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{{Short description|Armed formation in 19th-century UK}}
{{For|uses in fantasy settings|Skeleton (undead)|Clash Royale}}

{{EngvarB|date=February 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}}
[[Image:skeleton-salvation-armies.jpg|thumb|260px|right|Members of the Salvation Army being pursued by the Skeleton Army with its distinctive [[skull and crossbones (military)|skull and crossbones]] banner c. 1882]]

The '''Skeleton Army''' was a diffuse group from [[Weston-super-Mare]], active particularly in [[Southern England]], that opposed and disrupted [[The Salvation Army]]'s marches against alcohol in the late 19th century and best known for an attack in [[Bethnal Green]] in [[London]]. Clashes between the two groups led to the deaths of several Salvationists{{cn|date=October 2024}} and injuries to many others.

==Origins==
{{The Salvation Army}}
[[Image:skeleton-gazette.jpg|thumb|left|''The "Skeleton"'', a Skeleton Army [[gazette]]]]
The earliest reference to an organised opposition to The Salvation Army was in August 1880 in [[Whitechapel]], when The Unconverted Salvation Army was founded with its flag and motto of "Be just and fear not".

In 1881, Skeleton Armies were raised in [[Whitechapel]], [[Exeter]] and [[Weston-super-Mare]], and the name was quickly taken up elsewhere as other groups were formed in the south of England; there are no records of Skeleton Armies north of London. Membership was predominantly lower to middle working-class.<ref name=Horridge>Horridge, Glenn K., ''The Salvation Army Origins and Early Days 1865–1900'' Ammonite Books (1993) pg 101</ref>

In 'Blood on the Flag', Major Nigel Bovey identifies 21 towns and cities that are north of London -- three in Scotland -- in which the Skeleton Army opposed The Salvation Army.<ref name="ReferenceA">''Blood on the Flag'', Nigel Bovey, Shield Books.2015</ref>

The "Skeletons" recognised each other by various insignia used to distinguish themselves.<ref name=sac>[http://www.sacollectables.com/eastbourne.html Salvation Army Collectables website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051025162859/http://www.sacollectables.com/eastbourne.html |date=25 October 2005 }}</ref> Skeletons used banners with skulls and crossbones; sometimes there were two coffins and a statement like, "Blood and Thunder" (mocking the Salvation Army's war cry "Blood and Fire") or the three Bs: "Beef", "Beer" and "[[tobacco|Bacca]]" – again mocking the Salvation Army's three S's – "Soup", "Soap" and "Salvation". Banners also had pictures of monkeys, rats and the [[devil]]. Skeletons further published so-called "gazettes" considered libellous as well as [[obscene]] and [[blasphemous]].<ref name=sac/><ref name=heritage/>

Several techniques were employed by the "Skeletons" to disrupt Salvation Army meetings and marches; these included throwing rocks and dead rats, marching while loudly playing musical instruments or shouting, and physically assaulting Salvation Army members at their meetings.

==Confrontation==
Although [[George Scott Railton]], second in command of the Salvation Army, claimed the Skeleton Army first started in [[Weston-super-Mare]] in 1881,<ref name=heritage>[http://www1.salvationarmy.org/heritage.nsf/0/4be78290d9a20b738025697c0051c5b2?OpenDocument The Salvation Army International Heritage Centre] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051023202407/http://www1.salvationarmy.org/heritage.nsf/0/4be78290d9a20b738025697c0051c5b2?OpenDocument |date=23 October 2005 }}</ref> contemporary press reports show that it first appeared in Exeter in October 1881.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> In Weston-super-Mare, in March 1882 Captain William Beatty, Thomas Bowden and William Mullins were given a three-month prison sentence by the [[magistrate]]s for a [[breach of the peace]] when they broke a local ban on processions.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

This led to the case of ''Beatty v Gillbanks'' (1882), which held that the Salvation Army was acting lawfully when marching, despite knowing 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 including the Skeleton Army which led directly to the riotous behaviour. The convictions against Beatty and the two other Salvationists were later quashed by the High Court and costs were awarded against the sentencing magistrates.
[[Image:Skeleton Army 1884.jpg|thumb|left|The Skeleton Army rioting in Worthing in 1884]]
[[Image:theskeletonarmy.jpg|thumb|left|The Skeleton Army at [[Worthing]] in 1884]]
The action was reported by ''[[The Times]]''; at the appeal hearing it was erroneously stated that the Skeleton Army was founded in [[Weston-super-Mare]].<ref>[https://archive.org/details/lawreportsqueen08unkngoog/page/n344/mode/2up Queens Bench Division Vol IX pp. 308–315]</ref>

Of an attack in [[Bethnal Green]] in November 1882 the ''Bethnal Green Eastern Post'' stated:

<blockquote>A genuine rabble of 'roughs' pure and unadulterated has been infesting the district for several weeks past. These [[Vagabond (person)|vagabond]]s 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 [[pub]]licans, 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 [[wikt:blackguards|blackguards]] London can produce...worthy of the disreputable class of publicans who hate the [[London School Board]], education and [[wikt:temperance|temperance]] and who, seeing the beginning of the end of their immoral traffic, and prepared for the most desperate enterprise.<ref name=heritage/></blockquote>

Both sources agree [[Salvationist]]s were pelted with missiles. At Bethnal Green, such items as flour, rotten eggs, stones and brickbats were among those used, and many Salvationists were manhandled and beaten. When news of trouble in London spread, Skeleton riots took place in other parts of Britain.<ref>[http://www.bedfordshire.gov.uk/CommunityAndLiving/ArchivesAndRecordOffice/CommunityArchives/Potton/PottonSalvationArmy.aspx Potton Salvation Army], [[Bedfordshire County Council]]. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090916121855/http://www.bedfordshire.gov.uk/CommunityAndLiving/ArchivesAndRecordOffice/CommunityArchives/Potton/PottonSalvationArmy.aspx |date=16 September 2009 }}</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=GOjt7Rycb_YC&dq=skeleton+army+salvation+army&pg=PA185 Swift, Roger (Editor) 'Victorian Chester: Essays in Social History 1830–1900' Published by Liverpool University Press (1996) pg 185] {{ISBN|0-85323-661-5}}</ref>

For example, when in April 1884 the owner of an alcohol shop in [[Worthing]] objected to Salvation Army criticism concerning the selling of alcoholic beverages, 4,000 "Skeletons" joined in that town in direct opposition to the [[Salvationist]]s.<ref>[https://www.jstor.org/pss/1260460 JSTOR ''Folklore'' Vol. 99, No. 2 (1988) pgs 221–231]</ref> Black, sticky tar was painted onto the wall of the alley which the entrance to the Salvation Army barracks shared with the alcohol shop. This damaged Salvation Army uniforms as they marched through it. Also eggs filled with blue paint were thrown at the "Sally Army". Many in Worthing approved of these confrontational activities, but the Salvation Army continued unabated.<ref name=heritage/>

Captain Ada Smith led those who faced the "Skeletons" in Worthing. [[William Booth|General Booth]] requested police protection for the Salvation Army in that town and ordered Captain Smith and her soldiers to remain in their barracks until they got it. However, the [[Home Secretary]], [[William Vernon Harcourt (politician)|Sir William Harcourt]], said it was outside his jurisdiction to offer such protection. Finally General Booth ordered Captain Smith and her group to march on Sundays unprotected by the authorities.<ref name=worthing>[http://www.worthingsalvationarmy.org.uk/Corps/Corps%20History.htm History of Worthing Salvation Army Corps] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090827235036/http://www.worthingsalvationarmy.org.uk/Corps/Corps%20History.htm |date=27 August 2009 }}</ref>

On Sunday, 17 August 1884, the police, the Salvation Army and the Skeletons confronted each other in Worthing. 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, a Salvation Army supporter, defended his property and the people there with a revolver, wounding several Skeletons. Head was later brought before the [[magistrate]]s on a charge of feloniously and maliciously wounding a young man named Olliver.<ref name=worthing/>

The [[Metropolitan Police]] were at first unhelpful. The [[Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis|Metropolitan Police Commissioner]], Sir [[Edmund Henderson]] denied what happened.<ref name=heritage/> The public eventually demanded action and Skeleton riots in London were belatedly put down.

==Final stages==
Skeleton riots continued elsewhere until 1893 when they faded out.<ref>''The Surrey Advertiser and County Times'' 23 September 1893, 1ff</ref> In 1889, at least 669 Salvation Army members were assaulted, including 251 women.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=XEJIc5nnc0gC&dq=1889+at+least+669+Salvation+Army+members+were+assaulted&pg=PA479 Hughes, R. Kent, ''John: That You May Believe, Volume 43''] Crossway Books (1999) pg 479 ''[[Google Books]]''</ref><ref name=Gospel/> On one occasion, while defending themselves, 86 Salvation Army members were arrested and imprisoned on disorderly conduct charges.<ref name=Gospel>[http://www.gospeltruth.net/booth/boothbioshort.htm 'William Bramwell Booth: His Life and Ministry' on The Gospel Truth website]</ref> 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. ''[[The War Cry]]'' reported:

<blockquote>... 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.<ref>[http://www.bedfordshire.gov.uk/CommunityAndLiving/ArchivesAndRecordOffice/CommunityArchives/Potton/PottonSalvationArmy.aspx Potton Salvation Army] on the [[Bedfordshire County Council]] website {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090916121855/http://www.bedfordshire.gov.uk/CommunityAndLiving/ArchivesAndRecordOffice/CommunityArchives/Potton/PottonSalvationArmy.aspx |date=16 September 2009 }}</ref></blockquote>

In 'Blood on the Flag', Major Nigel Bovey states that there is no contemporary evidence for a Salvationist being killed directly by a member of the Skeleton Army. He records that Captain Sarah Jane Broadhurst was hit during an attack by the Skeletons in Shoreham on Sunday 12 October 1884. The captain died on 6 February 1892, some eight years later.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

The mayor of [[Eastbourne]] stated he would, "put down this Salvation Army business" with help from the Skeleton Army if necessary.<ref name=heritage/> Skeletons attacked many Salvationists. Salvationists considered it incompatible with Christian principles to defend themselves but thought the police should protect them.{{Citation needed|date=May 2015}}

== Skeleton to Salvationist ==

[[Charles Jeffries]] was a 'lieutenant' in the Skeleton Army in [[Whitechapel]] in 1881, and was well known for disrupting Salvation Army public meetings and on occasion had assaulted Salvation Army [[Soldier in The Salvation Army|Soldiers]] and [[Officer in The Salvation Army|Officers]]. Then Jeffries was proselytised 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 in The Salvation Army|Commissioner]], serving as the head of corps work as British Commissioner in the 1930s.<ref name="Claughton">{{Cite news
| last = Claughton
| first = lilian M.
| publication-date = 1946
| title = Charles H. Jeffries from "Skeleton" to Salvationist Leader
| publication-place = Judd Street, King's Cross, London
| publisher = Salvationist Publishing and Supplies, Ltd.
| pages = 83
| url = http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2288256
}}</ref>
A two-person off-Broadway musical created by Neil Leduke was written in 2019 by John Copeland and Len Ballantine about Charles Jeffries' dramatic transformation.{{cn|date=April 2022}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Protests in England]]
[[Category:Temperance movement]]
[[Category:The Salvation Army]]
[[Category:Victorian era]]
[[Category:Alcohol in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1884]]

Skeleton Army - Revision history

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