The Salvation Army Chatham

Lt-Col (Dr) Ray Steadman-Allen, OF, celebrates his 85th birthday today and the Chatham Corps, of which he is a member, offers him its congratulations.

Ray was born in The Salvation Army Mothers’ hospital in Clapton, East London to Salvation Army Officer parents. When they were appointed to London in 1937, he obtained a job at IHQ as office boy to General Evangeline Booth, daughter of The Salvation Army’s founder.

In 1942 he enlisted in the Royal Navy. He was examined for a music diploma by Sir Granville Bantock who invited him to apply for a job in music after the war. In the event, Bantock died, and RSA joined the International Music Editorial Department (IMED). Following a short post-war period as a trombonist with the International Staff Band, he developed his conducting skills and was bandmaster of the Tottenham Citadel (later Enfield) Band. His first piece of published music was a march called ‘Gladsome Morn’ written in 1945.

Joy Steadman-Allen (nee Foster)

He met Joy Foster while a cadet in the Peacemakers session at The Salvation Army International Training College 1948-1949. He was appointed Corps Officer at Sheerness, and married Joy in 1951, returning to an appointment at the IMED. Much of his music was ahead of its time, to the point that it was considered unacceptable to some listeners. One such piece of music was “Lord of the Sea’ which created furore! Instead of forging a lucrative career in the secular world, with its many varied forms of music media, RSA gave his creative genius totally to God. He has been instrumental in guiding SA music into uncharted territory, particularly when the IMED was under his leadership between 1967 and 1980.

His sacrificial decision to serve God as a Salvation Army Officer has been the overriding principle in his life. He sees his prime ministry as bringing people closer to God. Indeed he found a special ministry talking with people whose lives had been wrecked by alcohol, when he travelled to and from his office in London. For 3 years he and Joy were appointed as Secretary for Evangelism and Music in Australia. During this time, they carved out their own special ministry of just listening to and encouraging officers who were often lonely and isolated in that vast country. Besides over 200 published band pieces for the SA, he has written numerous choral works, with a large number of compositions and arrangements in manuscript, often completed for recordings or special concert presentations. A number of works have been used as test pieces for brass band contests including Seascapes, Stantonbury Festival, Amaranth, The Beacons and others, as well as a sizeable body of work for wind band including A Cambridgs Triptych.

Besides completing his Doctorate in music, RSA holds several honorary fellowships, is the President of the National College of Music, Vice President of the Brass Band Conductors Association, and Patron of ihe London Musicological Research Society.

This year celebrates 85 years of outstanding achievement. His contribution to the music world, and especially The Salvation Army continues to be exceptional. At 85 he is still as creative as ever, with standing ovations given in Chicago earlier this year when the Chicago Staff Band played his most recent ‘Noah’s Ark’. Yet it is to each individual brought closer to God through his music, or through his personal word of encouragement and inspiration that he has touched the world.

Picture taken last Sunday

Happy Birthday RSA!

Why not send Ray your own congratulations through the