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Salvation Army
History
HistoryInitially compiled from the City Library’s electronic editions of the ‘Leader’, 1939-1964.
The Salvation Army began in England on July 2, 1865, and in New Zealand when Captain George Pollard and Lieutenant E. Wright landed at Port Chalmers, on March 27, 1883.
A large building marked ‘The Salvation Army Institute’ is visible in a 1916 picture of Trentham army camp.
The 'first shot was fired' in Upper Hutt on March 3, 1927, in the Independent Hall. Sunday School work began in Upper Hutt and at Trentham Racecourse (railway station?) waiting room. The first officers were 'lassies' - Lieutenants Allison and Harris.
A hall was opened by Commissioner James Hay on July 30, 1927; two years later a new hall opened in Trentham ('Leader', July 21, 1955).
The local band was formed in 1935 (fifth anniversary in the August 15, 1940 'Leader'). Bandmaster was Alf Francis, a painter, who had joined the Palmerston North Salvation Army band as a boy of 6, and had conducted the Petone central band for 12 years. Mr and Mrs Francis celebrated their golden wedding on December 26, 1951. He retired as bandmaster in February 1953 after 15 years; he had been an Army member for 55 years.
He was (temporarily?) succeeded by R Turvey, but continued to appear as bandmaster up to his 75th birthday in February 1957. The Francises moved to Auckland in July 1958 after 26 years in Upper Hutt. Mrs Francis had been the first secretary of the Upper Hutt branch. Their golden wedding was mentioned in the January 25, 1962 ‘Leader’. Captain Sutton conducted the band in 1960 at an Anzac civil service.
An “aged men’s retreat” in Wallaceville was in Bristol Street (electoral roll supplementary list, 1938-1941). On the other hand, an article in the February 19, 1953 'Leader' places the retreat opposite Quinn's Post. Wherever it was, it must have had substantial grounds, as fetes held there included displays by horse and pony clubs, and girls’ marching teams. Beginning in 1940, the Wallaceville Country Women’s Institute held annual Christmas parties there, shared with the residents (the last reference found was for 1960). At various times, firewood and Australorp cockerels were advertised for sale. For many years the retreat was run by Major and Mrs Argyll. By March 1957 the men’s home had moved to Trentham; the ‘Retreat’ title last appeared in April 1956.
Sunday School anniversaries were held in October; the first reference found was for 1940.
A Red Shield group sponsored by the Army was welcomed by Scouts and Cubs at a First Heretaunga Scout Troop field day on March 22, 1952.
July 12 and 13, 1952 saw 25th Corps anniversary celebrations.
The Upper Hutt and Trentham halls were moved to a new location on Main Road at Wallaceville in November 1955. One was refurbished, and rededicated in November 1956.
May 1959 saw a reference to a YMCA conference using the Salvation Army camp at Akatarawa; later mentions used the ‘Cloustonville’ name.
March 10, 1960; a street in the Salvation Army subdivision would be named Hildreth Street, after a prominent Salvationist.
The Corps officers' new home at 23 Whakatiki Street was dedicated on April 15, 1961.
40th-anniversary clebrations led by New Zealand Territorial Commander, 17-18 June 1967.
A national training college for officers, replacing one in Aro Street, Wellington, was opened by the Governor-General, Sir David Beattie, in William Booth Grove on September 24, 1983.
The Family Store and Bridge Programme moved four times in eight years, finishing at 7 Queen Street, before the Army bought 41 Queen Street in February 2003; they opened there on May 24.
The Bridge Programme later moved to CBD Towers.
Because of an electrical fault, the hall in Fergusson Drive burnt down in 2012, and was replaced by a new centre in ‘tilt-slab’ construction in 2014.
Corps officers.
All officers begin their service and changes of appointment in January, and may only marry officers; as a result there is a marriage season in January, as newly-married officers normally take their partners to new appointments:-
Captain (Miss) Murray, 18 months to October 1939
Lieutenant and Mrs Hay, 18 months to 1954; transferred to Madras, India.
1940; Major Chard
1954-56; Lt. R Harding.
1956; Senior Captain J. C. Waite M.A., Dip. Journ., a Whiteman descendant, led 29th-anniversary celebrations, but was not corps officer.
1956-58 Lieutenant and Mrs R D Baken, Wallaceville
1956-59; Captain and Mrs N Pearce McNabb to Kilbirnie.
1958-60; Lieutenant and Mrs Gordon B Smith; the wives were sisters. Captain Smith had to resign due to ill health in October 1959
1960-62; Captain Hazel M Sutton.
1961; Lieutenant E. J. Mckenzie
1962-; Captains Winsome Howie and Rae Richards, from Foxton. Rae Richards was not listed by June 1962; she married Lieutenant John Major and went to Rotorua in January 1963.
1963; Captains Winsome Howie, J Hansen
1964; Capt. Winsome Howie, Lieutenant K Ford
1987-1989; Majors Graham and Anne Waring; to Fiji's Officer Training School, and oversight of social services.
1990; Captain Ivan and Mrs Glenda Bezzant, from Manukau.
The Army's training college in Ararino Street was completed in 1983, and opened by the Governor-General, Sir David Beattie, on September 24. An architect's drawing was printed in the August 11, 1981 'Leader'. The 3-hectare site had been owned by Angus Construction. 12 staff houses and 16 flats on the 3-hectare site would be refurbished for the Army. Project cost would be $3 620 000.
The Salvation Army began in England on July 2, 1865, and in New Zealand when Captain George Pollard and Lieutenant E. Wright landed at Port Chalmers, on March 27, 1883.
A large building marked ‘The Salvation Army Institute’ is visible in a 1916 picture of Trentham army camp.
The 'first shot was fired' in Upper Hutt on March 3, 1927, in the Independent Hall. Sunday School work began in Upper Hutt and at Trentham Racecourse (railway station?) waiting room. The first officers were 'lassies' - Lieutenants Allison and Harris.
A hall was opened by Commissioner James Hay on July 30, 1927; two years later a new hall opened in Trentham ('Leader', July 21, 1955).
The local band was formed in 1935 (fifth anniversary in the August 15, 1940 'Leader'). Bandmaster was Alf Francis, a painter, who had joined the Palmerston North Salvation Army band as a boy of 6, and had conducted the Petone central band for 12 years. Mr and Mrs Francis celebrated their golden wedding on December 26, 1951. He retired as bandmaster in February 1953 after 15 years; he had been an Army member for 55 years.
He was (temporarily?) succeeded by R Turvey, but continued to appear as bandmaster up to his 75th birthday in February 1957. The Francises moved to Auckland in July 1958 after 26 years in Upper Hutt. Mrs Francis had been the first secretary of the Upper Hutt branch. Their golden wedding was mentioned in the January 25, 1962 ‘Leader’. Captain Sutton conducted the band in 1960 at an Anzac civil service.
An “aged men’s retreat” in Wallaceville was in Bristol Street (electoral roll supplementary list, 1938-1941). On the other hand, an article in the February 19, 1953 'Leader' places the retreat opposite Quinn's Post. Wherever it was, it must have had substantial grounds, as fetes held there included displays by horse and pony clubs, and girls’ marching teams. Beginning in 1940, the Wallaceville Country Women’s Institute held annual Christmas parties there, shared with the residents (the last reference found was for 1960). At various times, firewood and Australorp cockerels were advertised for sale. For many years the retreat was run by Major and Mrs Argyll. By March 1957 the men’s home had moved to Trentham; the ‘Retreat’ title last appeared in April 1956.
Sunday School anniversaries were held in October; the first reference found was for 1940.
A Red Shield group sponsored by the Army was welcomed by Scouts and Cubs at a First Heretaunga Scout Troop field day on March 22, 1952.
July 12 and 13, 1952 saw 25th Corps anniversary celebrations.
The Upper Hutt and Trentham halls were moved to a new location on Main Road at Wallaceville in November 1955. One was refurbished, and rededicated in November 1956.
May 1959 saw a reference to a YMCA conference using the Salvation Army camp at Akatarawa; later mentions used the ‘Cloustonville’ name.
March 10, 1960; a street in the Salvation Army subdivision would be named Hildreth Street, after a prominent Salvationist.
The Corps officers' new home at 23 Whakatiki Street was dedicated on April 15, 1961.
40th-anniversary clebrations led by New Zealand Territorial Commander, 17-18 June 1967.
A national training college for officers, replacing one in Aro Street, Wellington, was opened by the Governor-General, Sir David Beattie, in William Booth Grove on September 24, 1983.
The Family Store and Bridge Programme moved four times in eight years, finishing at 7 Queen Street, before the Army bought 41 Queen Street in February 2003; they opened there on May 24.
The Bridge Programme later moved to CBD Towers.
Because of an electrical fault, the hall in Fergusson Drive burnt down in 2012, and was replaced by a new centre in ‘tilt-slab’ construction in 2014.
Corps officers.
All officers begin their service and changes of appointment in January, and may only marry officers; as a result there is a marriage season in January, as newly-married officers normally take their partners to new appointments:-
Captain (Miss) Murray, 18 months to October 1939
Lieutenant and Mrs Hay, 18 months to 1954; transferred to Madras, India.
1940; Major Chard
1954-56; Lt. R Harding.
1956; Senior Captain J. C. Waite M.A., Dip. Journ., a Whiteman descendant, led 29th-anniversary celebrations, but was not corps officer.
1956-58 Lieutenant and Mrs R D Baken, Wallaceville
1956-59; Captain and Mrs N Pearce McNabb to Kilbirnie.
1958-60; Lieutenant and Mrs Gordon B Smith; the wives were sisters. Captain Smith had to resign due to ill health in October 1959
1960-62; Captain Hazel M Sutton.
1961; Lieutenant E. J. Mckenzie
1962-; Captains Winsome Howie and Rae Richards, from Foxton. Rae Richards was not listed by June 1962; she married Lieutenant John Major and went to Rotorua in January 1963.
1963; Captains Winsome Howie, J Hansen
1964; Capt. Winsome Howie, Lieutenant K Ford
1987-1989; Majors Graham and Anne Waring; to Fiji's Officer Training School, and oversight of social services.
1990; Captain Ivan and Mrs Glenda Bezzant, from Manukau.
The Army's training college in Ararino Street was completed in 1983, and opened by the Governor-General, Sir David Beattie, on September 24. An architect's drawing was printed in the August 11, 1981 'Leader'. The 3-hectare site had been owned by Angus Construction. 12 staff houses and 16 flats on the 3-hectare site would be refurbished for the Army. Project cost would be $3 620 000.
Photos
Details
Organisation typeReligiousDate established3rd March 1927Geotag[1] The current centre, seen from this StreetView camera positionFunctionReligious services.
Ran Wallaceville Aged Men's Retreat (mentioned June 20, 1940), succeeded around 1956 by a men's home in Trentham, near Quinn's Post. It was visited weekly by the RSA; annual Christmas parties were held by the Wallaceville Country Women's Institute; the twenty-fifth in 1960.
Also ran a camp at Cloustonville, Akatarawa.
Training of officers at a national college in William Booth Grove, Trentham.
Date established3rd March 1927Geotag[1] The current centre, seen from this StreetView camera positionFunctionReligious services.Ran Wallaceville Aged Men's Retreat (mentioned June 20, 1940), succeeded around 1956 by a men's home in Trentham, near Quinn's Post. It was visited weekly by the RSA; annual Christmas parties were held by the Wallaceville Country Women's Institute; the twenty-fifth in 1960.
Also ran a camp at Cloustonville, Akatarawa.
Training of officers at a national college in William Booth Grove, Trentham.
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Salvation Army. Upper Hutt City Library, accessed 19/03/2026, https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/24289