Remembering Arthur Arnott – more than a biscuit man
Colonel Arthur Arnott was one of Australia’s most beloved Salvation Army officers, whose life and service to the Lord in the first half of the 20th century impacted thousands, including generations to come. The Salvation Army Museum (Melbourne) Specialist, BARRY GITTINS, profiles Arthur Arnott in a four-part series.
BY BARRY GITTINS
Arthur Smith Arnott was born on 17 June 1870 in Newcastle (NSW), one of five sons of biscuit mogul William Arnott. Life, it may be said, was pretty cushy.
Young Arthur was reared by his Methodist Sunday school superintendent father and raised to participate in the family business. That’s where the script changed, to everyone’s surprise.
The rich young ruler of the country’s kitchens was mates with a Salvationist, and in 1893 Arnott accompanied his friend to an open-air meeting at St Leonards Park, North Sydney. It must have been a doozy. Arthur Arnott, born and raised a churchgoer, was on the path to making a public commitment and joining The Salvation Army.
Striking up a chat with the local corps treasurer, Arthur accepted a dinner invitation to the Salvationist’s home, where he would commit his life to Christ. He was up to his boots and, wearing a Salvo jacket, walked into his office to manage the Forest Lodge factory. Arthur started a series of prayer meetings and Bible studies with his employees. This was not the done thing.
When posted to run the family’s Newcastle factory, Arthur became a local officer with Newcastle Central Corps. There, he soon became known for his work with alcoholics and homeless people. He took Jesus literally, rounding up men from outside the pubs at closing time, bringing them to his home, cleaning them up, feeding them, and praying with them.
For five years, Arnott served his new movement as a ‘special’, visiting various corps around NSW. He was a talented violinist and concertina player, and a popular, humorous guest. A corps report in the War Cry from Newcastle noted that “Mr Arnott of biscuit fame [sent] the Captain fifty parcels for distribution among the poor folk of Lambton”. Such acts of generosity were a lifelong habit.
There are varying strands in the story’s tapestry about how his family reacted to Arthur joining Bill Booth’s Army. It’s suggested they believed that Arthur’s health (repeated bouts of rheumatic fever, which weakened his heart) would not allow him to thrive as a Salvation Army officer.
Nevertheless, Arthur travelled to the Melbourne training garrison in 1898 to become a cadet. Sadly, while he was training, he lost both of his parents within 10 months of each other’s deaths.
Arthur was a noble soul, helping and encouraging others. One session-mate called him “a generous and big-hearted brother to everybody… particularly to the backward”!
After being commissioned, Arthur was appointed to the field department and later became Herbert Booth’s private secretary.
He was known and counted among the Army’s leaders and movers. Arthur Arnott was a lunchtime diner with the ‘Saveloy Club’ – leading officers of his generation who shaped the Army in this country, including the future General George Carpenter and ‘Fighting Mac’, William McKenzie. The group got its name because they met every Wednesday in 1909, and William McKenzie used to heat up saveloys (a type of seasoned sausage) for their meal.
We may ask at this point, what led Arthur to abandon his life of influence and advantage?
I suggest it was prayer and the Holy Spirit’s conviction that Jesus wanted him to be a Salvo, the belief and knowledge that he could make a difference, and the hope that he would be like Jesus.
While the biblical rich young ruler failed to take up the financial challenge set by Jesus, it seems that surrendering his life and birthright to the cause was never an issue for Arthur. He lived humbly and simply, and from all accounts was happy to do so.
Throughout his life, he would use his independent financial status to help others and the Army. Arthur never drew an allowance of more than a shilling a year, we are informed, as he was supported by the Arnott family, who grew reconciled to his decisions.
The Arnott family is also said to have supported the Army by donating profits from their SAO biscuit line, introduced in 1906 – the SAO was reputedly named after Arthur Arnott’s custom of signing as a ‘SAO’, a Salvation Army Officer (see appendix below)
To read Part Two, click here
Appendix About that SAO business
Historical addendums from The Salvation Army Australia Museum database:
For your interest ... I was talking to my father about the article re: SAO biscuits in the latest Heritage newsletter. Herb Begby is a Salvationist of 91 years of age (now living in a hostel at Judge Book retirement village in Eltham). When he was in his early teens attending the Thornbury Corps, he lived in the same street as Colonel Arthur Arnott and often drove around in his old Dodge car with him. His understanding from back in those days regarding the SAO biscuits was that a percentage of the proceeds of sale of the SAO biscuits went towards the officers' retirement fund. There is no doubt in his mind that the SAO stood for ‘Salvation Army Officer’, as that was what Colonel Arnott told him once. – Glenda Shearwood
23 January 2008 ... I am writing in regard to the matter of the SAO biscuit! I have recently been able to peruse the second edition of the “Hallelujah” magazine and have been fascinated by its contents. I note that on page 58 it states that ‘We shall probably never really know the origin of the name SAO’… I happen to know the origin, and this is the reason … My mother, Mrs Colonel Rust, lived in retirement with Mrs Colonel Suttor, who was the second wife of Colonel Walter Suttor (her single [maiden] name was Monod). Mrs Suttor told my mother in my presence that her husband, Walter Suttor, used to have lunch with Arthur Arnott and other officers when they were at Territorial Headquarters. Walter Suttor asked Arthur Arnott if his family firm could make a large savoury biscuit in which they could place cheese, tomato, etc. Arthur Arnott suggested this to his family firm who manufactured it, and they named it SAO, because Arthur had suggested it – he was a Salvation Army Officer; the only one in the family. I hope this is useful. – Gwen Pedersen
1983 Regarding the name SAO ... Some time ago, when managing a business in the country, I inquired of the traveller for Arnott's biscuit firm as to the true meaning of the letters SAO on the biscuit. Was it, as is so often claimed, a tribute to Colonel Arnott and did it stand for Salvation Army Officer? I was informed that it was a tribute to Arthur Arnott, but the letters did not refer to officers but represented ‘serve and obey’. This, I suggest. would have been a typical Arthur Arnott twist to the song, ‘Trust and obey’… Thanks for the memories.
– Charles E. McDonald, Dee Why
Regarding SAO ...
Thank you for your interesting info regarding Arthur Arnott (Under the Tricolour, Issue 67, June, page 3). My mother formerly Millie Dawkins was a Salvation Army officer for 10 years before she married my father, a farmer in the Peak Hill district. She knew Colonel Arthur Arnott when she was stationed at Ashfield. He verified the story that the SAO biscuit stood for Salvation Army Officer. He told her that it did. – Maurine Redenbach
