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In the 1890s, The Canadian Staff Band travelled around Ontario by bicycle alongside the current Territorial Commander, Field-Commissioner Evangeline (Eva) Booth, daughter of General William Booth, founder of The Salvation Army.
Here are reports from the War Cry and local newspaper files highlighting their adventures, including a report from the Territorial Commander herself, Eva Booth:
From the Hamilton Spectator, June 7th, 1897...
"Yesterday was a red letter day in local Salvation Army circles, and there was much of the old time blood and fire spirit showing itself among both soldiers and officers. Commissioner Eva Booth, the much-beloved daughter of the old General, and head of the Canadian forces, was in the camp with her bodyguard and an immeasurable quantity of enthusiasm, which she freely gave out to everyone willing to take it. The red-coated bandsmen from
Toronto headquarters formed a not unimportant part of the program. They are most of them bookkeepers and clerks at Army headquarters, getting very small salary and doing heavy work all week. Their Sundays are spent playing in all kinds of weather in all sorts of places. They save on railway fares by riding bicycles. It was a great day for the Salvation Army.
"Commissioner Booth, accompanied by her private secretary, Adjutant Pease, arrived at 4:42 p.m. on the C.P.R. on Saturday evening. They were met by Adjutant McLean and Sergeant Landers, and driven to Mrs. McLean's quarters at the citadel. The Commissioner will be Mrs. McLean's guest during her stay in Hamilton. The rest of the contingent arrived by boat, and were met by a large van, which took the women and instruments, while the scarlet band wheeled to the Citadel."
From the Brantford Weekly Expositor, July 8th, 1897...
"Dominion Day was indeed a gala day with the members of the Brantford corps of The Salvation Army. Almost from morning to night the barracks were on fete, and it is probable that no such enthusiasm has been manifested in the Telephone City among Army members since the visit of General Booth a few years ago. The interest was evoked by the visit of Miss Eva Booth, Commissioner of Canada, and her impressions could hardly be otherwise than favourable. The Commissioner was accompanied by a strong aggregation of prominent Army officers. The S.A. workers workers have not been slow to realize the utility of the bicycle, for it was on the silent steeds of steel and rubber that the invading party captured the city.
"Wednesday the Commissioner and staff conducted highly successful meetings in Galt and left that point awheel for Brantford this morning. Adjutant Creighton (CWC), the popular young officer in charge of the local corps, wheeled into the country with a following of seven Army bikers, to greet the visitors, and after joining them some four miles out, returned to the city about 11 o'clock. Miss Booth and several of the leading officers were entertained by Adjutant and Mrs. Creighton (CWC) at dinner. After dinner the visitors wheeled about the city to the various points of interest."
From the Galt Reporter, July 8th, 1897...
"Commissioner Eva Booth, accompanied by the Staff Band, arrived in Galt about eleven o'clock from Stratford, having ridden from there on their bicycles. Miss Booth was attired in a neat dark tweed wheeling costume, and beyond looking a little warm and sunburned was quite fresh and vigorous, as she dismounted from her wheel..."
From the Galt Reporter, July 15th, 1897...
"A large audience greeted Miss Eva Booth, Commander of the Canadian troops of The Salvation Army in Knox Church last night, on the occasion of her first appearance before a Galt audience. Miss Booth came to this country to succeed Ballington Booth, for a time as Commander of the Army forces in the United States and is General Booth's fourth daughter. She was accompanied by the Headquarters Staff Band, and after their forty mile wheel from Stratford early in the day, the party spent the greater part of the afternoon resting in preparation for the night's meeting...
"This morning, about eight o'clock, the party left town on their bicycles, wheeling from here to Hamilton, where they go by boat to Toronto."
From the War Cry (Toronto Canada), July 31st, 1897... (written by Evangeline Booth...)
"Whether consequent to natural and well-excused anxiety that the first run of our 'cycling' tour should not be brought to an abrupt conclusion by our being completely dissolved, or after strictly adhering to the regulation "no scorching" we should find ourselves in the unpleasant position of being unrecognizably scorched, or was it a sense of responsibility born of tender interest for our officers creating the wonderment as to how many would get sunstroke by the way, I am not prepared to say; anyhow the hours preceding our departure I thought were amongst some of the hottest of my life. But one of the most noticeable and indomitable features of a true Salvationist's warfare is persistent determination to make obstacle into opportunities, and hence neither burning suns nor falling rains, boisterous blasts nor sultriest of atmospheres can turn him from thrusting forth his purpose, and presenting himself at the announced hour at his expected post.
"The Brigade was timed to leave at 1 p.m., and was formed in line on the ground decided upon for mustering outside the large doors of the Territorial Headquarters. Staff-Captain Horn and Adjutant Morris formed the Advance Guard, myself (Field-Commissioner Eva Booth) with the two children - Dot and Jai - on either side, came next in the ranks; then followed the remainder of the Brigade in form, each man having his allotted position and specified comrade given by myself as organizer of the Brigade.
"Our first scene of warfare was to take place upon the battle-field of Hamilton... I was not announced to be present at this meeting; it was conducted by the Staff Band, Major Gaskin in command...
"8.30 a.m. found a little group of Hamilton Officers and Soldiers seeing us off for a 25-mile run... (to Dundas, then Brantford, London, Stratford, Galt, etc) ...during the tour we wheeled one hundred and eighty-nine miles...
"It was ten days after our expectant start out through Yonge Street that we wheeled our triumphant way in, realizing in what vast and valuable uses the bicycle can be put.
"If you have a wheel, dedicate it to God's service and Run it Under the Flag - use it to help run sinners into the Fountain of Jesus' Blood…"
From the London Advertiser, June 29th, 1899...
"The announcement that Commissioner Evangeline Booth would speak at the Dundas Street Center Methodist Church last evening drew an audience that completely filled the large church, many persons standing throughout the evening. Commissioner Booth, who is the daughter of General Booth, is the head of The Salvation Army in Canada, Newfoundland and the Northwestern States. She is making a tour of Western Ontario, and travels on horseback. She is accompanied by the splendid Staff Band from Toronto, in charge of Staff-Captain Morris. The band travels on bicycles..."
From the Bowmanville West Durham News, July 12th, 1900...
"Saturday, Sunday and Monday last were red-letter days in Army circles in and around Bowmanville. Some weeks ago it was announced that Commandant Eva Booth, would visit our town on the above dates and the event was looked forward to with pleasure, particularly by those more closely connected with the Army work. Miss Booth has been making a three weeks trip east as far as Kingston, accompanied by a number of the Headquarters staff and Bowmanville was the last place at which meetings were held on the return trip.
"Miss Booth rides horseback, while most of the Company ride bicycles, and the huge tent in which the meetings are held, is drawn by a team of horses and a wagon. They arrived here on Saturday afternoon and the tent was erected in the Drill Shed Grounds...
"The music at all the meetings was furnished by a part of the Headquarters Staff Band, who also played a variety of stringed instruments, which added greatly to the interest of the meetings."
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Article submitted by Fred Creighton, based on research by Major James Tackaberry. All pictures, War Cry and newspaper article quotes provided by The Salvation Army Archives of The Canada and Bermuda Territory.