The Salvation Army Open Fire in Bristol

Some leading members of the body calling themselves the "Salvation Army," arriving in Bristol on Saturday, commenced their campaign with a quiet service yesterday morning in the circular wooden building erected some years ago in the Backfields, behind the Full Moon Hotel, St, Paul's, by Pablo Fanque for his circus company, and now re-christened the "Salvation Circus." The contingent at present appears to be a very small one, numbering some half-a-dozen prominent brethren, who, however, were followed from St. Philip's by a considerable number of persons.

There was a large attendance, and those who had come from mere curiosity did not find very much to satisfy any thirst for novelty, even "Lieutenant" Carver failing to bring his "Hallelujah cornet," as expressed to the assemblage in an apology for its being accidentally left at home. There was, therefore, no accompanying music, but the singing was led by the leaders of the army, "Capt." Taberer (who incidentally conveyed to the audience that he was formerly known as "Drunken George" before his conversion), the lady announced in the bills as "Happy Sally," another lady, Lieut. Carver, and Brothers Shrewd, Joseph, and Brain, of Newport. These, with two children, occupied prominent seats on one side of the circus, and the assemblage took the rows of seats around the building and the sittings specially arranged across the circus ring, Hymns from the "Salvation Song-book," by Wm. Smith, and set to popular tunes, were sung, the last lines being repeated again and again as a refrain or chorus.

After the singing, "Capt." Taberer read a portion of Scripture, freely commenting upon it as he read, and also giving scraps of information, amongst which was the fact that they sometimes had two speakers, sometimes five, ten, twenty, or one hundred at one meeting. Sighting some persons at the door-way, he told them they would not be allowed to stand there. There was plenty of room inside, and they intended to begin as they would go on. Brother Smith, who said he had come from Newport, gave a short address, and in the course of an appeal to well-deserving sinners, he referred to St. Paul's captivity, but did not know when he was dragged through the streets whether he had an umbrella. "Captain" Taberer thanked God that he had one. Brother Smith, continuing, said that the Christian’s life was a life that devils looked at and trembled. Remarking that they were a rough lot, without learnedly written sermons, be said they had not been to college — but they had been to Calvary. "Captain" Taberer, continuing his running comments, said at Hull, where they had been, there was a publican who, next door to them, used to sell eight barrels of beer is week, but when they left he only sold three. They could not help that, and if that man wanted some work to do he could find some for him — to sweep up the Salvation circus.

He further explained that they always closed the service at twelve o'clock, so that people might have time to go home to dinner — if they had any — and come back again. If they had no dinner, he would be happy for them to go home with him, and he would divide his own among them. The remark elicited applause, which the speaker deprecated, as that was now the House of God, and what used to be done when the horses ran round there could not be done now. It took his mind back to the time of the public house, the singing room, and the concert hall. He and his wife had some difficulty in getting lodgings in Bristol, but they had taken an empty house, where they only had two chairs for themselves and one for a brother, and if anyone would come home to dinner with them he would sit on the floor.

After singing a hymn to the stirring tune of "Hold the Fort," “Lieut." Carver next spoke, and informing the assemblage that he was no preacher, he said whenever he took a text he generally left it, and "it was ten to one he never got near it again." The Salvation Army was going on; it had been stoned, kicked, and hooted, and some of the members of it had been put in prison, but it would continue to grow. Their object was to make an onslaught upon the devil and sin, and they hoped to have a hundred houses of prayer in Bristol before long, in homes that were now as black and filthy as hell could make them. "Capt." Taberer said he had been asked how long the Salvation Army were going to stay here, but he would say that when he left there would be someone else to carry on the work; in fact, they would stay there till the Lord burnt Bristol down, as He would one clay.

There was another service in the afternoon, and an Open-air meeting in the Horsefair, at which the proceedings were not unmixed with levity, but there was no actual disturbance. The leaders followed by a large crowd walked to the Circus for the evening proceedings, at the opening of which there was considerable shouting, clapping of hands, laughter, and hissing, which the promoters of the gathering suppressed, and they also induced several persons entering the place with their hats on to uncover. About 2,000 persons assembled, and the ingress and exit of many persons, with stamping etc. proved a disturbing element. The hymns, to secular tunes, with refrain or chorus, proved something more than quaint, and provoked laughter, which there was some difficulty in suppressing. While a brother was giving out one verse someone in the audience attempted a line of the chorus, but the "Captain" reminded the audience that they could not do it, and they must listen to the leaders first. In the course of his remarks he said they had not got a banner or many soldiers yet, but they expected to have some before a month was over. Several persons, including the lady styled "Happy Sally," spoke, their vehement appeals and demonstrative gesticulations now and then provoking ridicule. Two of the company sang a duet, and during the proceedings six or seven persons went round the audience with collecting boxes.

This report of The Salvation Army opening fire in Bristol was published in the Bristol Mercury, 23rd August 1880.

The Salvation Girl

While rumour has it that some of our actor-managers are to be knighted, an actress has been righted, for Miss Ada Ward has become a Salvation lass. Miss Ward has had a varied career. She has been on the stage for twenty years, having played with Modjeska and as leading lady of the Theatre Royal, Melbourne. Indeed, she has been four times around the world in that time. She has also been twice married, divorcing her first husband in her seventeenth year; and she served as a nurse during the Siege of Paris, writing a magazine article about her experiences thereat. Recently she has been playing in Portsmouth as Lady Isabel in “East Lynne”, and in “The Forger’s Wife”.

But all that she has renounced. She called the members of the company around her on the stage when the curtain fell on Saturday night week, and informed them that she had renounced the sock and buskin for the tambourine. Then, distributing her dresses and jewels, she left the stage for the Army barracks, and addressed a crowded meeting on Sunday. She is quite frank about it all, and told the Daily Mail man about her transformation scene –

“For the past four months I have been stopping in Portsmouth, preparing for a tour I had booked this season. During that time I occasionally went to the Salvation Army meetings, the simple, earnest demeanour of the people there had always attracted me, but I did not go to the penitent form entirely of my own volition. It was on the night of the 6^th of last January, I felt something touch me. Thinking it was someone wanting to pass, I looked up with the intention of moving, when, right in front of me, I saw the figure of the Saviour as distinctly and plainly as I see you now. I got up and went to the penitent form. Something led me, and the feeling was such a peculiar one that I cannot describe it, but the presence has never left me.”

The Sketch. March 10^th 1887.

Salvation Army Rioting in Frome

The town of Frome, Somerset is entering on the long evenings with a very good prospect of a recurrence of the rowdyism and rioting which disgraced the borough last winter. On Thursday the disturbances recommenced for the first time for many months. The occasion was the welcome of two Salvationists from Shepton Mallet gaol, to which they were committed on the previous Thursday by the Frome magistrates for neglecting to pay small fines of 6d. and costs inflicted on them for obstructing the main thoroughfares of the town by preaching. On a previous occasion members of the Army had been summoned, and it was stated that the police had only taken action after the officers of the Army had repeatedly promised that they would not stop in the streets, but that they would simply march through the town. Their promises, however, were broken as often as they were made. The Bench then dismissed the case on the defendants promising that they would obey the law.

They were immediately removed to another town, and their successors at once commenced the old system. After a police warning and a promise that there should be no stoppages in the streets, these were removed, and so it went on. A continual change of officers rendered police warnings useless, and at last, after several months of this bravado, “Captains” Smith and Cozens were summoned for obstruction. They were defended by a well known counsel, and were fined 6p. and costs. The distress warrants were returned in each case marked “no effects” and the magistrates, in the usual course, committed the defendants to prison for seven days. On Thursday they were released, and the Salvationists were determined to make the most of the matter. Bills were issued, of which the following is a copy:-

“Coming Home, Thursday, August 28. Return of Captains Smith and Cozens from their Seven Days’ Rest in Shepton Mallet gaol. Major Sowerby, 20 Blood and Fire Officers, and a Host of Red Hot Soldiers, with Brass Bands, will give them a proper welcome home. Grand Banquet at 5p.m. Everybody come. Monster Salvation Tournament at 7.30. The boys from the gaol will wear their prison costume and relate their prison experiences. Come early.”

The men were received at the gates of the gaol by parties of their comrades from Frome, Bath, Yeovil, Bristol and Wells, with two bands. They first marched to the “British Workman” where they all had breakfast, after which the two ex-prisoners were arrayed in convict’s dress (canvas suits, with the broad arrow), and then the whole party proceeded in the brakes to Frome where they arrived about 11.30. During the remainder of the morning and afternoon, with only a pause for dinner, the party with the band paraded the town, drawing large crowds after them. After the “grand banquet” the procession again formed. The crowd became angry, and yells and hoots greeted the procession. Matters got worse when the Salvationists stopped outside the police station and gave groans and hisses, the band starting the defiant tune of “We Shall Conquer”. They then proceeded to their barracks, but on the road the now enormous mob attacked them from all sides. Several of the flags were taken and torn into a hundred pieces. The bands suffered also, many of their instruments being battered out of shape and the big drum was, it is said, cut open. When the melee was at its height, the Salvationists sent a hasty message to the police station for assistance. Only one man was at the station, and as he would have been perfectly useless in the midst of two thoroughly angry bodies, the sergeant on duty declined the responsibility of sending him. As soon as the flags had been captured and the Salvationists had escaped to their barracks, the bulk of the mob gave three cheers, and started the chorus of “Rule Britannia”, during which they formed in marching order and proceeded to the market place where they disbanded. In a very short time the town became quiet.

The Times. Saturday August 30^th 1884

Thanks to member Linda Sullivan for this interesting article.

Henry James Hall’s Life Saving Award

Last year SAHPA requested examples, especially certificates, of a little known and short-lived Salvation Army Award presented for bravery to members of the Life-Saving Scouts and Guards. We were delighted to receive the following concerning one brave Salvation Army Scout from Guildford.

Henry James Hall was born on 26^th September 1907 in Guildford, Surrey. He was the fourth of five children, the others all being girls. In 1918 Henry, apparently always regarded as being very active, joined the Guildford Troop of the Life Saving Scouts. Whilst playing near home one day in early 1919, he became aware of a boy who was swimming in the River Wey at Stoughton (a mile or so from the centre of Guildford) in danger of drowning. James jumped into the water and with some difficult, got the drowning boy to land, after which James promptly fainted with exhaustion.

According to the Salvation Army Year Book for 1920, James was one of ten people to receive an award (four silver medallions, four bronze and two certificates). James’ act of bravery was first announced in The Warrior and Life-Saving Scout and Guard for August 1919 where more details were given:

“Scout James Hall, of Guildford, rescued a boy of thirteen years of age who was sinking in exhaustion in the river at Guildford, by swimming out to him and bringing him safely to the bank, he himself then fainting from the strain of the effort needed to do this. A very plucky act indeed.”

The War Cry of 25^th October 1919 devotes a column to a report of the Annual Display by the “Life-Saving Scouts and Guards of the World” held at the Congress Hall. The report states that the Chief of the Staff (Commissioner Higgins) presided over the displays and awards. When giving the awards, including to James, several of the recipients were so small that he sometimes “had to bend very low in order to pin the decorations to their breasts.”

The Young Soldier of 1^st November 1919 devotes two columns to a very vivid description of the Annual gathering. This ranges from the “entry of Troops, the fanfares of heralds on their long, shining trumpets, the thirty standard-bearers, the buglers, the drums, (and) the battalions of scouts and Guards” to the award ceremony, each bulletin of rescue evoking “terrific applause.” Also seen was drill by a “squad of hefty lads” from the Congress Hall Scouts, displays of “children being ‘revived’ after a gas attack… (and) a life-sized baby doll was bathed, dressed, fed and laid to sleep,” musical displays, and a saving from fire display by North London Scouts.”

The Warrior and Life-Saving Scout and Guard for December 1919 carries another report of the Annual, written by the Territorial Organizer for the Life-Saving Scouts and Guides, Staff-Captain W. R. Dalziel. In it he mentions that the next day was the first Sunday Councils (in the Florence Booth Hall) for Scout and Guard Troop leaders. About 200 attended and after a morning address on “Character-building and Leadership” the afternoon included the opportunity for questions “to clear up doubtful points of regulation and administration.”

Pictured below is James’ certificate and a picture of his family. These have been identified as (back row) Doris, Winifred and Ellen, (middle row) Henry James Snr, Henry James Jnr, Ellen Mary (front) Irene (with her teddy Aloysius)!

 As a point of interest, we mentioned previously that the medal which triggered out interest had been awarded to Blanche Everett but nothing could be found about the circumstances of the award. It transpires that Blanche was also known as May and we can report that at the same ceremony as James, (May) Blanche Everett, Guard-Instructor of the 2^nd Tottenham (listed as May Everett of the 1^st Tottenham in the 1920 Year Book) was awarded a bronze medal and certificate for “diving fully dressed into the swimming baths and rescuing a woman in grave danger of drowning.”