The Salvation Army Chatham

The story of how the Fry family of Salisbury became the forerunners of Salvation Army banding is well known to many, indeed Bandmaster Carl Woodman has referred to it in his article on Chatham Citadel Band on this website. What may not be so well known is that one member of that family, Fred Fry, son of Charles, lived and worked right here in the Medway Towns for a period of over 35 years.

an early day Salvation Army band

Lt. Col. Ray Steadman-Allen, a resident of Rainham, has been researching this subject and writes as follows:

Before retiring in 1934 from 31 years as Senior Clerk to the Gillingham Municipal Offices Frederick W Fry had been a member of the Salisbury brass quartet which in 1878 had sparked off the formation of hundreds of Salvation Army bands around the world, peaking at over a 1000 in UK alone. Initially Methodist the Fry quartet – father and three sons – were invited to provide the SA’s Founder, William Booth, with supporting music for his outdoor evangelistic services in their city. The experiment was a success which led to the group moving to London in 1880. The Frys continued to travel the country helping to form local Salvation Army bands; Fred arranging, editing and printing music for their use. He wrote a number of hymns which are still in the current official song book. A few years later he became private secretary to Booth, touring European countries. Subsequently, and now a married man, he joined forces with William Booth’s son Herbert (another celebrated hymn writer) who was put in charge of the work in Canada..

Returning to England he came to Gillingham – in earlier days he had visited New Brompton – and secured a post with Messrs Bassett and Boucher, solicitors. When Mr F.C. Boucher became Town Clerk of Gillingham, in the year of the incorporation, he went with him as the senior clerk to the municipal offices. He died in June 1939 just before his 80th birthday and is buried in the Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham. While at Gillingham and until his last illness he was a staunch member of the Methodist Church. Changes come, religious music is no exception, but reviewing the 130 years since the Salisbury experiment it is evident that brass instruments still have their part to play. The Salvation Army and its bands owe a great debt to the impetus given by Fred Fry and his family in those early days of innovation and development.

Lt. Col. Ray Steadman-Allen, OF*.

*Order of the Founder

Lt. Col. Ray Steadman-Allen has been an influential figure in the brass band scene for many years. He became head of The Salvation Army’s Music Editorial Department in 1967, a position which he held until 1980. Following a three and a half year appointment in Australia he became editor of the Army’s music newspaper ‘The Musician’. Since retirement he has continued to compose and travel internationally. He gained his B. Mus. degree at Durham and is a Doctor in Music. With an FTCL (and Phillips Prize) he holds several honorary fellowships, is president of the National College of Music and a Vice President of the Brass Band Conductors’ Association.