When our longest-serving PM celebrated with the Salvos
- deansimpson7
- Jul 2
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 3
BY BARRY GITTINS
On 2 July 1865, 160 years ago today, The Salvation Army founder, William Booth, spoke to a crowd of Londoners ‘in a tattered old tent pitched on the site of an old Quaker burial ground’.
In this Army Archives article, Salvos Online takes you back to the 100th anniversary, when the War Cry in Australia celebrated the special milestone with a commemorative edition in 1965.
“Here, amid the sounds, the smells, the screams, oaths and curses of London’s teeming East End”, The Salvation Army was born, stated the 26 June edition in 1965.
Booth’s meanderings around the Blind Beggar Pub and the Vine Tavern had also set the theme for his mission – reaching the unchurched, the marginalised, and the great unwashed.
In that same edition, two dignitaries penned their respects to The Salvation Army – Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies and the Leader of the Opposition, the Right Honourable Arthur Caldwell.
“They have been in Australia since 1880,” wrote Menzies, “and by their good works and selflessness have won a special place in the hearts of our people.”
“The Salvation Army is needed as much as it ever was,” declared Caldwell, “to bring succour and dignity to those whom society may regard as failures.”
Menzies was a significant supporter of The Salvation Army during his tenure in office (1939-1941 and 1949-1966), participating in various functions and building openings, and continuing to support the organisation afterwards, particularly when the Red Shield Appeal was in its early years.
Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies attends the official opening of The Salvation Army’s Inala Village in Melbourne in 1965.
Sixty years after this 1965 edition, The Salvation Army is still going strong, serving in more than 130 countries worldwide.
Happy 160th birthday, Salvation Army!
In recognition of this upcoming significant anniversary, The Salvation Army International Headquarters has created eight short videos chronicling the vast and varied mission of the global Salvation Army over the past 160 years. To view the first three videos, click here.
Salvos Studios has created this animation celebrating 160 years of The Salvation Army.
