Grandad Joins The Sally Army

Long before Grandad became Grandad, when he was a lad of seventeen, he decided to join the Salvation Army band. The year was 1899. His friend James Abram was cajoled into joining with him. This was a leap in the dark, as neither of them had ever been to a Salvation Army meeting, neither had ever played a musical instrument, nor could either read music. Indeed, their only experience of music was popular Music Hall songs. They liked the idea of wearing a uniform and parading up and down the street, and having a good excuse to make a loud noise.

James Abram and Grandad presented quite a contrast. James Abram was long, lean, and lanky. Grandad was short, strong, and stocky. The fact that neither they, nor any of their families, had any connection with the Salvation Army was not seen as a drawback by Grandad; he never lacked confidence.

For some strange reason, Captain Fryer said they could join, James Abram to play the triangle, and Grandad the big bass drum. Try to imagine the procession: there were all the musicians, marching along, playing their trumpets and trombones. Behind them was the solitary tall thin stooping figure of James Abram with his little triangle, which he occasionally pings. Bringing up the rear was Grandad, the big bass drum is strapped to him, and so huge he couldn’t see over it.

They have their instructions. They are to march along, left right left, and think the words of the song that’s being played, which will give them rhythm :

I’m SAVED I am I KNOW I am, I’m WASHED IN Jesu’s BLOOD – and repeat ad infinitum.

Grandad had to bang the drum in time to the rhythm, first on the left side for SAVED, then on the right for KNOW. Then he had to cross his left arm to hit the right side of the drum for WASHED, and cross his right arm to hit the left side for BLOOD, all the time muttering the words to himself to help keep time. Try it. It is not easy, particularly for Grandad as he had short arms, the drum was big, and he could not see where he was going.

They set off up Market Street.

After a while Grandad became aware that all he could hear was the drum. Where was the sound of the brass band? He kept going for a while, muttering, ‘I’m SAVED I am I KNOW I am, I’m WASHED in Jesu’s BLOOD.’ Then, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a group of boys prancing along at his side, laughing. He came to a halt. He couldn’t hear the band at all. He peered round the side of the drum. There was nothing in front of him but an empty street. The rest of the procession had turned off, and as he couldn’t see them, and had been concentrating so hard, he hadn’t realised, and had been marching along alone, banging away, and muttering to himself.

You will not be surprised to learn he lost his place in the band.

James Abram, however, was enjoying the triangle, so the two of them continued to go to the Salvation Army meetings. They found it very entertaining. The preacher used to work everyone into a frenzy with his hell-fire-and-damnation sermons, so much so that one woman, Mabel Alice, at some point always fell down in a fit – quite ostentatiously, it has to be said – calling on the Lord, and thrashing about. The lads would be watching for this, nudging each other, ‘Any minute now!’ They always hoped for a glimpse of her ankles when she fell, too.

One of the congregation, Obadiah Longbottom, was fond of being noticeably fervent. When he was out and about, no matter where he was, he’d suddenly fall to his knees, and pray loudly. One Sunday morning, after the Meeting, Grandad and James Abram went up onto the moors for a walk. They were sitting down on the lee-side of a dry-stone wall, resting after their climb, when Obadiah Longbottom’s voice rang out, just behind them. Raising themselves up, they looked over the wall. On the other side was Obadiah, on his knees, his hands clasped in front of him, and his closed eyes raised heavenward.

“Oh Lord, take me to thy fold,” he said.

It was too good an opportunity to miss. Grandad leaned over the wall, and silently got hold of Obadiah Longbottom’s hair, and pulled it upwards. Still with his eyes closed, Obadiah yelled, “ ‘owd on, Lord, I were nobbut coddin’ !”

The lads could not contain themselves. They collapsed with laughter, rolling on the ground. Obadiah leapt up in fury. “You young varmints!” he yelled.

Grandad and James Abram ran off, chased by Obadiah.

Next time they went to the Sally Army, they were accosted by Captain Fryer, who gave them a final warning : one more episode, and they’d be ‘drummed out’.

One of the choruses sung at the Army went like this :

‘Prophet Samuel, prophet Samuel will be there!
Prophet Samuel, prophet Samuel will be there!
Prophet Samuel will be there, and his glory we shall share,
When we all gather round the white throne.’

Interminable verses followed, listing all the biblical figures who ‘would be there’. It came to the last verse, and everyone sang, ‘Captain Fryer, Captain Fryer will be there (etc.)’

This was too much for Grandad. As the song finished, he sang out in a loud voice, “Billy Muggins, Billy Muggins will be there!”

That was as far as he got. There was uproar.

“Right! That’s it!” the Captain yelled. “You’re being drummed out!”

“But you haven’t got a drummer any more,” Grandad called out, as he and James Abram ran for the door.

And that ended Grandad’s first experience of being musically banned. It was not to be the last…….

All these incidents are as related to me by Grandad. They took place at Millgate, part of Whitworth Township.