Historical timeline
1829 |
William Booth and Catherine Mumford born. |
1844 |
William Booth converted to Christianity. |
1855 |
Marriage of William Booth and Catherine Booth, née Mumford. |
1858 |
Booth ordained as a Methodist minister, having been accepted on probation in 1854. |
1859 |
Mrs Booth's first pamphlet, Female Ministry, published. |
1860 |
Mrs Booth's first public address. |
1865 |
Rev. Booth begins work in East London. Christian Revival Association is formed, which later becomes the Christian Mission. |
1878 |
First use of the term "Salvation Army" and description of Booth as "General"; First use of brass instruments. |
1879 |
First cadets trained as officers. |
1880 |
Two members of The Salvation Army in London, Edward Saunders and John Gore, led the first Salvation Army meeting in Australia from the back of a greengrocer's cart in Adelaide Botanic Park; The first Salvation Army recycling depots were opened in Australia; Catherine Booth has Aggressive Christianity published and Booth's controversial book, In Darkest England and The Way Out, was published in which he presented his plans for a program to help the poor and needy. |
1882 |
The Salvation Army commences work in New South Wales and Victoria |
1883 |
The Salvation Army commences work in Tasmania; Major James Barker leased a small house in Lygon Street, Carlton (Vic) to provide accommodation for prisoners discharged from Melbourne's jails; First War Cry published in Australia. |
1884 |
Opening of a Fallen Sister's Home in Carlton. |
1885 |
The Salvation Army commences work in Queensland. |
1890 |
The Army opens a free labour bureau in Melbourne to help people find jobs, the first formally operating employment bureau in Australia; Catherine Booth is promoted to glory; The Salvation Army opens its own bank; Booth publishes In Darkest England and the Way Out. |
1891 |
The Salvation Army commences work in Western Australia. |
1898 |
Australia's first film studio built at 69 Bourke Street, Melbourne. |
1899 |
First Australian narrative film on social work, entitled Social Salvation; Contingents from Australia disembarked on 26th November 1899 at Cape Town being the first of the Empire's Colonies to respond to the call of 'Mother England' and have troops in South Africa. |
1900 |
First narrative drama film presentation, consisting of an ingenious mix of moving film, glass-slides, oratory and music; Soldiers of the Cross premiered at the Melbourne Town Hall. |
1901 |
First feature-length documentary film, Inauguration of the Australian Commonwealth; First registered film production company, the Australasian Kinematographic Company. |
1902 |
First Australian history documentary, Under Southern Skies; First bushranging drama, Bushranging in North Queensland. |
1903 |
The Salvation Army makes claim to 0.082 percent of Australia's population |
1905 |
Booth campaigns in the Holy Land, Australia and New Zealand; |
1910 |
William Booth sends a one-word telegram messaged “Others” to the Army’s gathering at their annual convention. |
1912 |
William Booth gives his famous “I’ll fight” speech to a packed crowd of 7,000 Salvationists at the Royal Albert Hall in London; William Booth’s oldest son, Bramwell Booth, becomes the second General of The Salvation Army. |
1915 |
At a little known beach in Turkey, named Gallipoli, two legends were forged. The first was the courage of the Australian soldier: the second was the wartime service of The Salvation Army. |
1923 |
The Salvation Army opens Foster House in Sydney’s Surry Hills to provide accommodation for homeless men. |
1928 |
General Bramwell Booth's last public appearance. |
1929 |
General Edward Higgins elected by the First High Council; General Bramwell Booth is promoted to glory. |
1934 |
Evangeline Booth is elected General. |
1939 |
The third High Council elects George Carpenter to General; WWII commences. |
1940 |
The Second World War expands its theatre of operations, Salvationists follows suit where possible; The Salvation Army commences work in the Northern Territory. |
1941 |
Order of Distinguished Auxiliary Service (recognition of outstanding contributions by non- Salvationists) commences. |
1943 |
The Salvation Army Medical Fellowship, and the SA Nurses Fellowship (until 1987), commence. |
1944 |
Thanksgiving service for William Booth's conversion, in St Paul's Cathedral, London. |
1945 |
WWII ends. |
1946 |
Fourth High Council elects Albert Orsborn to General. |
1948 |
First world-wide broadcast by the Army. |
1954 |
Fifth High Council elects Wilfred Kitching to General. |
1963 |
Sixth High Council elects Frederick Coutts to General. |
1964 |
The Salvation Army Bridge Program for rehabilitation begins. |
1965 |
Captain Hilton Morris arrives in Alice Springs and opens the Alice Springs Corps; The Salvation Army purchases a four-seater Auster Autocar aircraft to be based in Longreach and used for outreach over the vast Queensland outback. Lieutenants Alf and Noela Dawkins were appointed to pioneer the flying padre service. |
1969 |
Seventh High Council elects Erik Wickberg to General. |
1974 |
The Salvation Army is among the first to fly into Darwin on Boxing Day to provide disaster relief to Darwin after Cyclone Tracy; Eighth High Council elects Clarence Wiseman to General. |
1977 |
Salvation Army officers from all around Sydney bring practical assistance and ongoing emotional support to families after the Granville rail disaster; Arnold Brown becomes General, via the ninth High Council. |
1981 |
Tenth High Council elects Jarl Wahlstrom to General. |
1983 |
The Salvation Army establishes a 24-hour telephone counselling service as a pilot project managed by Salvationist, Alan Staines. |
1986 |
Eva Burrows is elected General at the 11th High Council. |
1993 |
Bramwell Tillsley is elected General by the 12th High Council. |
1994 |
General Tillsley retires due to ill-health; Paul Rader is elected General by the 13th High Council. |
1998 |
International Conference of Leaders, in Melbourne, addresses challenges of a new millennium. |
1999 |
John Gowans is elected General by the 14th High Council. |
2001 |
Recovery Services Command and Red Shield Industries / Family Stores administrative operations were separated to enable a more focused strategic direction for each. |
2002 |
John Larsson becomes General. |
2003 |
Red Shield Family Stores trading entity was renamed and branded "Salvos Stores" |
2005 |
Salvos Legal was birthed by pioneer Luke Geary. |
2006 |
Shaw Clifton is elected as General of The Salvation Army. |
2010 |
Salvos Legal launches in Australia. |
2011 |
Linda Bond becomes the third woman to become General. |
2013 |
André Cox becomes the 20th General of The Salvation Army. |
2015 |
Australian and 13th General of The Salvation Army, Eva Burrows, is promoted to glory at age 85. |
2016 |
National Commander Commissioner Floyd Tidd announces that the two Australian Territories (Australian Southern Territory and Australian Eastern Territory) will become one Australian Territory. |
2018 |
General Brian Peddle takes office as the 21st General of The Salvation Army. |