The Salvation Army: Disturbing the present for the sake of the future

As this well-respected, global organisation turns 160, our deputy editor, Jemimah Wright, considers its impact, particularly for women

When I was at university, I wrote my dissertation on Religious Tract Publishing during the Industrial Revolution…it was far more interesting than it might sound! That research introduced me to one of the unexpected heroes of 19th-century social change: The Salvation Army.

This radical Christian movement didn’t just distribute religious tracts in the slums of Victorian Britain, but served hot meals, offered safe shelter and brought hope to people who found themselves at their lowest. Founded by William and Catherine Booth in 1865, The Salvation Army modelled a faith that rolled up its sleeves.