3rd October 2021

3rd October 2021

Last weekend I spent most of Saturday at Torquay museum and enjoyed some very interesting lectures about the local history of Torbay. The first lecture was given by Dr James Kneale, associate professor UCL, which was about the Salvation Army being persecuted by the local authorities in Torquay in 1888.

One of the other lectures was given by the local historian Kevin Dixon who has an article about the Salvation Army's problems in late Victorian Torquay on this website:-


https://wearesouthdevon.com/the-torquay-war-of-1888/


Last Sunday I decided to write a song about this. Here are the lyrics:-


They kept on Marching


The Salvation Army was marching in Torquay

With the sound of a trumpet and a joyful tambourine

Sustaining their challenge to authority

This confrontation caused such a public scene


They'd marched through the town

Unmolested for six years

Saving many souls

Like God's new pioneers


The Salvation Army was marching in Torquay

With the sound of a trumpet and a joyful tambourine

Sustaining their challenge to authority

This confrontation caused such a public scene


The local board passed 

A new harbourside Act

In the thirty eighth clause

Was a little known fact


No procession was allowed

On any Sunday

Except of the military

So the Act did say


To the Salvation Army many fines were handed out

Prison sentences served of that there is no doubt


The Salvation Army kept on marching in Torquay

With the sound of a trumpet and a joyful tambourine

Sustaining their challenge to authority

This confrontation caused such a public scene

© Rainbow Starshine Productions 2023- Version 10.2 September 2023