[Ads-l] one of the old brigade

[Jonathan Lighter]

Not in OED.

'An original, elderly, or senior member of a class of persons.'

1888 _Times_ (Coventry, Warwicks.) (May 16) 5: Mr. James Deemin...., one of
the old brigade, and of late a frequent visitor at the Coventry District
Cyclists' gatherings.

1897 _Phila. Inquirer_ (June 27) 23 [Genealogy Bank]: A thirty years'
active record on the ball field is almost as rare as fried ice, and [Cap]
Anson is to-day about the only one of the old brigade who could better
afford to give up the game than to continue in it.

1899 _Western Mail_ (Glamorgan, Wales) (June 22) 5 [Newspapers.com]: ONE OF
THE OLD BRIGADE.  Cardiganshire Centenarian Passes Away.

1900 _Daily News_ (Chicago) (June 7) 18 [Genealogy Bank]:  "Have you seen
Prof. X?' to which a caddie, one of the old brigade, immediately replied,
"Yes, he's along the green."

1906 _Courier Free Press_ (Redding, Cal.) (Apr. 4) 4: He is one of the old
brigade of engineers on this division of the Southern Pacific system.

1917 _Sun_ (NYC) (July 29) 10 [Genealogy Bank] : A veteran editorial
writer, one of the old brigade of newspaper men.

1941 _San Francisco Chronicle_ (July 13) 4H [Genealogy Bank]: Bill Lawless,
one of the old brigade [of sports writers]...Lawless passed on a few years
ago.

2018 _Bolton [Eng.] News_ (Oct. 13) [Newspapers.com] 52: Ellis was one of
the old brigade....The death of Doug Ellis...saw another remnant of
football's days gone by extinguished.

The phrase was originally an allusion to Englishman Fred Weatherley's
sentimental military song, "The Boys of the Old Brigade" (1881).

JL
-- 
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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