Taking a stand

The Salvation Army’s founder, William Booth, is famous for many inspirational utterances, including his I’ll Fight address: 

While Women weep, as they do now, I’ll fight; while children go hungry, as they do now I’ll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll fight; while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I’ll fight, I’ll fight to the very end!”

In 1960, after having a proposal to build a hall in Maroubra knocked back by the local council, Salvationists in Sydney’s eastern beaches decided to take the fight to the people. A protest was organised, with Salvos from all over Sydney coming to support a march from Daceyville to Maroubra. Traffic was blocked as the protesters marched down main streets. A hall was eventually built in Maroubra on Boyce Road, where remains today.