In 1954 the Salvation Army in Thames celebrated 70 years in the town. They reported that at the time the people of Thames did not think they would last the year. This was 1 February 1884, the Thames Advertiser reported on the meeting:
"The control of the meeting was mainly in the hands of Mr Wright (staff captain), who, after the singing of the old hymn 'Rock of Ages,' read the 53rd chapter of Isaiah in a manner which showed no lack of either education or religious fervour."
Initial worship was in the upstairs of a leased building, culminating in the opening of the Army Barracks in Pollen Street (Grahamstown end) on the 26 June 1886.
An excellent resource is "Thames Corps History" by Cadets K & S E Trebilcock written in 1987. It contains many names, including the Corps Officers.
For Genealogists looking for church records of BMD events the
Salvation Army archives are available via email.
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Thames Star Newspaper: 11 Feb 1954
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