JULY-SEPTEMBER 2008 

Firstly, Naomi Sharp, Archivist at The Salvation Army International Heritage Centre, discusses the interesting Campfield Press archival material she has just catalogued:

The papers of Campfield Press (1899-1993) are now catalogued and available to researchers at the International Heritage Centre.

The first Salvation Army printing works was established in London in 1879; by 1915 it was settled in St Albans and know as the Campfield Press.

Typesetting by hand at the Campfield Press, early 20thC.

It operated at this site until 1991. These papers offer a fascinating insight into the life of a unique business over almost 100 years.

They include significant and early correspondence; papers explaining the role of employees in the General Strike, 1926; examples of work from the press, which aside from Salvation Army publications included early Mother's Day cards and the binding of a bible for Queen Elizabeth II on her wedding day; unique material from the factory, such as employees handbooks, type faces and internal staff magazines, and a large collection of original photographs documenting the life and work of the company.

For historians, this archival collection outlines the economic and social life of a business in the 20th century. It is a fascinating resource for understanding an important aspect of Salvation Army work, and will particularly interest researchers studying history of printing and printing works.

To view the Campfield Press catalogue, click here.

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Secondly, a book review by Major Stephen Grinsted, Director of the International Heritage Centre

The Girl Who Invaded America by Ken Elliott

When this book arrived on my desk I couldn't wait to read it because a couple of years ago one of Eliza Shirley's great-grand-daughters visited the International Heritage Centre and I had the privilege of showing her some of the documents and photographs we have in our collection that relate to her heroic ancestor.

Although I was aware of Eliza Shirley as the diminutive teenager who commenced Salvation Army work in America I confess to the fact that my knowledge of her was limited but once I picked up Ken Elliott's attractively presented book The Girl Who Invaded America I didn't want to put it down!

Ken is a Salvationist from Coventry City Corps (formerly the Coventry Christian Mission Station as it was known in March 1878) to which Amos and Annie Shirley and their daughter Eliza attached themselves on their return to Coventry from Derby to where Amos had moved to obtain work.  At that time the Mission Station, locally known as the Salvation Factory,  was under the command of  Mrs Carrie Reynolds one of William Booth's dynamic and innovative female leaders who in years to come became a significant role model for Eliza Shirley and her parents. 

The growing involvement of the Shirley family, whose roots were in Primitive Methodism, coincided with the visit to Coventry of the Booths. ‘More than 5,000 Salvationists participated in this historic weekend, including the Shirley family. On Sunday, the first event started at 7a.m. followed by a series of indoor and outdoor meetings, which continued until late into the evening, with little time for relaxation or food. According to reports of this event, during the early morning meeting a petite, timid girl gave her testimony. This girl was very likely Eliza Shirley.' Despite her youth Eliza was singled out as someone who had the qualities of an effective preacher and William Booth asked Elijah Cadman to speak to Eliza about full-time service in the Army and with her parent's agreement she left Coventry for her first evangelistic placement at Bishop Auckland.

I am reluctant to reveal more because Ken's exciting odyssey of Eliza Shirley is inspirational and informative but above all challenging. It is an important reminder of how God enables ordinary people to do extra ordinary things. This is a book for these times; Eliza Shirley's story must be retold and rediscovered by this present generation who are so eager to do exploits for God - young people who, more importantly, will shape the future of the Army Eliza loved so much.

Readers should prepare themselves for sorrow and hardship, pain and loss but through it all as Ken reminds us Eliza and her parents were about getting people saved and transforming communities. He shows us how in face of obstacle Eliza prayed and then used her common sense to overcome and surmount all manner of difficulties.

The first one that had to be tackled was finding an appropriate meeting place for the new Philadelphia Corps. ‘The matter of finding suitable accommodation for the Army posed more of a problem than they had expected  ...  Just as Eliza and Annie were beginning to give up on finding a suitable corps site, the longed-for breakthrough occurred ... They noticed a rental sign outside a dilapidated building on the corner of Sixth  and Oxford Streets ... The building closely resembled the two Salvation Factories back in Coventry. Although the obvious need for major renovation almost caused Annie to rule it out as a possibility, Eliza insisted that it had potential ... Eliza ever the visionary, startled her mother further by announcing, "we could seat a thousand people on chairs!" ... "What do you want it for?" the perplexed agent asked. "The Salvation Army!" came back Eliza's equally firm reply. This threw the agent into confusion. It had been a long day, and it was getting longer by the minute. "My God! What's that?" he asked raising his voice. Eliza quietly, but with earnest passion, summarized the Army's work in England and her hopes for its mission in Philadelphia.'

The factory was rented and then renovated by Amos, his wife and intrepid daughter Eliza. They had much discussion about the wording on the handbills and posters announcing the opening, finally deciding on:

'Salvation Army! Two Hallelujah females from England, will speak and sing on behalf of GOD and PRECIOUS SOULS, Commencing Sunday, October 5th, 1879, in the SALVATION FACTORY'

It was the beloved Founder who recognised youthful potential in the 15-year-old Eliza and initially sent her to Bishop Auckland and, throughout the years, he took a keen interest in her. On one occasion he had to speak to her on the way she had flouted regulations. He did it as a father to a daughter concluding by saying ‘I love you my child, and I will be coming to Scarborough in a few weeks. Let me see my little lassie again.'  Then in 1907, as an old man he travelled to America where at a huge congress Eliza spoke on behalf of all female officers. At the end the Founder rose slowly reached out his hand and clasped hers and pulled her aside into a well-lit part of the platform. He peered at her as his ‘adopted' daughter exclaiming in his gruff English accent, "She's all right, She's all right!'

Truly she was - ‘All right' - a passionate evangelist, dynamic preacher and caring pastor.

The Girl Who Invaded America
By Ken Elliott
(Crest Books, ISBN9780979226625)