William Alexander Smith, aged 13, moved to Glasgow after the death of his father to be brought up by an uncle in the wholesale business. He later started his own firm. He joined the Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers, the YMCA, and the Free Church of Scotland. In the latter he became associated with the Reverend George Reith (father of the BBC's Lord Reith). He founded 'The Boys' Brigade', a quasi-military youth organisation, in 1883. It spread rapidly throughout Scotland, Britain and the Commonwealth and he gave up his business to concentrate on the organisation. He was knighted in 1909. He died the day after a mass rally in London in 1914. narrow letters, that works well on almost every site.