Radical beginnings

The first recorded Salvation Army visit occurred on Boxing Day 1884.

The next day Wollongong’s newspaper, the Illawarra Mercury, reported: A skirmishing squad of The Salvation Army opened fire on the enemy in Wollongong last night in the Temperance Hall. There was a large attendance and the proceedings were somewhat lively. The Mercury concluded: It might reasonably be inferred that the devil will have rather tough times of it in Wollongong now that The Salvation Army has arrived.

The squads from Sydney returned several times, eventually coming to stay in June 1886. Under the headline Storming of Wollongong, the War Cry reported that Salvation troops landed from a steamer on Saturday 19 June and, under the cover of darkness, marched to attack the dominions of the devil: Crowds of the enemy surrounded us, hooting, howling and firing soft shot, which did no damage. The hall was packed.

Ten days later on 29 June, The Salvation Army held its first official meeting.