Girls celebrate 75th anniversary

Girls celebrate 75th anniversary

16 January 2013

LISSARA Girls’ Brigade is celebrating its 75th anniversary in style and it wants all former members to join in the celebrations.

A number of special events are being held to mark the occasion with the first taking place this weekend in Lissara Presbyterian Church Hall.

The Down Memory Lane coffee morning this Saturday between 11am and 2.30pm will feature a host of photographs, company records, a slide and film presentation and memorabilia.

Then on February 1, the Crossgar company is organising a concert to raise funds for a new GB company which has been formed in Kawandwe in Uganda.

But all attention is on this Saturday’s event when Lissara Hall is expected to be a hive of activity as friends and former members of the company come to reminisce and view fantastic photographs which provide a social history of Lissara Girls’ Brigade.

The company attached to Lissara Presbyterian Church was initially formed as a Girls’ Life Brigade Company with the first captain, Mrs. M. McMillan, commissioned in 1938. For a few years during World War Two the company did not meet.

Current company captain, Mrs. Elizabeth Patterson, said the Girls’ Brigade was formed in July 1965 as a result of the amalgamation of three different organisations — the Girls’ Brigade formed in Ireland in 1893, the Girls’ Guildry, formed in Scotland in 1900, and the Girls’ Life Brigade, formed in England in 1902.

“In 1965, under then captain Mrs. Rhona Niblock, the 1st Crossgar GLB Company became the 87th NI Lissara Presbyterian Company of the Girls’ Brigade,” Elizabeth explained.

“Following Mrs. Niblock as captain were Mrs. Betty Hamilton, Mrs. Helen Tate (nee Coffey) and Miss Reta McClurg, who each served in the role for several years.”

Mrs. Patterson took over the company’s reins in 1983 and is currently completing her 30th year at the helm.

“During our 75 years we have been served by seven chaplains, with the Rev. Samuel Armstrong the longest serving at around 24 years. Our current chaplain is the Rev. Ian Abraham and our company records show we have had 49 officers who have completed around 408 years’ of service to the company,” Mrs. Patterson continued.

“To celebrate the 75th anniversary we have been holding several special activities to enable members to remember this special year long into the future. We recently spent an evening where each of the younger girls and the leaders built an anniversary bear with a specially designed commemorative tee-shirt.”

Mrs. Patterson hopes this Saturday’s coffee morning in the church hall will be attended by a large number of past and present members, family and friends of Lissara GB ping in to see the many displays and memorabilia.

“We will have a display and slideshow running through photographs spanning 60 years. There will also be video clips and around 20 albums covering company activities during the past three decades,” she revealed.

“Also on display for those interested in details are lists of the major prizewinners over the history of Lissara GB, together with the annual reports and lists of award winners spanning around 50 years.”

Mrs. Patterson said the company has greatly enjoyed preparing for the special event and is looking forward to welcoming many friends this Saturday.

Looking further ahead to the charity concert, Mrs. Patterson explained the funds are in aid of the new GB company in Uganda.

“We have chosen this project as the charity we wish to support in our anniversary year. The police male voice choir will be performing at the event in the church hall on Friday, February 1, at 7.30pm.”

For further information or to obtain tickets contact Mrs. Patterson on 07711 158328 or jepatterson@btinternet.com.