Catherine Booth - Ashbourne, Derbyshire, UK - Salvation Army Locations on Waymarking.com

Catherine Mumford in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, the daughter of John Mumford and Sarah Milward. Her father was a coach builder. Her family later moved to Boston, Lincolnshire, and later lived in Brixton, London.

At an early age Catherine wrote articles to magazines warning of the dangers of alcohol and became a supporter of the national Temperance Society.

She married William Booth, with whom she shared the same commitment for social reform, on June 1855 at Stockwell New Chapel and began preaching in 1860, developing a reputation as an outstanding speaker.

In 1864 the couple began the Christian Mission in London's East End which later developed into the Salvation Army, where women officers enjoyed equal rights with men officers. This was at a time when it was generally believed that a woman's place was in the home and it caused much hostility initially, from both politicians and the Church.

One of Catherine Booth's campaigns was against the use of sweat labour in the match making industry, where women worked long hours dipping match heads into yellow phosphorus. The toxic fumes given off by this chemical caused a necrosis of the bone which often led to an early and painful death. Red phosphorus was available, which was safe but more expensive. Catherine Booth died in 1890 and to continue her fight against the use of the dangerous substance, the Salvation Army opened its own match factory with much improved conditions and wages for its workforce, forcing the sweatshops, through bad publicity, to reconsider their practises, which they eventually did.

Catherine and William Booth had 8 children all of whom became active in the Salvation Army.


This unusual bronze coloured bust appears to be metal or stone covoured with a durable plastic coating.

Inscription: Catherine Booth (nee Mumford) born in Ashbourne, January 17th 1829, who with her husband founded the Salvation Army and is affectionatly known as the Army Mother.

Address: Memorial gardens Ashbourne, Derbyshire UK Salvation Army Territory: United Kingdom Website: [Web Link] Phone number: Not listed

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Date Logged Log   01/02/2023 Gushoneybun visited it