The Hingham Trayned Bande of 1637

Members of the Hingham Trayned Bande in the grounds of the 
Old Ship Church in Hingham, Massachusetts

The term 'Trayned Bande' can be traced back to the reign of the great warrior-king Edward I, when Parliament enacted legislation decreeing that every freeman between the ages of 15 and 60 years must be available to preserve the peace within his own county or shire.

In the towns where the units were organized and located, they were known because of their periodic training as "trained bands". When colonies were founded in America, they set up the English practice of establishing trained bands.

In the reign of Charles II, Parliament revised membership requirements, established pay and appointed officers, and the trained bands became known as "militias".

The Town of Hingham accordingly set up a Trayned Bande in 1637, and in concert with the newer practice in England, this body subsequently became The Hingham Militia Company. Later in our history, the militias became subsumed in national army reserves by the name of The National Guard (in the US), and the Territorial Army (in Britain.)

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