History of the Salvation Army in Little Bay
1888
January 14th - Two female Salvation Army officers - Lieutenant Lizzie Penny and Cadet Lizzie Howse arrive in Little Bay via the steamship Plover (Twillingate Sun, Moyles).
January 21st - The Salvation Army are said to hold "nightly noisy meetings" in two small houses (Twillingate Sun).
February 18th - Penny and Howse are reported as first hosted by Alfred Rideout but later hold their meetings between the homes of Thomas Rice and J. Clarke. They are reported as disruptive and no one will allow them to rent a place for services. The services instead take place some distance from town with E. R. Burgess bringing Lieutenant Penny and her "aid-de-camp" Mrs. Alfred Rideout there by sleigh. The Salvationists are heavily snowballed by townsfolk on their return for "singing and throwing their arms about" (Twillingate Sun).
March 8th - A letter to editor printed in the newspaper ponders how unfortunate it is that they cannot be left alone to practice their religion in peace (Twillingate Sun).
July 21st - It is reported cuttingly that the Salvation Army had made no recent converts and are forced to hold their meetings outdoors as none will rent to them (Twillingate Sun).
August 4th - Construction had begun on a small building at Loading Wharf for the Salvation Army officers (Twillingate Sun).
1889
February 21st - It was reported that the Salvation Army had "obtained two drums. One exceedingly large, made of dog skin. These musical instruments have been constructed, greatly to the praise and honor of the Army, by one of their own zealous soldiers. Since the Army has shown so much skill, Little Bay may soon hope to have two bands to enliven the place. We trust the manufacture of these instruments will increase, for all who have heard them have been enraptured thereby. The officers have received the privilege of making officials, and two young men have been elected Sergeants. This is doubtless a wise and necessary step, and we trust now, more peace and quietness will be observed at the meetings” (Twillingate Sun).
November 5th - The death of a toddler named Jessie B. Dove has S.A. written after the name (United Church burials).
1890
May 3 - Rocks are thrown at a member of the Salvation Army near the barracks. It is implied that their windows had also been broken previously. The reporter claims the Salvation Army Captain is himself to blame. This Captain is male (Twillingate Sun).
October - The town is visited by Newfoundland feminist and editor Jessie Ohman who mentions the presence of the Salvation Army. She notes admirably that as the Salvation Army were unable to build a church on land as the mine would not allow it they had instead opted to build one on "a stage in the open sea" (Ohman).
1891
January 12th - The stove in the barracks is said to be "proper out and out Salvationist. It is in full uniform. It has two pairs of S's and two badges on it and when it gets hot it has a red jacket on. It was cast especially for the S.A." (War Cry).
The Salvation Army Corps in Little Bay is open by this year (Duton).
1893
At some point prior to this an officer named Jessie Thistle (pictured) was assigned to Little Bay but she is no longer in Little Bay by 1893 and lives in St. John’s. She is married to a miner she’d converted from Little Bay by the name of Abraham Tilley (NL Quarterly).
1894
May 26 - Bridge-Captain John Gooby arrives in Little Bay with Lieutenant Moulton and enrols five soldiers including a Father Whare who is said to be particularly spiritual (Moyles).
1901
June 1st - An officer by the name of Isabelle Berry is assigned to Little Bay (Moyles).
1902
March - A woman named Lavinia Thistle whose husband was named Frederick dies. I believe this person could be Salvation Army by name association (United Church cemetery).
1903
February - A boy named William M. Thistle died in Little Bay. He was the adopted son of Edward and Fanny Pike. Again I make the connection by name association (United Church cemetery).
1912
April 30th - The Salvation Army mission in Little Bay is closed (Moyles).
1930
The town of Little Bay is "unofficered" by the Salvation Army (Moyles).
Notes:
I know from the oral history that the Salvation Army in Little Bay eventually built their church at Chimmy Cove but I've yet to find out when it was built or how long it was there. It would be nice to find a picture of it. If you have anything to add to this timeline or pictures of any of the people mentioned please let me know.
If you've been following this blog you no doubt found a lot of this repeated from the 1888 post. I am sorting through the material I have by topic. I figured I'd post what I'm working on as it often finds its way to people with more information. I'll probably post other such timelines as I'm going. It would be nice to have access to the Salvation Army's War Cry reports but I don't think they're online - please let me know if I'm wrong.
Thanks for reading!
Sources:
Duton, Jefferson D. - The Origins and Growth of the Salvation Army in Newfoundland 1885-1901. (1996)
Moyles, R. G. - The Salvation Army in Newfoundland. Its History and Essence. (1997)
Twillingate Sun (1888, 1889).
Ohman, Jessie - The Water Lily (1890)
War Cry (1891)
Newfoundland Quarterly (v85 n3 1990)
United Church burials
United Church cemetery