13th August 1905

Clacton-on-Sea is the venue for the annual Summer Camp.


1906


During 1906

The below photo shows the 3rd Enfield cricket team with the Battalion Cricket Shield.

During 1906

The below photos show the 3rd Enfield football team.

Thursday 1st February 1906

The 3rd Enfield is shown in the picture below, from the BB Gazette, outside the headquarters of the United Enfield Companies in Lancaster Road.

Monday 9th April 1906

The 3rd Enfield qualifies for the final round of the new Daily Telegraph Shield competition.

Thursday 10th May 1906

The 3rd Enfield wins the very first Daily Telegraph Shield competition at the Royal Albert Hall Display. Result: 1st – 3rd Enfield (234 1/2), 2nd – 66th London (228). Captain Plowman receives the Shield on behalf of the Company from Sir Iain Hamilton.

View an article in the Daily Telegraph about the first competition for the Shield that they donated.

Sunday 1st July 1906

View a 2nd Enfield discharge certificate that was presented to George Tuley.

Saturday 4th to Saturday 11th August 1906

Summer Camp is held at Osea Island.


1907


During 1907

Pictured below is Sgt S Richardson, winner of the gymnastics medal and cup.

During 1907

Pictured below are the old boys outside the 1st and 3rd Enfield Old Boys Club. This was situated along Lancaster Road, opposite where Sainsbury’s now is. The club had a library, games room, printing room, meeting room around a fireplace. Before Enfield Battalion was formed at the turn of the century this was the meeting place for the United Enfield Companies (1st, 2nd and 3rd Enfield).

Thursday 2nd May 1907

The 3rd Enfield wins the London District Colours competition, for the third time in a row. It also wins the Daily Telegraph Shield competition for the second time at the Royal Albert Hall Display, in front of Major General Baden-Powell. Result: 1st – 3rd Enfield (486), 2nd – 4th London (431).

View the Display Programme.

Saturday 3rd to Sunday 11th August 1907

The Summer Camp takes place at Osea Island.


1908


During 1908

The 3rd Enfield is represented at the Semi-Jubilee Review at Queen’s Park.

During 1908

Below is a series of photos of the 3rd Enfield.

During 1908

The 3rd Enfield suffers the effects of the influenza virus amongst its boys.

March 1908

The 3rd Enfield wins the Battalion Colours competition.

April 1908

The 3rd Enfield fails to get into the Daily Telegraph Shield competition finals.

Monday 25th May 1908

The founder of the 1st Enfield, Dr John James Ridge, passes away.

Friday 31st July to Friday 7th August 1908

The Summer Camp takes place at Osea Island.

Tuesday 15th December 1908

A parents and friends meeting is held.


1909


During 1909

The below photo shows the 1st Enfield NCOs for 1909-1910.

During 1909

The below photo shows the 3rd Enfield Football XI.

During 1909

A bust of Dr John James Ridge, founder of the 1st Enfield Company, is unveiled following his recent death.

During 1909

Drill is held at the British Hall every Wednesday at 7:30pm.

During 1909

The below photo shows L/Cpl W Greed, the gymnastics medal winner for 1909-1910.

During 1909

The below photo shows the 3rd Enfield Running Team for 1909-1910.

Sunday 10th January 1909

The United Bible Class takes place at the South Road Council School.

Monday 12th April 1909

The below photo shows 3rd Enfield members making sandwiches for the Easter Monday picnic in Cuffley.

Thursday 6th May 1909

The 3rd Enfield loses to the 76th London in the final of the Daily Telegraph Shield competition. Result: 1st – 76th London (538), 2nd – 3rd Enfield (494).

Monday 31st May 1909

The Whit Monday Sports takes place.

Saturday 14th to Saturday 21st August 1909

The annual Summer Camp is held at Hunstanton. The cost for boys over 14 is 9s, and 7s 6d for boys under 14.