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Home , Catherine Booth, The Salvation Army, William Booth

Catherine Booth Founder of The Army

1 Contents

Chapter One – Young Catherine 4

If we are to Chapter Two – Meeting William 6

better the Chapter Three – Speaking Out 8

future, we Chapter Four – The Army Mother 10 must disturb the present. Chapter Five – Catherine’s Gift to the World 12 Timeline 14

Created by Schools and Colleges Unit www.salvationarmy.org.uk/schools

The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity. and Wales no. 214779, Scotland no. SC009359, Republic of 2 3 Ireland no. CHY6399 CHAPTER ONE – YOUNG CATHERINE A Victorian Girl A Girl of Action

Catherine Mumford was born Catherine began to see how unfair the world in 1829 in Derbyshire. around her was and she started to want to change things. She saw how badly Catherine might have led an people and animals were being treated. easy and comfortable life. Instead she chose to spend Once she saw a coal merchant in the her life trying to help others. street beating a donkey for being slow. She stepped in and said that the Girls during the Victorian donkey was carrying too much, and times were taught how to hitting it would not help. manage a house and family. But Catherine wanted to learn When she learned that workers on sugar more than this. She began to farms in the Caribbean were treated very poorly read when she was three and the and paid very little, she decided to protest. She stopped eating food book that interested her most was made with sugar, and told lots of people about it. They decided to the . By the age of 12, Catherine protest too and stopped eating sugar. had read the Bible eight times! On another time she saw a man who was very drunk being arrested, and a crowd had gathered to watch and laugh. Catherine ignored everyone and Sometimes life was difficult for went up to the man. She introduced herself as a friend and helped lead him Catherine. She was often very ill. When to the police station. she was 14 she had severe back pain. The doctor told Catherine the best cure was to spend a year lying down – mostly face ? down. As she could not go to school, she spent her time studying. Catherine loved Surprising Catherine discussing the things she learned. When PAY she returned to school, her classmates SUGAR WORKERS Catherine did not behave did not understand why Catherine would MORE like a typical Victorian girl. want to try so hard. Surely a woman did What surprised you not need to be so well educated? the most?

4 5 CHAPTER TWO – MEETING WILLIAM A Young Lady of Faith A Busy Young Mum

After a lot of thought, Married life was hard at Catherine decided she first. William was often wanted to commit to away travelling and being a Christian. campaigning, speaking at meetings all over the When the Mumfords moved to country. They soon had , she became an active a young family but had member of the church. no permanent home to Catherine’s faith was very raise their children in. important to her. She threw Despite the hardship, herself into projects for the they loved it. church and ran a Sunday Catherine wanted to be a school for girls. She continued good mother, but she also studying the Bible and loved sharing wanted to support William discussions about what it said. She knew in his work. The children were she wanted her faith to be an important mostly taught at home. But part of her life. sometimes Catherine had to leave the children with her parents so she could One Sunday a guest preacher arrived at her church. He was called William travel with William. Booth. He spoke with such passion that Catherine was very impressed by him. Afterwards, at an afternoon tea party, they were introduced to each other. While William spoke at large ? meetings with thousands Catherine and William started chatting – mostly about faith and the Bible. of people, Catherine spoke Busy Catherine William was very impressed by this little lady with big ideas. She challenged to individuals or led smaller Catherine was busy helping him, she helped him to discover new ways of thinking about faith, and she meetings for women. Catherine with the church, looking encouraged William to study to become a . was shy but she wanted people to after their family and know of God’s love for them. They soon fell in love and decided to marry. But first William had to complete helping William campaign. his training to be a minister. They spent three years apart but wrote many Life was tricky but it felt like they Why do you think Catherine letters to each other of their plans for the future. Finally, in 1855, they married. were doing the work they were was so busy? meant to do.

6 7 CHAPTER THREE – SPEAKING OUT A New Home Can I have a word?

Finally, William was given a Catherine’s ideas were firm but so far she had only shared them with place to stay and work. William and in her writing. One day, while Catherine was listening to William preach to an audience of three thousand people, she suddenly It was great that there was a felt moved to speak. She went up to William and asked if she could new home for all their growing ‘have a word’. William and Catherine had often talked about women family, but they missed preaching, but no woman had done it yet. campaigning. WOMAN AND Much to the surprise of everyone, Catherine started to preach. Everyone CHILDREN Staying in one place ARE was impressed at how eloquent and insightful this quiet, softly spoken WORKING gave new challenges for LONG HOURS woman was. Catherine spoke at the next meeting, and at many more. FOR LOW Catherine. Every day she saw WAGES! When William became ill, Catherine took over his duties. Everyone was how people were struggling to amazed at how talented this woman preacher was. live. She saw the poverty and slums people lived in. She saw the After three years, William and Catherine began to feel it was time to conditions and long hours children travel and preach again. However the church wanted them to stay worked in the factories. where they were. So they made the difficult decision to leave the church and travel by themselves. They had no income and four children, but She started to campaign to change they felt they could do more good elsewhere. They preached wherever the law about children working. they could – including theatre halls and circus tents! She visited people in the poorest Soon Catherine became a very areas to hear about their popular preacher. She was asked troubles, and helped where ? to attend large meetings, where she could – such as doing the she could share her ideas – how Catherine housework for a woman who we can show God’s love by helping speaks out had just had twins. Catherine those who are less fortunate. The Catherine started to wrote leaflets about women and people who listened to her were speak out about things faith. She carried a notebook often very wealthy. She made that were unfair. with her so she could write down them think about how they were What would you want to ideas while she cleaned the house! sharing that wealth, and if they speak out about? She gave small talks about poverty and were earning that money in a fair . Catherine was finding her voice. way or by exploiting others.

8 9 CHAPTER FOUR – THE ARMY MOTHER

In 1865 William and Catherine returned to London. William and Catherine worked tirelessly William started work for a mission in the East End of London – The Christian together and the mission grew and grew. Mission. A lot of poor people lived there and many had never been to church Eventually the mission changed its name to or knew about . It soon became clear that people weren’t ready to The Salvation Army. Catherine continued listen about God if they were hungry and needed shelter. Helping people had to write. She received many letters from to come first. people wanting advice and support and replied to each. The Booths were now a family with eight children and Catherine was kept Catherine continued to campaign for busy. She was teaching her children, writing, and preaching. She spoke of people to be treated fairly. One campaign the work William was doing, of how he was helping to improve people’s lives. which hit the headlines was about People were inspired by what she said; people donated money to support young girls being sold by their parents. It the work, and some even wanted to join the mission and help. shocked Victorian society, and eventually Even though Catherine still suffered from ill health, she supported William the law was changed to protect them. with his workload. When William became ill, she proved more than Salvationists often liked to march to capable of leading the whole mission by herself. William and Catherine meetings. One group of Salvationists were a strong team. requested a banner they could march behind. So Catherine designed the Salvation Army flag. Unfortunately not everyone agreed with the work of The Salvation Army. When there was a march, they would throw things and hurt people. Catherine designed ? a bonnet for the women to wear, which would protect their faces Caring Catherine from objects. Catherine cared for lots of Catherine became known as people who needed help. the Army Mother because of the Why do you think she way she cared for, guided and cared? supported people.

10 11 CHAPTER FIVE – CATHERINE’S GIFT TO THE WORLD A New Church Catherine’s Impact

Catherine helped to start a ’s new Christian church – The influence is still Salvation Army. present today. This church used a lot of The Army Mother showed Catherine’s ideas. Men and that women were more women were treated equally, than capable of leading and all were encouraged to and preaching. The preach and to lead. Salvationists Salvation Army has promised not to drink, as alcohol always had women was causing a lot of problems in officers and has had society. The church put a focus on women Generals. Other accepting Jesus in your heart and churches have also showing this by helping others. It left out embraced women as a lot of the signs and symbols used in other religious leaders. Today, churches. women in society are viewed as being just as By the time Catherine was 60, The capable as men. Salvation Army had spread to other countries in the world. William Catherine wanted had a great new plan on how to to help others in need. This has ? help people. He started to write a led to The Salvation Army doing book called In Darkest England thousands of charitable projects Inspiring Catherine and the Way Out. Unfortunately all around the world. Campaigning What do you think was Catherine became too ill to support and protesting to raise awareness Catherine’s most important him. Surrounded by her family, she of social injustice is still needed achievement? died in 1890. William was devastated. today. What would Catherine do But with the support of his family and Best of all, many thousands of today? friends, he continued to lead The Salvation people have been introduced Army, guided by Catherine’s ideals. to Jesus through the Army that How could we help? William and Catherine started.

12 13 William 1829 William William becomes a arrives in becomes an Christian London to work apprentice 1849 as an assistant born April 10 in pawnbroker pawnbroker 1844 1842

1843 Catherine 1851 William 1829 becomes a and Christian Catherine William’s Catherine’s meet father dies family moves Catherine to London 1845 Mumford born on January 17 1854 1844 in Derbyshire William 1855 trains to be a minister William is 1859 William asked to lead and The Christian 1861 Catherine 1865 marry on 16 Mission in the 1860 Catherine June East End of publishes her William first pamphlet London leaves the Catherine The Army church preaches opens safety- her first match factory sermon in East London. 1890 Farthing 1891 breakfasts start 1890 William Booth Catherine publishes In dies on 4 1888 Darkest England Oct and the Way Out William and Bramwell start shelters for the 1912 William The 1880 homeless Booth dies Christian on August Mission The 20. Bramwell Salvation Members 1878 becomes becomes the Army starts start to wear The Salvation work in other next General uniforms Army countries