Boys’ Brigade founder celebrates 99th year

The founder of the Bermuda Boys’ Brigade has celebrated his 99th birthday.

Captain Cecil Downs joined members of the 1st Bermuda Company at St Paul’s Church in Paget to mark the occasion.

Captain Downs first joined the Boys’ Brigade in Dublin when he was just eight-years old.

He moved to Bermuda in 1958 and set up the Boys’ Brigade two years later.

The group’s current captain David Semos, told the Bermuda Sun: “Mr Downs is still active by doing the inspection of the boys on Parade Sundays when he is able to attend and being the honoree president of the BB in Bermuda.

“He lives the Object of the BB and has always done so ever since I have known him.

“We can hold him up and say that “all that tends towards a true Christian Manliness describes Mr Downs.”

Mr Downs was honoured in the 1986 Queen’s Birthday honours list with a Queen’s Certificate for his lifetime work with the Boys’ Brigade in Bermuda. 

He was the captain until 1986 when there were six Companies in Bermuda. 

Today there is only one Company with over 40 members, led by David Semos at St Paul’s Church under the priest-in-charge, the Revd Anthony D Pettit.

The Boys’ Brigade meet on Fridays in the Christian Education Centre in Paget.