AJSAHistoryVol6Iss2 September 2021

Nearly a year later, another report from a bush walker appeared about the Golden Stairs. In
August 1895, The Mountaineer stated,

To ascend from the tramway to the top of the cliff is a Herculean task, and is accomplished by
what are called “The Golden Stairs.” In places the path is extremely steep and narrow, and others
simply winds round by a track overhanging the Jamieson Valley at a height of some hundreds of
feet.67

An example of bushwalkers in trouble was the report on a group of hikers consisting of three
women and a boy named Parsons. The group became lost after they descended the Golden Stairs into
the valley in October 1896. They were headed for the Ruined Castle Shale Mine, however wandered
further on and were overtaken by nightfall.68

As the miners were no longer using the Golden Stairs, they were often described as “the miner’s
old track”69 and by 1919 they had fallen into disrepair. A report on the state of the stairs appeared in
The Blue Mountains echo which included,

Men and women climbing a bush ladder
on the Golden Stairs70

After the first quarter-mile, we descended the “golden stairs,” Former pilgrims must have worn
or taken the gold away. This, despite Council’s warning boards threatening prosecution to the
vandal cutting, destroying, or disfiguring. In spite of all, only gaunt, uninviting rock remains, the
surrounding wattle being the only golden tint that greeted us. We descended the “horizontal
ladder,” a frail structure requiring Council’s attention. It is dangerous to negotiate, some of the
cross-pieces showing signs of decay, necessitating pilgrims putting most of their weight on the
stringers or side pieces. Over the ladder we struck a “poser” – a descent of about 25 feet, with
only a pole for an aid. There are no steps, a stray scarp at intervals showing where steps had been
in the golden days of long ago. No wonder scores of pilgrims pause at this point.71

67 “A day out from Katoomba”, The Mountaineer, (Katoomba, 23 August 1895), 3.
68 “Katoomba”, The Maitland daily mercury, (NSW, 17 October 1896), 5.; Wagga Wagga advertiser, (NSW, 20
October 1896), 2.; The Armidale express and New England general advertiser, (20 October 1896), 5.; “General
gleanings,” Singleton argus, (NSW, 21 October 1896), 1.; “Country notes”, The Australian town and country journal,
(Sydney, 24 October 1896), 13.
69 “Along this Narrow Neck”, The Blue Mountain echo, (NSW, 31 October 1913), 5.
70 Barrett, Narrow Neck and the birth of Katoomba, opposite 55.
71 “The Ruined Castle”, The Blue Mountain echo, (NSW, 12 September 1919), 8.

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A short time later the remainder of the horizontal ladder was destroyed by “a number of youths
of varying sizes and ages”.72 Again, in 1922, calls were made for the redevelopment of the Golden
Stairs as it had become an extremely dangerous route.73 In 1936, the council had commenced the
upgrade of the path as the Golden Stairs became more popular with hikers.74

Under the Government Gazette for the Geographical Names Act, 1966 the Golden Stairs were
officially named and designated as a “Pass” in the parish of “Megalong” on the Katoomba Map in
February 1970.75

In more recent times the Golden Stairs has been counted as one of the top 50 best places to visit
in Australia.76 The outdoor setting however continues to see the stairs under attack by natural forces.
At the beginning of 2020, Australian’s east coast bush was traumatised by fire and the Golden Stairs
were closed.77 The irony that is the Australian bush saw heavy rain fall which caused a landslide on
the Golden Stairs overnight on Tuesday 28 July 2020. The Golden Stairs were again closed. National
Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Director of Blue Mountains Park Operations, David Crust, wrote
on the occasion,

Unfortunately we’re facing a long closure of many months to enable us to clear the landslide and
make the track safe again.

There’s still a risk of further landslides along the track which will have to be assessed before
we can begin work.

The first thing will be for the NPWS to engage geotechnical engineers to assess the damage
and advise us how to deal with the remaining hazards and start re-building the track.78

I--Golden Stairs--I---------------Walk along the valley floor-----------I--Miner’s camps--I-Ruined Castle-I
Image showing the elevation of the hike down the Golden Stairs to the Miner’s camp79

72 “Our neighbors[sic]”, South Coast times and Wollongong argus, (NSW, 3 October 1919), 20.
73 “The untrodden way,” The Blue Mountain echo, (NSW, 13 January 1922), 7.; “Barred paradise,” The Blue Mountain
echo, (NSW, 26 October 1923), 2.; “Trip to the Ruined Castle,” The Blue Mountain Star, (Katoomba, 18 January 1930),
6.
74 “Ruined Castle track”, The Katoomba daily, (NSW, 11 July 1936), 2.
75 New South Wales Government Gazette, 30, (27 February 1970), 688.
76 “Best of Australia: 50 unforgettable adventures”, Traveller (22 September 2016), https://www.traveller.com.au/best-
of-australia-50-unforgettable-adventures-20048 accessed 15 July 2021.
77 “Back in business: Holiday here to help Australia’s bushfire-ravaged towns”, The CEO magazine, (5 February 2020).
78 Cited in Brian Fox, Private walk: Greater Blue Mountains National Park – Blue Mountains National Park – Giants
Stairway returning via Furber Steps, (11 January 2021), 6.; “Golden stairs closed by landslide, closed for months”, Blue
Mountains gazette, (5 August 2020).
79 Image from “Ruined Castle walk”, wildwalks.com, accessed 6 July 2021.

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Factual links between The Salvation Army and the Golden Stairs

As the name of the Golden Stairs appeared sometime between May 1889 and June 1893, The
Salvation Army would have needed to have commenced work in Katoomba during this period. The
Army would also need to have been well establish by the latter date to have the influence needed to
impact the name. There is no denying the miners would have been the type of people who would have
attracted the ministry of The Salvation Army as it was reported that the “Ruined Castle and Megalong
Shale miners and their wives [are] getting notorious at Court”.80 Sources showed The Salvation Army
commenced work in Katoomba in July 1890 but did not have a stable existence.

The first recorded connection between Katoomba and The Salvation Army occurred on 3 March
1890 when Captain Turner gave a “Rescue Demonstration” in the town.81 The newspaper’s local
correspondent believed that “[i]f the meeting is successful, and the prospects favourable, they will
probably establish a branch here.”82 The meeting must have shown some success as in July, Ensign
Brame, the new Katoomba Corps officers Captain and Mrs Ramage, Captain Toomer, and the
Lithgow band combined to open The Salvation Army at Katoomba.83 Soon Ramage reported that
Katoomba was “hard” work, although it was a very good town for the sale of Salvation Army
literature.84 The Salvation Army was therefore established just over a year from the completion of
Parker’s Track.

Advertisement for the commencement of The Salvation Army
in Katoomba, 189085

In comparison with other corps, there were few reports on Katoomba Corps in The war cry.
The officer of the time, Lieutenant Ernest Armstrong wrote,

… we only report victories, and for some time back have just been keeping the devil at bay, for
Katoomba has gained the reputation of “Mount Zion, which cannot be moved!”86

80 “Mountain mixtures”, The Katoomba times, (NSW, 2 June 1893), 2.
81 “Rescue tour”, The war cry, (Sydney, 22 February 1890), 8.
82 “Country news”, The Sydney morning herald, (NSW, 5 March 1890), 10.; “Katoomba”, The Sydney mail and New
South Wales Advertiser, (NSW, 8 March 1890), 553.
83 “Appointments”, The war cry, (Melbourne, 26 July 1890), 3.; “Opening of Katoomba”, The war cry, (Sydney, 2
August 1890), 3.; “Salvation Army in Katoomba”, The Katoomba times, (NSW, 26 July 1890), 2.; “Local jottings”, The
Katoomba times, (NSW, 2 August 1890), 3.; “The Army”, The Katoomba times, (NSW, 23 August 1890), 3.
84 “Fighting – Victory – Success”, The war cry, (Sydney, 25 October 1890), 6.
85 “Advertising”, The Katoomba times, (NSW, 26 July 1890), 3.
86 Ernest Armstrong, “Cannot be moved”, The war cry, (Melbourne, 15 August 1891), 4. This statement was repeated in
“Advanced Australia!”, The war cry, (Sydney, 15 August 1891), 3.

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The local media noted that The Salvation Army “in Katoomba … are not very conspicuous.” Yet,
they also wrote that the Army’s outdoor meetings consisted of “a song, beg, song, beg, drum solo
accompanied by a tuneless piece of brass, another beg to make the money even, then a prayer to finish
up with.”87

The Katoomba Corps had closed by 1897, yet by this time, the future general of The Salvation
Army, George L. Carpenter had been a soldier and entered Salvation Army officer training from this
corps.88 However, the Golden Stairs had already been named by this stage.

In 1899, three soldiers from Penrith Corps visited Katoomba but unlike the first meeting, it did
not end with the recommencement of the corps.89 Commissioner James Hay visited Katoomba in
1912 with the intention to purchase a block of land and appointed an officer to the area to collect
finances for the construction of a hall.90 The corps reopened in 1914 and although the corps had been
closed for a time, the Katoomba Corps of The Salvation Army celebrated its 86th anniversary in
1976.91

Although there is evidence that The Salvation Army commenced in the time frame and evidence
that it commenced early enough to have impacted the name of the stairs, this alone does not prove
the movement visited the Jamison Valley. There needs to be evidence that The Salvation Army
engaged in the activities of the narrative that would see it impact on the name Golden Stairs.

Evidence of The Salvation Army’s link to the Golden Stairs

Burke et al. admitted that “[t]rying to determine whether or not such accounts are ‘true’ is far from
simple and, perhaps, in the end, not all that useful.”92 Yet ‘truth’ or evidence is one of the important
tools for an historian. Was there evidence that Salvationists traversed the stairs to hold meetings for
the shale miners? The paper will argue there are six items of evidence to show that Salvationists
ministered in the Jamison Valley and used the pass that became the Golden Stairs.

Firstly, in 1891, Lieutenant Armstrong gave some obscure remarks that could be evidence.
Within the statement, Armstrong did not list the pass or the location. For these reasons there is some
question of the source as evidence, however there are also hints that Salvationists may have travelled
the pass. Armstrong wrote comments that align with other later descriptions of the pass. He stated by
travelling the “hill” they could have faced physical danger, warning of “personal liability”, “all care
taken”, and walk it at “own risk”. Armstrong also commented on the act of travelling down and up
the “hill” as “this travelling means kicking against a stone with one foot and putting the other in a
puddle”, most roads and tracks would be wide enough to avoid both, but the track referred to would
have been too narrow. Armstrong wrote,

We have toiled and sweated for the Kingdom for the last two months in light and in darkness,
sunshine and rain, with hurricane accompaniments,

87 “Local jottings”, The Katoomba times, (NSW, 26 September 1891), 2.
88 “‘War cry’ customers”, The war cry, (Sydney, 30 January 1897), 4.; “Territorial Headquarters band”, The war cry,
(Sydney, 12 March 1898), 6.; George Carpenter, “Australian and other memories of the Founder”, The war cry,
(Sydney, 6 April 1929), 7.; “Meet our new chief secretary and Mrs. Carpenter”, The war cry, (Sydney, 1 June 1929), 3.
Stella Carpenter wrote that General George Carpenter believed, “Katoomba marked the watershed of his life.” Stella O.
Carpenter, A man of peace in a world at war, (Nambour, Australia: Privately Published, 1993), 36.
89 “New South Wales section”, The war cry, (Melbourne, 11 March 1899), 5.
90 “Bathurst division”, The war cry, (Melbourne, 16 November 1912), 11.
91 “About divisional figures”, The war cry, (Melbourne, 31 January 1914), 14.; “Paragraphs”, The war cry, (Melbourne,
3 July 1976), 6.
92 Burke et al., “The homestead as fortress”, 168.

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A Little Frost Thrown in by Way of Variety,
climbed up hill when the rule of the road was based on personal liability, with “all care taken”
and consequences ditto; travelled down the same hills at our own risk, and when this travelling
means kicking against a stone with one foot and putting the other in a puddle our salvation has
been well tested, but we have not been found wanting. Hallelujah!93

If The Salvation Army was linked to the name of the Golden Stairs, it would need to be around this
time that actions would have begun to take place. While this is not a strong item of evidence on its
own, with the next item of evidence, showing that Salvationists did minister to the shale miners, it
comes into clearer focus. It is clear this source hints at an unsafe pass that Salvationist travelled up
and down, although not actually listing the pass.

Secondly, later in the year, Salvation Army officers Bradley and Tuck wrote that “[a]t the
afternoon open-air the folks at the mines turned out to have a look at us, and helped us well.”94
Although nothing was listed about the “hills” that needed “all care taken”, it is clear that they were in
the Valley at the Shale Mines. To get to the mines they would have needed to use the pass.

Thirdly, ‘Firebrand’, the assistant to The Salvation Army Divisional Officer (D.O.), Staff-
Captain Gilmour wrote a report about their visit to Katoomba. As the D.O. was unwell, ‘Firebrand’
went in his stead. There are some questions as to distances listed, but there is no indication of where
the party commenced the journey. The report hinted that the Army had visited the place regularly
enough that there had been established a place to hold an indoor meeting. He wrote of the 1893 visit,

We started in the morning at half-past nine to walk; the Captain and Lieutenant and five sisters,
bearing cornets and provisions for the tea. Seventeen miles down the mountain and valley we
went, until at one o’clock we arrived, weary and worn out nearly. At night, although very wet, the
miners rolled up pretty well. As this was the first meeting the Salvation Army had ever held down
there undercover we had a proper time. God bless the lads! We sang our songs and had a proper
pitch-in. Captain Young and his Lieutenant have got a very hard fight here, but are pegging away,
and the hard nut must yield to real blood-and-fire, Holy Ghost effort and living. Our journey back,
shall I ever forget it? We started in the dark and wet to ascend the mountain by torchlight up the
roughest bridle track I have yet met with through the colonies. Started at half-past nine p.m. and
landed home at half-past one a.m., weary, worn and sad – no, not sad; but glad to have done
something in our weakness to help the old chariot along.95

Fourthly, readers of The war cry had less than a year to wait before another report included
information on The Salvation Army descending the stairs; this time the report even used the name,
Golden Stairs. Corps officers; Captain Will Pennell from Katoomba Corps and Captain Baulch and
the Lieutenant from Lithgow Corps, went down the Golden Stairs in December 1893. The war cry
reported,

On Sunday Captain Pennell reports they went down the golden stairs to the Ruined Castle and
there had a good time with the miners.96

This event was the most important incident of the list of evidence as there are two existing sources
that refer to the event. The above from a Salvation Army source, and following from a non-Army
publication. The report in The Katoomba times stated,

93 Ernest Armstrong, “Cannot be moved”, The war cry, (Melbourne, 15 August 1891), 4.
94 “The war at Katoomba”, The war cry, (Melbourne, 19 December 1891), 15.
95 “Visitors and visiting”, The war cry, (Sydney, 11 March 1893), 4.; “Visitors and visiting”, The war cry, (Melbourne,
11 March 1893), 4.
96 “Three days specials”, The war cry, (Sydney, 16 December 1893), 4.; “Three days specials”, The war cry,
(Melbourne, 16 December 1893), 4.

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The local corps of the Salvation Army were last week reinforced at Katoomba by a contingent
from dirty, dusty Lithgow. They brought a band with them, and if their Great Master didn’t
appreciate the excellent music they played, the people of Katoomba did. On Saturday special
meetings were held in the street and at the I.O.O.F. Hall. On Sunday afternoon the Ruined Castle
folk were visited, and, in the evening, the devil – whoever and whatever he is – was bally defeated
at the hall above mentioned. On Monday afternoon the Natural was stimulated and Salvationists
claim the Spiritual scored big again in the evening.97

Fifthly, in 1930, the then Field-Major David Southwell recalled his time as an officer in
Katoomba.98 Southwell, then a Captain was appointed to the Katoomba Corps from about February
to at least May 1895.99 The report in The war cry stated,

At Katoomba his ministries led him down among the shale mines where the men on night shift
would often offer their bunks to accommodate this bearer of good tidings. Salvation came to many
a heart as a result of these efforts.

This or another similar visit of Southwell to the shale mines were also recorded in a contempory War
cry of 1895. The report stated,

When it was announced by Captain Southwell, of Katoomba, that the Army intended holding
meeting[s] at the [Ruined] Castle the lads cheered lustily, and a miner placed his hut at our
disposal.100

Field-Major and Mrs David Southwell101
Finally, ‘The Jamison Project’ stated, “[t]here is also pictorial history of a Salvation Army band
carrying instruments down the stairs to entertain the mining camp.”102 The author contacted ‘The
Jamison Project’ to substantiate this claim and locate the image, however they did not reply to the
email. The image was mentioned by the author to Brian Fox who stated that there has been a number

97 “Mountain mixtures”, The Katoomba times, (NSW 1 December 1893), 2.
98 David Southwell was the grandfather of Lieutenant-Colonel Ian Southwell; however the history written on David
Southwell included nothing on his time in Katoomba. See Ian Southwell and Sonja Southwell, Safely led to serve: A
joint biography, (Bloomington, USA: Balboa Press, 2017), 10
99 “Salvation Army at Katoomba”, The Mountaineer, (Katoomba, 1 February 1895), 2.; “Katoomba”, The war cry,
(Sydney, 9 February 1895), 4.; “Advertising”, The Mountaineer, (Katoomba, 17 May 1895), 3.
100 “Field gleanings”, The war cry, (Melbourne, 25 May 1895), 4.
101 Image from “Farmer’s boy who became spiritual father to many a poor drunkard”, The way cry, (Melbourne, January
1930), 6.
102 ‘The Jamison Project’, ¶ 2.

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of reliable people who have sighted the image and although it has not yet been sighted by the author,
there is a high probability that the image exists or did exist at some time in the past.

The mines outlived the first existence of The Salvation Army in Katoomba. The Army had also
not reopened at the time the mines recommenced in 1903 or when the miners finally abandoned their
village in 1905. There is no evidence that the Army recommenced activities in the Valley upon its
reopening, however ministry of The Salvation Army turned to other growing populations in the area,
as they established a Young Peoples’ Outpost at Leura.103 For this reason, The Salvation Army’s
ministry to the shale miners of the Jamison Valley took place between 1891 and at least 1895, and
fits well into the timeframe of the narrative.

These six items of evidence prove that The Salvation Army conducted many of the actions that
led to the naming of the pass. Not only did the Army commence in Katoomba during 1890, but
Salvationists also commenced travelling the pass by August 1891 and continued to do so until at least
May 1895. These items of evidence also prove ‘The Jamison Project’ correct, that a band, although
few in number, travelled to the valley.

The paper questions the idea that only Salvation Army officers ministered in the valley. The
evidence is clear soldiers, including female soldiers travelled to the Ruined Castle Shale Mine Village
along with officers. The break in the ministry of the Army could explain some of the confusion in the
narrative as Salvationists who originally conducted the activities would have more than likely moved
on. These items of evidence place the Salvationists in the right place at the right time, but did they
sing the right song?

The song of the Golden Stairs

It is now clear that The Salvation Army was ministering to the miners and was using the Golden
Stairs. The literature that linked the Army with the name told that the song had the words walking or
climbing up the golden stairs or similar. Ma and Fox, Keats and Fox were specific to state that the
song was Emma Booth-Tucker’s Climbing up the golden stair.104

Booth-Tucker’s song however could present a problem. Richard Slater stated that the song was
not published in The musical Salvationist until October 1896, at least three years after the name
Golden Stairs was published in newspapers.105 Gordon Avery in his extensive work on the history of
songs in the Army’s song book did however show an earlier date of publication of the song. Avery
noted that the earliest publication of the song was in The war cry, London edition on 10 August 1895,
however this also was too late to fit the narrative.106 The tune was written by Frederick Booth-Tucker
and appeared in a meditation for band by Thomas Tucker in 1895.107 Avery told the story of how
Frederick Booth-Tucker wrote the tune and that Emma Booth-Tucker penned the words but he did
not list the date of this occurrence. There is little relevance to the date when it was first written as
Booth-Tuckers’ song was not published in Australia until it appeared in The war cry, on 5 October

103 Pack, “Brigadier Simmons conduct Harvest Festival”, The war cry, (Sydney, 1 March 1924), 4.
104 Emma Booth-Tucker and Frederick Booth-Tucker, “Climbing up the golden stair”, The war cry, (London, 10 August
1895), 16.
105 Richard Slater, Salvation Army song writers, Biographical and historical noted of 70 writers and on over 500 of
their songs, (London, UK: Salvationists Publishing and Supplies, n.d.), 9.
106 Gordon Avery (Compiled), Companion to the song book of The Salvation Army, (London, UK: Salvationist
Publishing and Supplies, 1961), no 301, 103 – 104.
107 Thomas Tucker, “Climbing up the golden stair”, General Series, (1895), no 295. See “Salvation Army Music Index”,
(Salvation Army Music Index in collaboration with SP&S), https://samusicindex.com/brass?title=climbing accessed 24
June 2021.

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1895 and again in The war cry, 10 April 1897.108 These dates are too late to have Emma Booth-
Tucker’s Climbing up the golden stair be the inspiration for the name of the Golden Stairs.109

Climbing up the golden stair first published in The war cry 1895110
While it is clear the name of the stairs did not come from the lines of Booth-Tucker’s song, this
does not eliminate the possibility that the stairs were named after a Salvation Army song. There are
numerous examples of Salvationists singing while they walked or marched. In addition to this there
is evidence that they sang songs with the words ‘golden stair(s)’ in the verse, chorus or tune name.
From early Salvation Army history, Salvationists would sing as they walked or marched.
William Booth, the Army’s founder wrote of his experience,
We then formed a procession and sang down the Whitechapel Road to the Room. We had an
efficient band of singers, and as we passed along the spacious and crowded thoroughfare, singing
‘We’re bound for the land of the pure and the holy’111
There are even examples of Salvationists singing Army songs such as Climbing up the golden stair
as they walked or marched the streets.112
Further investigation uncovered a few uses of other tunes called Climbing up the golden stair(s)
in The Salvation Army. In 1890, it was reported that indigenous Australians, Maori from New

108 This song and music also appeared in Emma Booth-Tucker and Frederick Booth-Tucker, “Climbing up the golden
stair”, The war cry, (Melbourne, 5 October 1895), 5.; “Songs that everyone can sing”, The war cry, (Melbourne, 10
April 1897), 8.
109 Hymnary.org speculated that Emma Booth-Tucker’s song was first published in her husband’s One hundred favorite
songs of the Salvation Army and that it was published in 1893. However, Professor Gordon Moyles showed the book of
songs was more likely to have been published in 1899. “Climbing up the Golden Stair”, Hymnary, (n.d.),
https://hymnary.org/hymn/1HFS1893/d102 accessed 15 July 2021.; R. G. Moyles, A bibliography of Salvation Army
literature in English (1865 – 1987), (Lewiston, USA: The Edwin Mellen Press, 1988), 115.
110 Booth-Tucker and Booth-Tucker, “Climbing up the golden stair”, The war cry, (London, 10 August 1895), 16.
111 Brindley Boon, Sing the happy song! A history of Salvation Army vocal music, (London, UK: Salvationist Publishing
and Supplies, 1978), 2.
112 See for example Isthmus, “A day out with The Salvation Army”, The war cry, (Sydney, 7 September 1929), 3.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 6, Issue 2, 2021. Page 158

Zealand and Headquarters’ Staff joined together “dancing happy, to the tune of song of Climbing up
the golden stairs and you have some faint idea of what the march was like.”113 In May 1892, The war
cry carried a song entitled I’m in the train for glory which was written to the tune of Climbing up the
golden stairs.114 It is unclear who wrote the tune cited, however the song was written by Staff Captain
Marshall from New York. The tune most likely was not by Frederick Booth-Tucker as he and Emma
Booth-Tucker did not arrive in the USA until 1896. The tune was more probably the now racially
inappropriate American “Famous Jubilee Song” by F. Heiser.115 There was however another earlier
song advertised in 1875 with the title Climbing the golden stair, which may also be a contender for
the tune used by Marshall.116 In 1893, there was also a song by Captain Richards sung at Broken Hill
with the tune of Climbing up the golden stairs.117

In addition to songs that used a tune called, Climbing up the golden stairs, there were other
Salvation Army songs that included the words ‘golden stair(s)’. In January 1891, a Sydney Salvation
Army brass band played a piece of music called Marching up the golden stairs.118 Unfortunately no
additional information could be found on this piece and therefore it is not known if it was a hymn
tune arrangement or a march.

In 1892, two songs appeared. The first was found in the young peoples’ Salvation Army
newspaper, The young soldier, a few lines of the song were

I once was full of sin,
And the broad road travelled in,
Climbing up the golden stairs.119

The second appeared in The war cry. The song was titled The land beyond the sky to the tune Over
Jordan, the chorus stated

When we climb the golden stair,
’Twill be grand, I do declare,
To meet loved ones everywhere,
Over Jordan.
In that land where all is bright.

And the saints are robed in white,
It will be a splendid sight,
Over Jordan.120

Any of the songs discussed could be a contender for the song sung climbing the pass. While
one of these songs could have established the link with The Salvation Army and the Golden Stairs, it
is also clear that Emma Booth-Tucker’s song reinforced the narrative.

113 “Congregational church”, The war cry, (Melbourne, 16 September 1890), 3.
114 Staff Captain Marshall, “I’m in the train for glory”, The war cry, (London, 7 May 1892), 8.
115 F. Heiser, The famous jubilee song, Climbing up de golden stairs, (New York, USA: T. B Harms, 1884),
https://www.loc.gov/resource/ihas.100005749.0/?sp=1 accessed 14 July 2021.; Slightly different words and tune appear
in E.[F] Heiser, Climbing up the golden stairs, in Richard Matteson, Acoustic music source book, Over 200 old-time
songs with melody line, lyrics and guitar chords! (USA: Mel Bay Publications, 2010), 57.
116 “Advertising”, The Sydney morning herald, (NSW, 28 September 1875), 2.
117 “The Australia Central”, The war cry, (Melbourne, 8 April 1893), 14.
118 “The New Year in Sydney”, The war cry, (Sydney, 10 January 1891), 5.
119 “Unconsidered trifles”, The war cry, (Sydney, 5 March 1892), 6.; “Unconsidered trifles”, The war cry, (Melbourne,
5 March 1892), 6.
120 Walter F. Smith, “The land beyond the sky”, The war cry, (Sydney, 28 March 1892), 10.; Walter F. Smith, “The land
beyond the sky”, The war cry, (Melbourne, 28 March 1892), 10.

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It is understandable that Emma Booth-Tucker’s song has risen to take the place of the original
song used by Salvationists on the Golden Stairs. The song became immediately and immensely
popular in The Salvation Army from its publication in 1895. Even the playwright George Bernard
Shaw, when writing as a music critic, found the tune to be “stirring”.121 In December 1895, a section
of the chorus from Booth-Tucker’s song was discussed in The truth, a Sydney based newspaper.122 It
was also used in important Salvation Army meetings throughout 1896.123 Therefore, in the final days
of its first period of work in Katoomba, the miners would have heard Salvationists sing Booth-
Tucker’s Climbing up the golden stair. This would have been the song in their memories which was
passed along in oral history. In a way this song kept the narrative alive.

Concluding remarks

From their research, Burke et al. stated that,

There are two poles in the debate over the contribution that local and oral histories can make to
the historical understanding …: one is that increasing chronological distance confers a greater
degree of honesty in the telling; the other is that local and oral accounts become more
mythologised and less reliable over time.124

This paper however found something of a middle ground. The truth of The Salvation Army
ministering to the miners in the Jamison Valley in the mining village near Ruined Castle has remained
unchanged, yet elements such as the original song and the officer being the person of action has been
somewhat mythologised. In this case the folk tale elements have preserved historical facts, although
not in its most uncorrupted form.

The narrative is now purer with sources identifying a number of the elements. The pass was
constructed by a shale miner called Mr Parker in 1899 who built it to assist the miners’ travel from
the mines to Katoomba. The pass took on the name of its creator, Parker’s Track. The Salvation Army
first became established in Katoomba in March 1890 and by August 1891 were visiting the shale
mines in Jamison Valley to hold Christian Services. There were a few songs they may have sung that
included the words ‘golden stair(s)’. In March 1893, The Salvation Army held their first indoor
meeting in the shale miners’ village and in June the name Golden Stairs was published in a newspaper.
Salvationists, including soldiers and officers continued to use the Golden Stairs to hold services at
least until 1895 when Emma Booth-Tucker’s song Climbing up the golden stair may have been sung.
When the Army closed the Katoomba Corps, by 1897, Salvationist had left a legacy in the name of
the Golden Stairs which was gazetted in February 1970.

With the listing of these facts, it is now the work of another to unpack the historical meaning
as this was not the aim of this paper. The evidence presented makes it clear that the narrative of the
Golden Stairs contains many historical facts and therefore cannot be set aside as merely a folk tale, a
part of the wider folklore of the Katoomba area.

121 Cited in Stanley Weintraub, Shaw’s People: Victoria to Churchill, (University Park, USA: The Pennsylvania State
University Press, 1996), 59.
122 The truth, (Sydney, 1 December 1895), 1.
123 “The General’s great welcome home”, The war cry, (Sydney, 2 May 1896), 3.; “Easter in the back blocks”, The war
cry, (Sydney, 25 April 1896), 3.; “Tenterfield”, The war cry, (Sydney, 30 May 1896), 7.; “Illustrated impromptus”, The
war cry, (Sydney, 5 September 1896), 3.
124 Burke, et al., “The homestead as fortress”, 168.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 6, Issue 2, 2021. Page 160

ON THE GOLDEN STAIRS 2002

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 6, Issue 2, 2021. Page 161

BY GARTH R. HENTZSCHEL 2002

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 6, Issue 2, 2021. Page 162

RAPID ADVANCE 1878 ‒ 1885

David Malcolm Bennett

Introduction

This paper will examine what appears to be a Christian revival that occurred in late nineteenth century
Britain, in which The Salvation Army was heavily involved and blessed. The method will be
statistical rather than one which draws on histories, reports, and anecdotes.1 This statistical research
appears to demonstrate that a revival, that has generally escaped attention, occurred in the British
Isles in the years 1878 ‒ 1885.

Christianity in Victorian Britain

Victorian Britain (1837 ‒ 1901), is often thought of as a highly Christian, very prudish society, with
the vast majority of people attending church regularly and usually adopting Christian ethical
behaviour, particularly with regard to sexual morality. But it is clear to anyone who knows the period
well that that picture is inaccurate in several ways.

Firstly, though many did go to church, many others did not. On the one Sunday upon which
comprehensive census figures are available, 30 March 1851, a little over 40 percent of people in
England and Wales attended church.2 The Scottish figures are said to be unreliable, though it has been
suggested that they indicate a slightly higher percentage attendance than England.3 This does not
mean that only 40 percent usually went to church. Many who were elderly, sick, required to work, or
laboured under heavy family responsibilities (mothers with newborn babies, for example) no doubt
wished to go and would normally have done so, but on this occasion they did not go. At least some
of those would have presumably gone on later Sundays. In addition, there were probably many others
who only attended irregularly and did not do so on that day. Yet based on these figures, one suspects
that in the middle of the nineteenth century nearly half the population either never attended church
services or did so only occasionally.

Secondly, the behaviour of millions fell well short of Christian standards. For example,
thousands of prostitutes and their customers, pickpockets and drunken men and women frequented
the streets of major cities. Thirdly, pagan and superstitious practices were still common for much of
the era, particularly in many country districts, and were often amalgamated with Christianity.4 In
addition, millions lived in degrading poverty. Various estimates in the late 1880s claimed that

Reference citation of this paper; David Malcolm Bennett, “‘Rapid advance 1878 – 1885”, The Australasian
journal of Salvation Army history, 6, 2, 2021, 163 – 169.
1 I have begun research on another paper examining this same revival in church reports, biographies, letters and
newspaper and magazine articles, but that is a major project, which will take time.
2 This is according to the census for that year, the only British census to ask for details of church attendance on a
particular Sunday, see Census of Great Britain 1851, Religious worship, England and Wales: Report and tables,
(London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1853), cli ‒ cliii.; David Newsome, The Victorian world picture, (London: Murray,
1997), 195 ‒ 196.
3 Census of Great Britain 1851, Religious worship and education, Scotland: Report and tables, (London: Eyre and
Spottiswoode, 1854).; Geoffrey Best, Mid-Victorian Britain: 1851 – 1875, (London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1971),
194.
4 Herbert Schlossberg, The silent revolution and the making of Victorian England, (Columbus: Ohio SUP, 2000), 15 ‒
16.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 6, Issue 2, 2021. Page 163

A picture showing people attracted by Salvationists5

5 Picture courtesy of The Salvation Army.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 6, Issue 2, 2021. Page 164

between three to five million Britons were desperately poor,6 and that that situation had been much
the same for decades. Yet, for much of Victoria’s reign, most of the remainder of the population
seemed either to ignore the problem or to be unable to do more than apply piecemeal solutions. It was
only in the final 20 years of the century that there was a widespread desire to do something about it
and the methods to do so.

It is also probable that the Christian practice and morality of Victorian Britain was not as
consistent throughout Victoria’s long reign as is often thought. It would seem to be true that Britain
was more “Christian” at the end of her reign than at the beginning. For example, it has been claimed

Within the sixty-four years between 1837 and 1901 spanned by Victoria’s reign ... the British
developed into a gentler, more generous, more civilized people than their uncouth Georgian
grandfathers had been.7

Yet even that is an oversimplification. While it does seem that Britain was more widely and strongly
Christian in 1900 than it was in 1800 or 1837, the process was not a continually upward progression,
for it had a number of highs and lows, nor was the upward climb by any means always gradual. These
highs were reached because of Christian revivals at different periods, which sometimes crossed
almost the whole nation while at other times were restricted to smaller areas. Most of the major
revivals have not been clearly identified and researched. The one which usually attracts the most
attention is that which occurred in 1859 ‒ 1861. This took place mainly in the north of Ireland and in
Scotland and Wales, with only a patchy influence in England, mainly in the south-west and the north-
east.8 Even Catherine Booth seemed to think that that revival missed England, and she was
ministering in the north-east of England with her husband when it is supposed to have occurred.9
Other major revivals seem to have happened in the early 1800s (probably about 1805 ‒ 1814) and in
1832 ‒ 1840.

Using statistical data, it is the purpose of this study to suggest that another, largely unnoticed,
revival, impacted different denominations and different parts of the British Isles in 1878 ‒ 1885. The
focus, then, will be upon the whole of the United Kingdom, not just England; so, Scotland, Wales
and Ulster (Northern Ireland from 1921) will be included.

It has been argued that “Respectable Christianity reached something of a high-water mark in
the 1850s, and church congregations were greater from that decade until the end of the seventies than
they were to be thereafter.”10 Yet did church attendance reach its peak, or something close to it, in
the 1850s and then retain that level with little alteration until the dawn of the 1880s? The truth appears
to be that there was more than one peak during that period, and certainly before it, and this paper will
suggest that the ultimate peak was not reached until the mid- or even the late 1880s. It was after that
that there was decline.

6 William Booth estimated three million, while, according to Booth, Lord Brabazon and Samuel Smith stated that
“Between two and three millions of our population are always pauperised and degraded”, and Joseph Chamberlain
estimated that the number was “between four and five millions”, see In darkest England and the way out, (London:
Salvation Army, 1890), 21 ‒ 23. In an article in The fortnightly review, (1 December 1883), Chamberlain spoke of
“millions of paupers” in Britain, see Andrew Mearns, The bitter cry of outcast London, with leading articles… (ed.
Anthony S. Wohl, NY: Humanities, [1883, 1885] 1970), 137.
7 Michael Paterson, A brief history of life in Victorian Britain, (Robinson, 2008). Kindle Edition. (Kindle Locations
232‒234).
8 John Kent, Holding the fort, (Wimbledon: Epworth, 1978), 32, 71.
9 David Malcolm Bennett, Catherine Booth: From timidity to boldness, (Sydney: Morning Star, 2020), 167 ‒ 168.;
Catherine Booth, “Some Objections to The Salvation Army Answered”, The war cry, (23 December 1880), 2.
10 Paterson, Victorian Britain (Kindle Locations 2860‒2861).

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 6, Issue 2, 2021. Page 165

What is Revival?

This paper defines a Christian revival or awakening as a sovereign outpouring of the Spirit of God
upon a major population centre or centres that results in the deepening spiritual lives of Christians,
the winning of a significantly larger than usual number of people into Christ’s Church, a reaffirming
of the key doctrines of the Christian faith, and the improvement of the moral character of the society
in which it takes place. Though in such movements the Spirit touches individuals, it is essentially a
corporate experience. Such manifestations as people falling down or crying out may be, and often
are, displayed in a revival, but they are not essential to it. Revival can be short lived, say, a few days,
or can last for years, though in the latter case it will usually ebb and flow.

The Question

Was there a spiritual revival in the British Isles in the years 1878 ‒ 1885? It is not common to see
references to revival in Britain during this period, except, perhaps, in reference to the missions of
D.L. Moody and Ira Sankey, who visited Britain twice in 1881 ‒ 1884.11 Yet “revivalists”, such as
Moody and Sankey, do not automatically bring revival of the type defined above. They may tap into
an existing revival and may assist in the emergence of one, but they do not cause or bring revival.

In addition, it is tempting to think that the emergence of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution
(the first edition of On the origin of species was published in 1859, with later revised editions)12 and
the developing theological liberalism with its modernist understanding of the Bible was bringing in
an age of doubt, which had dampened religious movements late in the Victorian era and saw fewer
people attending church.13 But this study will suggest that while this may have happened, it did not
occur as early as the 1880s. Indeed, there was a significant increase in church membership during the
period under consideration, which suggests that a Christian revival took place in the late 1870s and
early and mid-1880s.

The Salvation Army

A significant example of this increase is the growth of The Salvation Army in that period.14 The

Christian Mission which began in the East End of London and became The Salvation Army was born

in July 1865. It then, gradually at first, spread to other parts of London and Britain. In 1878 it became

The Salvation Army, and its members adopted uniforms in line with that. It then began to grow and
spread rapidly. According to the Army’s official history the number of Corps (originally “mission
stations”) and Officers in Britain increased in this manner:

June 1878 Corps Officers
Xmas 1878 50 88
81 127
1879 130 195
1880 172 363
1881 251 533

11 J.C. Pollock, Moody without Sankey, (London: Hodder, 1963), 194, 197, 208 – 209.
12 A.N. Wilson, Charles Darwin: Victorian mythmaker, (London: John Murray, 2017), 240 ‒ 242, 247 ‒ 257.
13 Paterson, Victorian Britain (Kindle Locations 316 ‒ 322.; G.M. Young, Victorian England: Portrait of an age,
(Oxford: OUP, 2nd ed. 1953), 108 ‒ 109.
14 It was my research into the Booth family and The Salvation Army that first led me to notice this trend.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 6, Issue 2, 2021. Page 166

1882 442 1,067
1883 528 1,340
1884 637 1,644
1885 802 1,78015

That is, the Army jumped from 50 to over 800 corps in seven-and-a-half years. That increase is
astonishing. Glenn Horridge gives slightly more modest figures. However, while the figures in the
History are for the United Kingdom, Horridge gives statistics for England and Wales only.16 But there
can be no doubt that in those years the Army grew at a remarkable pace, and those corps represent
thousands of people, many of whom must have been new converts. (There is no good reason to doubt
the general accuracy of these figures, as even the secular newspapers of the day, for and against the
Army, repeatedly refer to new Salvation Army corps being launched.17 There is no doubt that The
Salvation Army grew rapidly in this period.)

As this rapid expansion began at about the time that the Christian Mission became The
Salvation Army, it is tempting to believe that the new name hit a note with the British people, which
caused them to flock to Salvation Army meetings in great numbers. While this did happen to some
extent, in that many did respond positively to the new military image, it sounds unrealistic to expect
that those changes alone would have had such a powerful and extensive impact.

It could also be argued that at the beginning of this period The Salvation Army was a small
group, and it is easier for small groups to grow significantly than for large organisations. However,
the growth in this case is nothing short of remarkable, and one is justified in believing that there was
a dramatic movement of the Spirit of God involved in it. Indeed, it would seem difficult to explain it
in purely human terms.

Another issue to consider is, did the growth in The Salvationist Army result from
stealing/attracting members from other churches? In answer to that, it must be admitted that this did
happen in some cases. However, the following evidence strongly suggests that the Army’s growth
came mainly, not from other churches, but from other sources, such as new converts, for these other
churches were also growing at the same time, though not at the same rate.

Churches and Churchgoers

Robert Currie, Alan Gilbert, and Lee Horsley have produced a remarkable statistical analysis of
church growth in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, called Churches and Churchgoers: Patterns of
church growth in the British Isles since 1700.18 We will use this study to seek to uncover what

happened in other denominations at that time.

15 These figures are for Britain only. Robert Sandall, The history of the Salvation Army, (New York, Salvation Army,
1950), vol. 2, 338, appendix M.
16 Glenn K. Horridge, The Salvation Army: Origins and early days: 1865 ‒ 1900, (Godalming: Ammonite, 1993), 38,
table 3.1.
17 Here are two of the many examples: ‘“The Salvation Army”, a presentation of colours and grand parade”, Newcastle
daily chronicle, (UK, 19 May 1879), 3.; [W.T. Stead], “The Salvation Army. A council of war at Darlington”, Northern
echo, (UK, 1 December 1879), 8.
18 Robert Currie, Alan Gilbert, and Lee Horsley, Churches and Churchgoers: Patterns of church growth in the British
Isles since 1700, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1977).

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 6, Issue 2, 2021. Page 167

Methodism

The denominations that are most likely to have provided additions to The Salvation Army, are the
various groups in fractured Methodism. The Christian Mission had emerged from Methodism.
William and Catherine Mumford Booth had each belonged to three different Methodist
denominations, and William had been a Methodist minister. The Christian Mission, in its later period,
had operated on a Methodist-like system with class meetings, a yearly conference, and other
Methodist-style functions. However, when the Methodist membership statistics for that period are
examined, it is clear that Methodism also grew during those years, if not as fast, certainly
significantly.

Methodism
(Members in all major branches in the British Isles, including Ireland).

1878: 678,337
1879: 679,511
1880: 677,866
1881: 686,688
1882: 707,983
1883: 727,312
1884: 732,466
1885: 737,04219

That is an increase of over 8% in seven years. It would seem, then, that the Methodists were not
suffering much from Salvation Army ‘poaching’, and even if they were, then they must have been
drawing in plenty of new converts.

Other denominations

Statistics from other denominations are not as plentiful, but those that do exist paint a similar picture.
(The following are again membership figures, not attendance estimates, though it must be
remembered that the definition of membership may have varied from denomination to denomination.)
The Baptists in England increased from 176,000 in 1880 to 194,000 in 1885. The Baptists in Wales
increased from 80,500 in 1880 to 87,000 in 1885. The Presbyterian Church of Wales increased from
116,386 in 1878 to 129,401 in 1885. In Scotland, the Church of Scotland rose from 515,786 in 1878
to 564,435 in 1885. The Free Church rose from 308,337 in 1879 to 330,464 in 1885.20 Adequate
figures for the Church of England, the Congregationalists and other churches have not been available
to make a comparison.

Summary of the churches

While these churches did not all grow at the same rate in this period, they did all grow, and some
grew considerably. This suggests that if The Salvation Army was stealing from other churches, they
were not stealing many. It also strongly suggests that there was a widespread movement of the Holy
Spirit during those seven years that can only be called a revival, and these figures come from
throughout the British Isles.

19 Currie, et al., Churches, 142. Every major branch of Methodism in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland increased in
the year 1881 ‒ 1882.
20 Currie, et al., Churches, 132, 149.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 6, Issue 2, 2021. Page 168

Population statistics

Yet, another question that needs to be asked is, were these increases caused, at least in part, by a
growing population? The first part of the answer to that is that an increasing population does not
automatically result in larger denominational membership. When church members die or fall away,
they are not automatically replaced by new members (not even necessarily their children or
grandchildren). Their deaths leave gaps in the church, chapel or mission hall and reduce the numbers
on the church register. The work of preaching the gospel, conversion and receiving into membership
have all to take place for there to be replacements. A growing population does not automatically result
in a growing church membership.

However, we will have a quick look at Britain’s population statistics. Since 1801 Britain has
conducted a census every ten years, so 1811, 1821, etc., except for 1941. In addition, the UK Office
for National Statistics has estimated the population for the other years. The relevant figures are:

1878: 33,943,800 (UK government estimate)
1881: 34,934,500 (UK census figure)
1885: 36,015,500 (UK government estimate)21

This shows a population increase from 1878 to 1885 of 2,071,700 or a little over 6%.
To compare the church membership statistics with the population figures, we will take the

denominations above for whom we have figures for that precise period: 1878 ‒ 1885. For the
Methodists the increase was 8% in the same period, with more than 9% for the Church of Scotland
and 11% for the Presbyterian Church of Wales.

Bearing in mind these two factors, “A growing population does not automatically result in a
growing church”, and the comparative population and church membership statistics, it probably,
means that the population increase during this period did not greatly impact the increase in church
membership, and certainly was not the cause of it. Therefore, there must be another reason or reasons
for the significant increases in church membership at this time.

Another factor to bear in mind is that increases in membership figures usually follow
conversions, sometimes by a year or more, during which time new converts are commonly tested and
examined. In other words, a rise in membership in one year may be because of a fruitful spiritual
movement a year or more before. Therefore this revival may have begun a year or two before 1878.

Summary

This statistical analysis strongly suggests that there was a revival throughout the different countries
in the British Isles between 1878 ‒ 1885. The considerable and widespread increases to church
membership are hard to understand in any other way. But much work still needs to be done in
examining contemporary reports, accounts, and other documents to discover this revival’s details and
extent.

21 “UK population estimates 1851 ‒ 2014”,
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/adhocs/004356u
kpopulationestimates1851to2014, accessed 30 June 2021.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 6, Issue 2, 2021. Page 169

AJSAHistory News

the Executive Editor

The AJSAHistory and Solomon Islands

The Executive Editor of The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history, Garth R. Hentzschel
was approached by Solomon Islands District Officer, Major Robert Evans to discuss an idea for an
history project.

The project aims to equip Salvationists in the Solomon Islands with knowledge and skills to
create an accurate and comprehensive history of The Salvation Army on the islands. The preliminary
investigations have seen information arise on the Army’s contact with the islands that pre-date the
official launch in 2011.

Some of the initial information has already been written up for the country’s newsletter.
Hentzschel wrote,

You were always on our mind!
Most countries in The Salvation Army family have a pre-history; signs that God’s Holy Spirit
worked in the minds of Salvationists to prepare for the future official commencement of the Army.
The Army’s holiness teacher, Commissioner Samuel Logan Brengle called this “God as
Strategist”, slowly working through history until His work was revealed. On the tenth anniversary
of The Salvation Army in the Solomon Islands, it is interesting to look back at similar pre-history
connected with the islands.

Territorial Commanders of the Australasian Territory, Commissioner Thomas B. Coombs
(1894) and later Commandant Herbert Booth (1896) looked to commence the Army in places
such as the Solomon Islands. They requested information and prayer in considering such a move.
Later, in 1920, General Bramwell Booth let it be known that International Headquarters was
receiving requests for the Army to commence its work in the Solomon Islands. These requests
were from local people who had become Salvationists while working in Queensland.

There are three interesting points in this story. Firstly, it is great to know that the Solomon
Islands were on the mind of early Salvationists. Secondly, with Salvationists living in the area it
is amazing to think that The Salvation Army had some influence in the islands as early as 1894.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 6, Issue 2, 2021. Page 170

Thirdly, why did it take so long for The Salvation Army to officially arrive in the Solomon
Islands?

There may be a few reasons for the lengthy delay. Firstly, the early growth of the Army
meant that human resources were often stretched. Secondly, world events, such as two world wars
and major economic crises occurred during the interim. Thirdly, some missionary societies were
concerned that the Army may impact the work they were doing, and the Army did not want to
upset other Christian groups.

Whatever the case, The Salvation Army arrived in the Solomon Island at God’s appointed
time. The future is up to us. We can all become a part of His-story by playing our part in extending
the Army in the Pacific region.1

Front cover of Solomon Islands district newsletter2
It is hoped that local Salvationists will be trained to interview family members linked to the
original Salvationists. Tools for research are also being developed with the monthly newsletter being
indexed for easy access to information.
As more sources become available and research is conducted, information will be captured and
published in The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history. The project has been announced in
Australian Salvation Army publications.3

The AJSAHistory makes connections in The Balkans

The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history was contacted via its Facebook page from Marija
Bogdanovic, a Christian from Serbia. Bogdanovic contacted the AJSAHistory to locate the lyrics of
Major Howard Davies song On the way to Heaven, to translate it into Serbian. The Salvation Army
is not officially at work in Serbia. The AJSAHistory communicated with Davies and Bogdanovic and
passed on the lyrics of the song. Bogdanovic translated the song and posted it online.4 From her work,

1 Garth R. Hentzschel, “You were always on our mind”, Solomon Islands district newsletter, 4, 3, (May 2021), 1.
2 Solomon Islands district newsletter, 4, 3, (May 2021), 1.
3 Darryl Whitecross, “Solomon Islands on a mission to compile its history”, Others, (13 May 2021),
https://others.org.au/news/2021/05/13/solomon-islands-on-a-mission-to-compile-its-history/ accessed 19 July 2021.
4 See https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1118810188635728 accessed 19 July 2021.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 6, Issue 2, 2021. Page 171

another person picked up the song and translated it into Italian.5 Around this time, The Salvation
Army officially commenced in the neighbouring country of Bulgaria.6 The AJSAHistory has
connected Salvation Army officers in Bulgaria with Bogdanovic and she has now been connected
with other Salvationists in Bulgaria, Croatia and Serbia.

Map showing The Balkans, including Serbia and Bulgaria7
The AJSAHistory welcomes a new peer reviewer
The Executive Team of The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history would like to welcome
Professor Emeritus R. David Rightmire as a new peer reviewer for the journal. To read about
Rightmire’s work and publishing experience, please see the previous issue of the AJSAHistory.8

R. David Rightmire9

5 See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y-yhl1lHTg accessed 19 July 2021.
6 IHQ Communications, “The Salvation Army begins work in country number 132”, International Headquarters of The
Salvation Army, (12 March 2021), https://salvationarmy.org/ihq/news/inr120321 accessed 19 July 2021.
7 Map developed from Google Maps.
8 R. David Rightmire, “Meet the author”, The Australasian journal of Salvation Army history, 6, 1, (March 2021), 68 –
73.
9 Photograph courtesy of R. G. Moyles.

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 6, Issue 2, 2021. Page 172

The AJSAHistory in publications
Papers from the AJSAHistory have been republished, abbreviated, or cited in other publications.
Reprinted papers
Harold Hill, “What language shall I borrow? How candidates describe their spiritual experience”, The

officer, no. 32, (April-June 2021), 34 – 37.
Kingsley Sampson, “Harold Hill: Salvation Army Historian”, New Zealand religious history

newsletter, Religious History Association of Aotearoa New Zealand, no. 32, (April 2021), 1-4.

Cover of Religious history newsletter showing Salvation Army historian
and AJSAH contributor Major Harold Hill

Citation of works
Kingsley Sampson, “From the Salvation Army archives”, New Zealand religious history newsletter,

Religious History Association of Aotearoa New Zealand, no. 32, (April 2021), 14-15.
Abbreviated works
David Malcolm Bennett, “William Booth’s conversion”, Salvationist, (UK, 3 July 2021), 11 – 13.
Garth R. Hentzschel, “The poem that shaped our history”, Others, (June 2021), 8.
Garth R. Hentzschel, “The poem that shaped our history”, Others online, (n.d.),

https://others.org.au/army-archives/the-poem-that-shaped-our-history/
The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 6, Issue 2, 2021. Page 173

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION TO ASSIST WITH RESEARCH

The following researchers have asked for assistance from our readers. If you know of any
information or articles, have photographs, stories or artefacts, please contact them via their email
address as outlined below.

Garth R. Hentzschel – Theses, chapter of books and journal articles. For the continuation of the
‘Bibliography of Salvation Army Literature in English 1988 – Present’, Hentzschel is requesting any
information on theses, chapters of books and journal articles written about The Salvation Army.
Information on such works and possible copies of these documents, please contact Hentzschel at
[email protected]

Rob Kinnon-Brettle – Research into Salvationists who lost their lives in World War II (as a
consequence of the war). Kinnon-Brettle is looking for the name, age, the date of death and any of
the circumstances of promotion to Glory of Salvationists during WWII. All information can be sent
to the researcher by email [email protected]

Gordon Lewis – Information on the Fry family. Lewis is writing a book, Listen to the Band about
the Fry family of Alderbury, Wiltshire who are noted as the first Salvation Army band towards the
end of 1878. Stories, photographs, and memories are all needed, including of Bertram Waterman Fry
who emigrated to Australia and attended Adelaide Corps. Bertram would become the father of Alfred
Narroway Fry who became an “infamous” Australian hero. Please contact Lewis via email
[email protected].

Major Kingsley Sampson – The Life of Kingsley Mortimer BA, MB BS, MRCP, LRCP,
Diploma in Bantu Studies, Diploma in Psychiatry. I am researching the life of Dr Kingsley
Mortimer (1909-1980) after whom I was named. Born in New Zealand, Kingsley was variously a
Salvation Army officer, missionary in Africa, India and Indonesia, anatomist, medical school lecturer
in Perth and Auckland, and geriatric psychiatrist (Auckland). He did his medical studies in London
before and during the Second Word War. His wife was Mavis Hinemoa McKenzie (1908-1992)
whose father was William ‘Fighting Mac’ McKenzie of First World War fame. Kingsley once said
that in some circles in Australia, he was known as the man who married Mavis McKenzie, while in
New Zealand, he was known for himself. I would be pleased to hear from anyone who has personal
memories of Kingsley or Mavis or who has memorabilia, photos or other items that they are willing
to make available for this research. Please contact Kingsley Sampson at
[email protected]

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 6, Issue 2, 2021. Page 174

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR AND
FEEDBACK ON

THE AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF SALVATION ARMY HISTORY ~
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1

Dianne Edwards, Salvationist, Australia
Thanks for the Journal. It is always an interesting read.

Tom Ellwood, Salvationist, Canada
Thanks so much for passing this latest AJSAHistory volume to me. I’ve spent the last hour or so
just scanning it and plan to really read it all within the next week or so. In addition to Army
History, I am also fascinated by Army “connections”, certainly the ones that I’ve experienced
personally over the years…. Good old Army, our connections are truly incredible.

Beverley Stockall, Salvationist, Australia
I’ve only scanned same but did quickly plough the screen and read with interest the Nelson
component – Ma & Pa were stationed there in 1960. I will forward that part to my old Nelson
friends [now Blenheim] .... you keep the SA history alive, me thinks we needs a bit more of the
old stuff now!!!

Peter Trick, Salvationist, Australia
Thank you so so much, so much incredible reading, I keep coming back to more of this fruit salad
of writing. Thanks for all your hard work.

Lt.-Col. Joan Williams, retired Salvation Army officer, United Kingdom
You have obviously been very busy in your research etc., and I congratulate you in your
thoroughness.

We encourage letters to the editor on papers or other items, please send your email to the
Executive Editor – [email protected]

The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, Volume 6, Issue 2, 2021. Page 175