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| Staveley
Corps - A Brief History |
| The first
meeting of The Staveley Corps of The Salvation Army was held on
Wednesday November 15th 1922 at the old Wesleyan Sunday School Room. The
leaders, Brigadiers Gallahere and Sladen, introduced the Corps' first
commanding officers, Captain Cowhan and Lt. Pink. The first Sunday
meetings were held in the Central Cinema the following Sunday with
Chesterfield Band giving a Special Musical Programme in the
afternoon. |
The Corps'
first Self Denial campaign the following year raised £111-3-3d
(£111.16p) Later in the year the first Harvest Festival was held and
between the Senior and Junior Corps, raised the sum of £20-2-6½d
(£20.13p) For a small Corps, still in its first year, and considering
that the year in question was 1923, these were quite substantial sums of
money.
On September 25th 1923 the Corps was visited by Commissioner and Mrs.
Booth Tucker. Mrs. Booth Tucker lectured in the Markham Hall in the
afternoon on 'India's Millions' and in the evening they led a Salvation
Meeting assisted by the Divisional Commanders, Brigadier and Mrs. Sladen.
The Corps History Book records that collections for the day realised
£10-6-9d (£10.34p). |
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Commissioner Booth Tucker |
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Brigadier and Mrs. Bernard Booth |
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February
21st 1925 saw the newly formed Staveley Corps Band turn out for the
first time and August 30th saw Brigadier Bernard Booth visit Staveley to
conduct a Holiness Meeting.
October 25th 1925 must have caused some excitement at Staveley with the
visit to the Corps of the West Indian Singing Party, who were in the
country for The International Congress held in London. Commissioner
Henry Bullard paid Staveley Corps a three day visit on September 29th,
30th and October 1st 1928. The Corps History Book records the visit as
being 'A real blessing to the comrades. The lantern lecture in
particular was an education on The Army's work in other lands.' |
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On Saturday
September 19th Staveley Corps first hall, situated in High Street was
opened. Divisional Commanders, Brigadier and Mrs. Pennick supported by
Major and Mrs. Walts and Staff Captain and Mrs. Johnstone led the
meetings and the building was officially declared open by Sir Josiah
Court. The building was extended in 1933, with builder, Stone and Sons
submitting the successful tender in the sum of £237-13-0d. (£237.65p)
The first wedding in the hall was conducted by Corps Commanding Officer
Major Bourne on August 4th 1934 when brother Isaac Kirk was married to
sister Annie Heep |
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Staveley Songsters - 1928 |
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Y.P. Band Leader Alf Lamb |
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A
terrible disaster occurred at the nearby Markham Colliery on May 10th
1938 when 79 men lost their lives. Little can illustrate the impact of
this tragedy more graphically than the following entry from the
Staveley Corps History Book. 'Band Leader Alf Lamb of Staveley Corps
was the only Salvationist to lose his life in the terrible explosion
in the pit. His young widow gave birth to her first child two days
after the disaster.'
Staveley did not escape the terrors of WWII. On Sunday 15th December
1940, the History Book records, 'During the Sunday night meeting a
raid took place. The meeting continued, only ceasing to plat and sing
when the A.R.P Post could not hear the plane overhead. A land mine was
dropped. All windows in main street out but God preserved us and all
kept a courageous spirit.'
On March 24th and 25th 1951 Consett Band visited Staveley. Consett
were the first commissioned Corps Band in The Salvation Army. Although
the Corps comrades continued to give faithful service attendances at
the corps gradually declined and the Salvation Army's presence in
Staveley came to an end in 1983 with the closure of the Corps. |
| The Army started to
re-establish its presence in the area in 1992, with an outpost of
Clowne Corps, known as The Staveley Society. Meetings were initially
held at the Inkersall Community Centre. The new Salvation Army Hall at
Wharf Lane, Lowgates, Staveley, was opened on 27th January 1997 by Lt.
Col. Alex Morrice, thus confirming that the Salvation Army was once
more part of the Staveley community. The Corps was presented with its'
new flag by General Paul Rader on 5th March 1997. |
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Click here to order your copy of the Staveley Corps History Book
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© copyright 2001 D.
J. Miller - Not to be reproduced in any format in part or in whole
electronic or otherwise under any circumstances
without the prior consent of the author |
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