Organisation The Salvation Army (1882 - )

The Salvation Army is a world-wide Christian Church with international headquarters in London, England. It is generally accepted that the Salvation Army commenced its work in Victoria on December 24, 1882. (Although several localities lay claim to having held the first Salvationist meetings in Australia. The first official Salvation Army Corps in Australia was established in Adelaide.)

Today, the Salvation Army is a major community service organisation in Victoria, providing out of home care services via a number of agencies.

Major James Barker was instrumental in the Army's earliest provision of social services in Victoria. He and his wife Alice arrived in 1882, having been sent from London to establish the Army's work 'in all the colonies of the Southern Seas'. Although intending to land in Adelaide, they stayed in Melbourne.

In 1883, the philanthropist Dr John Singleton offered the use of his Little Bourke Street Mission Hall to the Salvation Army.

Barker's first work was with released prisoners, from 1883 from a house in Lygon Street, Carlton, the Prison Gate Brigade.

The Salvation Army became increasingly involved in the 'rescue' of children and 'fallen women'. A women's refuge for 'fallen' or 'rescued sisters' commenced in Carlton in early 1884.

In January 1888 the Government granted Barker the authority to apprehend without warrant any child under the age of 16 years found residing in a brothel (under the provisions of the Neglected Children's Act 1887).

Since 1882, the Salvation Army has established and run many institutions for children.

The Salvation Army has been publishing the War Cry in Australia since 1880.

From the late 1990s, government inquiries including the Forde Inquiry in Queensland and the Inquiry into Children in Institutional Care heard criticism of the Salvation Army and its treatment of children in its Homes. The Salvation Army subsequently issued an apology to former residents of its children's homes:

From the 1894 to the 1970s The Salvation Army operated children's homes around Australia. The Salvation Army deeply regrets that not all the children in its care received the love and protection they deserved. Some of the children experienced great fear living with rigid and harsh discipline. Some became victims of physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse. The Salvation Army acknowledges its failure with those children. The Salvation Army offers all persons who were hurt its unreserved apology.

In the Forgotten Australians report, the Committee made the statement:

that the overwhelming majority of submissions to this inquiry from ex-residents of Salvation Army institutions in all States reported negative experiences in these institutions, often citing cases of extreme forms of physical, sexual and emotional abuse. The Committee believes that there has been a notable reluctance by the Salvation Army to acknowledge past practices, in particular the nature and extent of abuse in its institutions.

The Salvation Army is a linkage partner in the Who Am I project, which commenced in 2009, and responds to the recommendations relating to identity and records in the Forgotten Australians Report.

Events

1882

The Salvation Army commences work in Victoria on December 24, 1882

1883

Major James Barker's first work is with released prisoners, from a house in Lygon Street, Carlton, the Prison Gate Brigade. Location: Carlton

1883

The philanthropist Dr John Singleton offers the use of his Little Bourke Street Mission Hall to the Salvation Army. Location: Melbourne

1884

A women's refuge for 'fallen' or 'rescued sisters' opens in Carlton in early 1884. Location: Carlton

Books

• Petraitis, Vikki, Salvation, The story of Rod Braybon and his seven siblings. After the death of their father, the children were made wards of the state, and Rod and his siblings spent time in several children's homes, hostels, reception centres and youth training centres., Jewel Publishing, 2009. Details

Newspaper Articles

• 'Christmas Appeals: special need for help', The Argus, In this article, various charitable institutions in Melbourne are mentioned and their requests for Christmas charity, 14 December 1916. Details

Online Resources

• Limelight, An online exhibition about the Salvation Army's Limelight Department, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2001, http://www.abc.net.au/limelight/default.htm. Details
• 'The Homies', in ABC Online, The ABC television program Four Corners broadcast the episode, 'The Homies' on 18 August 2003. This website relates to this program, which told the story of 'the kids society didn't want, orphaned or wrenched from broken families, then shunted off to "homes"'., Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2003, http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2003/20030818_homies/default.htm. Details
• 'History and Heritage', in The Salvation Army - Australian Southern Territory Website, 2008, http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/about-us_65047/history-and-heritage.html. Details
• Cox, Helen, 'Salvation Army', in eMelbourne: the city past and present, Encyclopedia of Melbourne online, The University of Melbourne, 2008, http://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM01320b.htm. Details