A patchy start

The Salvation Army’s records show that the Army was in Cootamundra as early as 1887, with a Captain Thomas Stead pioneering the work. An article in The Bulletin magazine from 1883 states: The Salvation Army is trying to make a start in Cootamundra. But the Cootamundra people don’t trouble about such small matters as salvation. The elite are up to their neck in lawn tennis! Perhaps that’s why our “Officers Roll”, which lists all officers serving in Cootamundra, has its last listing on 11 March 1898. Meanwhile, nearby Junee Salvation Army was established in 1886. Its Salvation Army history book states that in 1955 the then-Junee Salvation Army officers, Lieutenant and Mrs Humpries, moved their quarters to Cootamundra and began holding meetings in their front room. A year later The Salvation Army became officially established in Cootamundra, with the work in Junee downgraded to “outpost” status. The Cootamundra Salvation Army hall was officially opened on 9 July 1960 by Commissioner F.L Coutts. The Salvation Army officers at the time were Major and Mrs Barrett.