Skeleton Army

Members of the Salvation Army being pursued by the Skeleton Army with its distinctive skull and crossbones banner c. 1882

The Skeleton Army was a diffuse group, particularly in Southern England, that opposed and disrupted the Salvation Army's marches against alcohol in the late 19th century. Clashes between the two groups led to the deaths of several Salvationists and injuries to many others.

Origins

In April 1884 the owner of a drinks store in Worthing objected to Salvation Army criticism concerning the selling of alcoholic beverages so he founded the 4,000 member organisation. The "Skeletons" recognised each other by various insignia used to distinguish themselves.

Several techniques were employed by the "Skeletons" to disrupt Salvation Army meetings and marches. Black, sticky tar was put onto alley walls which damaged Salvation Army uniforms as they marched past and threw eggs filled with blue paint at the “Sally Army”. Other tactics included throwing rocks and rats, marching while loudly playing musical instruments or shouting, and physically assaulting Salvation Army members at their meetings. Many in the town approved, but the Salvation Army continued unabated.

Captain Ada Smith led those who faced the "Skeletons". General Booth wanted police protection for the Salvation Army. The Home Secretary, Sir William Harcourt said it was outside his jurisdiction. Captain Ada Smith of the Salvation Army and her group were ordered to march on Sundays.

Confrontation

On Sunday, August 17, 1884, the police, the Salvation Army and the Skeletons confronted each other. For an hour the police kept the peace, then the Skeletons rioted. The area was filled with screaming men, brick dust and broken glass. The Salvationists returned to their "barracks" and the Skeletons tried to burn it down. The landlord of the barracks, George Head, defended his property and the people there with a revolver, wounding several Skeletons.

George Scott Railton, second in command of the Salvation Army, by contrast, claimed the Skeleton Army first started in Weston-super-Mare in 1881. There in 1882 Captain William Beatty was given a three months prison sentence by the magistrates for a breach of the peace. The action was reported by The Times; at the appeal hearing it was stated that the Skeleton Army was founded in Weston-super-Mare.

A Skeleton Army gazette

The 'Bethnal Green Eastern Post' (November 1882) stated:

A genuine rabble of "roughs" pure and unadulterated has been infesting the district for several weeks past. These vagabonds style themselves the 'Skeleton Army'.... The 'skeletons' have their collectors and their collecting sheets and one of them was thrust into my hands... it contained a number shopkeepers' names... I found that publicans, beer sellers and butchers are subscribing to this imposture... the collector told me that the object of the Skeleton Army was to put down the Salvationists by following them about everywhere, by beating a drum and burlesquing their songs, to render the conduct of their processions and services impossible... Amongst the Skeleton rabble there is a large percentage of the most consummate loafers and unmitigated blackguards London can produce...worthy of the disreputable class of publicans who hate the London school board, education and temperance and who, seeing the beginning of the end of their immoral traffic, and prepared for the most desperate enterprise.

Skeletons used banners with skull and crossbones; sometimes there were two coffins and a statement like, “Blood and Thunder” or the three Bs, “Beef”, “Beer” and “Bacca”. Banners also had pictures of monkeys, rats and the devil. Skeletons further published so-called "gazettes" considered libellous as well as obscene and blasphemous.

Both sources agree Salvationists were pelted with missiles. At Bethnal Green flour, rotten eggs, stones and brickbats were among those used. Salvationists were beaten. When news of trouble in London spread, Skeleton riots took place in other parts of Britain.

The Metropolitan Police were at first unhelpful. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Edmund Henderson denied what happened. The public eventually demanded action and Skeleton riots in London were belatedly put down.

Final stages

The Skeleton Army at Worthing in 1884

Skeleton riots continued elsewhere until 1892 when they faded out. In 1889 at least 669 Salvation Army members were assaulted, including 251 women^{[citation needed]}. On one occasion, while defending themselves 86 Salvation Army members were arrested and imprisoned on disorderly conduct charges. When a new Salvation Army Corps was opened in Potton in Bedfordshire on 1 June 1890, large contingents of the Skeleton Army made fun of the local Salvationists^{[citation needed]}.

The War Cry reported:

"... the skeletons did all the shouting and we had only the opportunity of blessing them by showing unruffled love in answer to the disturbance in our proceedings"...."The skeleton flag was out with its coffin, skull and cross-bones as well as the whole Skeleton force, uniformed, beating a drum, playing flutes, whirling rattles and screaming through trumpets. One of their chosen leaders was carried shoulder high, ringing a bell and attired in an untrimmed coal-scuttle bonnet. I noticed that the publicans looked pleased to see this array and several waved their hats. But we were good friends of the skeletons, twelve of whom sat at our tea table... Their leaders were very courteous and sincerely desirous of keeping their somewhat rabble followers within bounds. Almost implicit obedience was given them. Their skeleton War Cry was freely sold, but doesn’t quite beat the original".

At Guildford the corps officer’s wife was kicked unconscious close to a police station and a woman Salvationist fatally injured. At Shoreham too, a woman was killed when a stone hit her. The mayor of Eastbourne stated he would, “put down this Salvation Army business” with help from the Skeleton Army if necessary. Skeletons attacked many Salvationists. Salvationists considered it unchristian to defend themselves but thought the police should protect them. The case of Beatty v Gillbanks (1882) holds that the Salvation Army was acting lawfully when marching, despite having knowledge that their assembly could well lead to riots.

As their intentions were ultimately peaceful and unrelated to the cause of inciting riot, the court found their actions to be within the limits of the law. That it was known that their marching may cause riots was not found to be a breach of the law, as it was the actions of antagonistic parties which led directly to the riotous behaviour.

Skeleton to Salvationist

Charles Jeffries was a 'lieutenant' in the Skeleton Army, and was well known for disrupting Salvation Army public meetings and on occasion had assaulted Salvation Army Soldiers and Officers. Then Jeffries was proselytized and started to attend a Salvation Army corps, soon becoming an active Soldier, and then after attending training college, became an Officer. He served in many countries including China and Australia and eventually rose to the rank of Commissioner, serving as the head of corps work as British Commissioner in the 1920s and 30's.

External links

• Skeleton Army
• The Skeleton Army
• Opposition And Persecution
• The Eastbourne Riots