Salvation Army Clues
In response to David Collard’s question about the photograph of a Salvation Army band (Star
Letter, May), there are several ways in which he may be able to identify which corps the band belonged to. Depending on the quality of the original image, the name of the corps will be shown on the collars of the bandsmen while the drum will show both the corps name and number. When a new Salvation Army corps was opened, it was given a number which can help identify those that have closed in more recent years. Failing this, the Salvation Army International Heritage Centre ( salvationarmy.org.uk/about-us/ international-heritage-centre) may be able to provide some advice, although it is closed to visitors at present because of Covid-19.
As far as the age of the photograph is concerned, I suspect it was taken between the 1930s and the 1950s. The bandsmen are wearing the old-style uniform that had started to disappear by the early 1970s, although I am aware of some corps that continued to wear this style until the 1980s. The female Salvationist seated on the front right would be the commanding officer, together with her husband who is seated on the front left. At this time officers were expected to marry officers, and this rule has only changed in more recent years. Officers can be distinguished by the crest and “S” on their collars. The fact that the female officer wears an open tunic, with a red sweatshirt underneath, would most likely date the photograph to the 1930s, although I can personally remember older Salvationists who were still wearing this variation into the 1970s.
There are also a number of Facebook groups that David Collard may find useful, with each group focusing on different aspects of Salvation Army history. Those I would recommend include “Sights & Sounds of the Salvation Army”, “The Salvation Army Discussion Group” and, just in case, “Closed Salvation Army Corps & Old Hall Buildings”. If the corps shown in the photograph is still in existence, it may have its own Facebook page or David could contact the current commanding officer. It is possible that the corps still has a record of who is pictured.
I must say that two people seem to have been added to the photograph: the man wearing a military beret, and the man on the far right behind the female officer. Gordon Lewis, Southampton
EDITOR REPLIES: We had many readers write in who had spotted the soldier with the beret, including one suggestion that the photograph may have been taken after the Second World War and a lost member (or two) inserted into the picture later.