150 Years of the Salvation Army

William Booth (1829-1912) by Elliott & Fry (active 1863-1962), chlorobromide print, 1884

Having abandoned the Church of England and inspired by the American revivalist preachers, Booth moved to London in 1849 from his Nottingham birthplace to work as an itinerant preacher. Here, he met and married the like-minded Catherine Mumford (1829-90). By the time of this photograph, the Salvation Army was already rapidly expanding and recognised by its use of military ranks, uniforms, brass bands and flags. This vintage exhibition print shows Booth dressed in his uniform as the familiar public face of the Salvation Army. x127412

Self-Denial Fund receipt with portrait of William Booth (1829-1912) by an unknown photographer, woodburytype, c. 1891

Central to the Salvation Army’s approach was the belief that evangelical work among the poor must be accompanied by well-organised social relief work. In 1890, Booth published In Darkest England and the Way Out (1890), which set out a number of these social schemes. These included soup kitchens, night shelters for the homeless, women’s refuges and Prison Gate Brigades and Booth found inventive ways to raise money to support these activities. The Self-Denial Fund was established as an annual fundraising scheme whereby individuals were encouraged to forgo spending on some item and donate the savings to the Army’s work instead. Begun in 1886, the appeal pre-empted modern fundraising methods and persists to this day. x87427

William Booth (1829-1912), published by Andrew & George Taylor (active 1866-1900s), bromide postcard print, c. 1907

Visibility and a proactive approach to spreading his evangelical message were key for Booth and in 1904, he embarked on a nationwide tour using the newly popular motor car, stopping along the way to preach to the crowds from the open-top vehicle. By 1910, he set off on his seventh and last tour. x138004

'City Honours Late General Booth' by Ernest Brooks for Central News Ltd, bromide print, 29 August 1912

Although the Salvation Army had faced much initial opposition, public opinion regarding Booth and the Salvation Army had changed significantly in the last years of his life. When he died on 20 August 1912, 35,000 people attended his memorial service in Olympia and 5,000 Salvationists marched behind the cortege. Wreaths were sent by King George V and other heads of state. This photograph shows Booth’s horse-drawn coffin outside Mansion House in the City of London and was published in The Year 1912 Illustrated which summarised the year’s most significant events. x137203

Florence Booth (née Soper) and Bramwell Booth by E.H. Mills (1874-1942) and published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd (active 1897-1916), bromide postcard print, c. 1912

The eldest son of William Booth, Bramwell Booth was appointed General of the Salvation Army after his father’s death in 1912. He wrote extensively on social problems, travelled widely and the Army rapidly grew under his leadership, although his autocratic approach was often criticised. Booth married Florence Soper in 1882 and she was responsible for the women’s social work. She established several Army organisations including the Home League, Girl Guards and League of Mercy. A variant pose to this one was published in The Illustrated London News to mark Booth’s promotion to General and this postcard was also probably produced at the time. x197592

Evangeline Cory Booth (1865-1950) by Reuben Saidman (1906-67) for the Daily Herald newspaper, modern bromide print, 26 May 1937

The seventh of William Booth’s eight children, Evangeline Booth was leading the Salvation Army’s work in London by her early twenties and went on to become Territorial Commander of Canada (1896-1904) and of the United States (1904-34). During the 1920s, she led constitutional change within the organisation and was elected its first female General in 1934. She appears in this press photograph greeting Basque refugee children who were evacuated from Bilbao during the Spanish civil war. Almost 4,000 children arrived at the Southampton Docks on 23 May 1937 and the Salvation Army assisted by taking in some of the displaced children. x88299

Frederick Booth-Tucker (1853-1929) and Minnie Booth-Tucker (née Reid) by Albert Howard Hester (1868-1955), bromide postcard print, 1910s

Frederick Tucker worked as a civil servant in India before joining the Salvation Army in 1881 and working for the organisation in London. In 1882, he returned to India to spread the teachings of the Salvation Army there. He lived and worked among India’s outcasts, replaced his uniform with saffron-coloured Indian robes and assumed an Indian name, exemplifying the Army’s ongoing ambition to be part of the communities within which it works. In 1888, he married William Booth’s daughter Emma and adopted the Booth family name. Together, they were joint Territorial Commanders of the United States. After his wife’s tragic death in 1903, he married Colonel Minnie Reid and the couple were posted to India where they worked among India's criminal tribes. x197603

The daughters of Bramwell Booth by Norman Parkinson (1913-90), bromide print, August 1981

From left to right are three of Bramwell Booth’s five daughters: Olive Booth (1891-1989), Dora Booth (1893-1989) and Catherine Bramwell-Booth (1883-1987) posed beside a bust of their father. The sisters were all notable Salvationists and are pictured here in their Salvation Army uniforms and bonnets at their home North Court in Finchampstead, Berkshire. x30148

Eva Burrows (1929-2015) by Miriam Reik (b. 1949), bromide print, c. 1986

Burrows notably became the second woman to be elected General of the Salvation Army in May 1986. The daughter of Salvationists, the Australian-born Burrows became a Salvation Army officer in 1951 and served in Zimbabwe, Britain, Sri Lanka and Australia, where she assisted Prime Minister Bob Hawke in developing a national scheme to help unemployed young people. As General, she led the Army’s return to Russia and Eastern Europe after the fall of communism and was outspoken on various social and political issues, opposing South Africa’s apartheid regime and urging the Church of England to ordain women. x34102

'Salvation Army' by Ida Kar (1908-74), vintage bromide print, 1966

A Salvation Army gathering in Paris illustrating the recognisable uniforms, flags, brass instruments and community interaction for which the organisation is known. x135218

Click here for more Salvation Army related portraits in the National Portrait Gallery’s Collection.