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.”  

Opening Fire at Brampton, Chesterfield, Derbyshire

The following is a report carried in the Derbyshire Times of the first Salvation Army meeting held at Brampton near Chesterfield. The report is dated April 2^nd 1881.

THE SALVATION ARMY AT BRAMPTON

(Specially written for “The Derbyshire Times”)

Amongst the various forms of religion practised at the present day, and amongst the manifold methods adopted with a professed view of saving souls, perhaps none are the more frequently condemned, none deemed more unsuccessful, than the efforts put forth by that section or body of persons called and known as “The Salvation Army” or “Gospel Army Mission.” It may be that the manner in which the members of the so called ‘army’ – the religious crusaders of the present day – parade the streets and endeavour to attract persons of all ages, of both sexes, to their services is repugnant to the minds of professing Christians. It may be also that the services are not conducted in an altogether orthodox manner, or in a way which would be approved of if resorted to by the clergy and ministry of the present day.

At times too members of the ‘army’ or ‘mission’ are to be seen in the dock or defendant’s box at our police courts charged with offences which tend to lessen rather than to heighten one’s opinion in regard to the respectability of the band with which these erring brethren are connected. But there are black sheep in every flock, and it is not fair argument, nor is it to be supposed for one moment that, because members of the “Salvation Army” do occasionally occupy an unenviable position in the judicial courts throughout the length and breadth of the land; the remaining and vast majority of the ‘army’ have similar tendencies and commit similar faults as their unfortunate brethren.

We believe that in their own way and in their own time those who compose the “Salvation Army” or “Gospel Army Mission” have done and are doing a great deal of good amongst the classes which they make it their aim to reach, viz., the lower classes of the populace. Inspired with that belief we visited, on Sunday Afternoon last, one of the meetings held in connection with the “Gospel Army Mission” at Brampton. A bill had been issued by the “Army” which is certainly one of the most curious that was ever printed in connection with a religious movement. It ran as follows:-

WAR IS DECLARED BETWEEN THE PRINCE OF LIGHT AND THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS!!

THE GOSPEL ARMY MISSION WILL OPEN FIRE ON BRAMPTON ON SUNDAY MARCH 27^th 1881!!

First volley will be fired in the Hallelujah Malt House, Brewery Yard, at 10.45 a.m., when Beelzebub will be attacked by the following:- the converted Boozer, the Hallelujah Drayman, Smiling Jack, the Famous Woman Preacher, the Converted Handicap Man, Teetotal Tom, Happy Tom, the Boy Preacher, four Hallelujah lassies, the Singing Pilgrim, Happy Sally, the left handed fiddler and a host of redeemed slaves.

VICTORY IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE BLOOD OF CHRIST.

RED HOT SHOT WILL BE FIRED BY ALL THE SOLDIERS OF THE CROSS.

SINNERS WILL TREMBLE AND GOD’S NAME WILL BE GLORIFIED.

COME AND SEE THIS GREAT BATTLE.

The Gospel Army Mission will open in the Old Malt House, Brewery Yard, Brampton, as a mission station on Sunday next, March 27^th when services will (D.V.) be held. First volley fired: morning, 10.45: afternoon, 2.30: evening, 6.30 and also every evening during the week at 7.30.

These services are for the working men and women of Brampton who do not go to any place of worship. The prayers of Christians, of all denominations, for the success of this mission are earnestly requested.

COME TO JESUS – SALVATION IS FREE TO ALL.

SINNERS COME AND GIVE YOURSELVES TO CHRIST.

With such a startling announcement we may perhaps be pardoned if we give a brief sketch of the proceedings at the afternoon meeting to which we have referred. The place of the meeting was a moderately large though somewhat low roofed room, and on our arrival, just before the proceedings commenced, it contained upwards of 100 persons – men and women, youths and maidens, together with several children – the number of those present, however, increasing considerably as the afternoon wore on.

The services commenced by the ‘captain’ of the ‘army’ (who was clad in a uniform resembling that worn by a commissionaire in our large towns) giving out a hymn from the British Revival Hymn Book. The hymn was heartily sung, but during its progress certain youths at the back of the room, having come to the meeting probably in the expectation of ‘having a bit of fun’, created a disturbance. No sooner therefore was the hymn finished than the ‘captain’, in a somewhat demonstrative manner, exhorted these youthful rowdies, as they hoped to obtain peace hereafter, not to further interrupt the service. And his exhortation had the desired effect, no interruption of any moment arising during the remainder of the service.

Then the well known parable of the Prodigal Son was read to those present by a respectable middle aged man, and he was followed by an intelligent looking youth who, likening himself to the Prodigal Son, engaged the attention of his audience for a short space of time. Another hymn having been sung a young man rejoicing in the name of “Smiling Jack” addressed the meeting, and he was followed by the person who had previously read the parable.

During the singing of the next hymn a collection was made, and we noted that (small though their donation might be) there were but few persons in the room who allowed the hat – for the ‘army’ does not boast an alms box, a velvet bag or a silver plate for collecting purposes – to pass them without adding their quota.

Addresses, full of earnestness if not of an eloquent nature followed successively from “The Boy Preacher”, “The converted Handicap man”, “The Colour Sergeant” – a pleasant looking female – “The Hallelujah Draymen” (who was even more demonstrative than his ‘captain’) and others, and the service terminated with the singing of a well known hymn, in which all present heartily joined, whilst before they departed the ‘captain’ invited and entreated those present to attend in the evening when the meeting would be addressed by “The Famous Woman Preacher” and “Teetotal Tom”.

Such is a rough though Faithful sketch of one of the services of the “Salvation Army”, and throughout its entire course we failed to notice anything that could be considered obnoxious or improper. The “Salvation Army” organisation has its faults, perhaps they may be numerous. But considering the class of persons from whence its speakers and – if we may use the word – officers are drawn it is deserving of praise for the work which it endeavours to accomplish. Its leading members, uncultivated and somewhat uncouth though some of them may be, are sincere in their efforts to do good amongst the class to which they belong, and sincerity in this present age is a great and noble thing.

Arthur Gullidge and the Band of the 2/22 Battalion

Arthur Gullidge was born on 9th April 1909 in Broken  Hill, New South Wales.  He had his first work published at the age of 17 and went on to win several national and international prizes for band composition. He was Deputy Bandmaster of Melbourne City Temple Corps and later, Bandmaster of Collingwood Corps. Amongst his most well known compositions are ‘Jubilate’ and ‘Emblem of the Army’.

Arthur Gullidge

In 1939 Arthur, after struggling with his Christian ethics, enlisted in the Australian Infantry Force. Other Salvationists joined with him and together, they made up the 25 strong band of the 2/22 Battalion. Their role was music making and first aid/stretcher bearers. They were a popular band, especially as Arthur had the knack of turning popular music into band marches.

In 1941 the Band went with the rest of the Battalion to the remote Pacific outpost of Rabaul. Hoowever, after Pearl Harbour, the island could not resist the Japanese and those who survived (including most of the Band) were put on the prisoner of war ship, the Montevideo Maru.  On 1st July this Japanese auxiliary ship was torpedoed and sunk by the submarine USS Sturgeon, bringing about the greatest loss of life in a single instance in Australia’s wartime history. All 1,053 allied prisoners and the majority of crew perished