Maitland's greats: John Veitch

The Salvation Army in Maitland has been home to its fair share of outstanding Salvationists. After starting The Salvation Army in Newcastle, John Veitch and his wife were stationed in West Maitland. Barbara Bolton, in her book Booth’s Drum, The Salvation Army in Australia 1880-1890, writes: they were delighted when a troop of bullockys came to a meeting and made decisions for Christ. To keep the men from the temptations of a hotel-lodging, Mrs Veitch and a young woman convert stayed up half the night roasting half a sheep – provided by a butcher convert – so that the men could breakfast at dawn.