130 years of the Salvation Army

Nevertheless, the Salvation Army only came into being in Ireland relatively recently, when compared to the long-standing histories of other established Faiths.

In fact, it was on Monday, May 3, in 1880, at the Salvation Army Headquarters in London that a special meeting took place at which five specially selected Officers were commissioned for the work of the Army in Ireland. William Booth, founder of The Salvation Army had received numerous requests for the Army to extend its work to Ireland and property was already purchased for use in Belfast and Londonderry.

According to lifelong Salvation Army member, Leslie Smith, from Auglish Court, who has written for books on the Army and its work in the City, the act of appointing five female officers to found the Army in Ireland, clearly showed the mindset of William Booth who believed that everyone was equal in the sight of God irrespective of class, colour, creed or gender.

However, his decision to appoint women to spread the Good News did not go down well with the menfolk here, many of whom took to smoking their pipes or turning their backs on the women, or even heckling them. Captain Caroline Reynolds, Sister Phoebe Strong, Sister Lockwood, Sister Marshall and Sister Spenser must have been very deeply dedicated to their Faith to have withstood such resistance.

Booth must have known he would court controversy sending five women out to preach. Speaking at the farewell meeting, he said: "I do not anticipate an easy victory, but I do expect we are going to conquer by trust in God and hard work."

So it was that Major Mrs Reynolds, Captain Phoebe Strong and Lieutenant Polly Flynn arrived in Londonderry on June 1, 1880 and held the first public worship in a building on Strand Road known locally as the 'Rink'.

And it was not a smooth affair. Leslie, who has done extensive research on the Salvation Army, said an account of the first meeting describes mobs of "low rowdies of both sexes" attended for the sole purpose of creating a disturbance.

Phoebe Strong

Strong by name, Captain Phoebe Strong was also strong by nature. She was the first officially appointed Officer in Charge of Londonderry.

One of a family of 15, whose parents had a small coal business in Nottingham, she was, to use an Army phrase, 'brought under conviction of her need of a Saviour' when she heard a group of Salvationists singing 'What a Friend we have in Jesus'.

Ms Strong ended up joining the Salvation Army when William Booth was on a visit to Nottingham. According to Leslie, Booth heard of her conversion and asked her to become an Officer, but she initially declined as she could neither read nor write. As a result of her lack of literacy she felt the Salvation Army would not want her.

Noting she could sing, Booth told her to give her voice to God. She told him she had already done that and Booth allegedly told her "Then you are a Captain".

So began the life and work of Captain Phoebe Strong who later married and became Mrs Allan and whose son John, rose to the second highest Officer rank in The Army, that of Commissioner and Chief-of-Staff.

The Salvation Army is synonymous with music and one of the first things the ladies and their Salvation Army Band did was test the Sunday 'Marching By-Laws'. It was radical stuff.

Band

"The first band in Londonderry was formed in 1881. At this time there was a by-law in force which prohibited any band from marching and playing in the street on Sunday. The newly formed band ventured to test the validity of this by-law by breaking it, and found prosecution. Following an appeal to The High Court in Dublin, the case was dismissed and found in their favour thus rendering the bye-law obsolete," said Leslie.

The band members are pictured here in 1909.

In time over 600 children would avail of the opportunity to go on an annual outing to Portrush with Londonderry Salvation Army Sunday School. The Station Master charged the Army a greatly reduced fare of one shilling per ticket and The Army in turn charged the public one shilling and fourpence. The extra money helped to cover the cost of the children's outing.

General Booth's wife made a point of visiting for the second anniversary of the Army Corps in the City, and she also played an active role in the celebrations, as can be seen from the advertising of the 'ticket' in the picture alongside this feature. The celebrations took place on June 17 and 18 June.

But the work of the Salvation Army wasn't all joyous celebrations. During the Second World War, the Royal Air Force established a station on the outskirts of Londonderry. Among the airmen were a number of Salvationist Bandsmen. In the surrounding districts the British Army began to set up bases and this brought to the Corps men from various regiments who were also Salvationists.

The Royal Navy began to arrive at the Port with naval forces from India, Canada, Norway, France and USA. During this time 52 Salvationist members of the armed forces including two members of the Women's Royal Naval Service attended the Corps.

A Salvation Army Red Shield Service opened a hostel in Pump Street for the comfort of servicemen and women. Later The Canadian Red Shield Service came to the city and took over premises providing dining, leisure and recreational facilities. For one day only a sign appeared calling the venue 'The Salvation Army Dance Hall'. This was quickly corrected!

When the Canadian Forces left Londonderry, the hostel at Pump Street was taken over by The Men's Social Service in March 1950. The centre closed on October 1961 with operational deficits of 1,000 per year.

Look closely at the picture of the Londonderry Corps marching to the Citadel in Carlisle Street in 1943 and you can see it also features several armed forces personnel.

Move

The Salvation Army moved from the rink to newly built premises in Carlisle Road called 'The Temple' in 1881.

Opposition continued and in one incident in 1882 the local police force had to line up outside the hall as Salvationist gathered for a welcome meeting of Major Charles and Mrs Hansley. There was heavy stone throwing and after repeated attacks on the hall, some of the opposition made their way further down Carlisle Street and began to attack the living quarters.