This record of past and present officers of the Corps was commenced by Brother Charles Hales, a butcher, who was born on October 21st 1865. He has recorded all those in charge of the Corps since it was opened by Mrs Booth, (presumably Catherine), in 1873. This labour of love was carried on by his son, also Charles, until his passing. You will notice that the early day “officers” had no rank. This is of course due to the fact that these were “Christian Mission” days. Ranks only commenced in 1878 on the change of name to “The Salvation Army”.
| Officer Commanding | Dates of Command |
|---|---|
| Corps opened by Mrs Booth | 20 November 1873 |
| Mr. & Mrs. Dowdle | 1873 – 1875 |
| Mr. & Mrs. Hobday | 1875 – 1877 |
| Mr. & Mrs. Ridsdel | 1877 – 1878 |
| Mr. & Mrs. Newell | 1878 – 1879 |
| Mr. & Mrs. Whitfield | 1879 – 1880 |
| Mr. Wookey and Fish Jim | 1880 – 1880 |
| Gipsy Smith and Wife | 1880 – 1881 |
| It is recorded that during this time Charles Hales was converted | |
| Jockey Rowe | 1881 – 1882 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Cooper | 1882 – 1882 |
| Capt. Surtees & Lieut. Whitlam | 1882 – 1883 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Buckle | 1883 – 1883 |
| Capt. Robins & Lieut. Ashton | 1883 – 1884 |
| Capt. Halsey & Lieut. & Mrs. Sulley | 1884 – 1884 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Roberts | 1884 – 1885 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Davis | 1885 – 1886 |
| Capt. Lloyd | 1886 – 1886 |
| Capt. & Mrs. King | 1886 – 1887 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Foster | 1887 – 1887 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Payne | 1887 – 1888 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Ward | 1888 – 1888 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Cotterill | 1888 – 1889 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Western | 1889 – 1889 |
| Capt. & Mrs. McLean | 1889 – 1889 |
| Staff Capt. & Mrs. Cater | 1889 – 1890 |
| Records show that these officers were married whilst at Chatham | |
| Capt. Haddon | 1890 – 1891 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Smith | 1891 – 1891 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Skinner | 1891 – 1892 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Ebbs | 1892 – 1892 |
| Capt. Lofty & Lieut. Shaw | 1892 – 1893 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Stoor | 1893 – 1893 |
| Adj. Wellman & Lieut. Prowse | 1894 – 1894 |
| Adj. & Mrs. Lieb | 1894 – 1894 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Earls | 1894 – 1895 |
| Capt. Gattrell & Lieut. Halliday | 1895 – 1895 |
| Adj. Barry | 1895 – 1896 |
| Capt. Jewell & Lieut. Jones | 1896 – 1897 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Cape | 1897 – 1897 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Nurse | 1897 – 1898 |
| Adj. & Mrs. Ridge | 1898 – 1898 |
| Adj. & Mrs. Steele | 1898 – 1899 |
| Ensign & Mrs Purkins. | 1899 – 1899 |
| Adj. & Mrs. Scott | 1899 – 1900 |
| Adj. & Mrs. Bell | 1900 – 1900 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Potter | 1900 – 1901 |
| Adj. Wilkinson & Lieut. Holloway | 1901 – 1902 |
| Adj. & Mrs. Giles | 1902 – 1902 |
| Ensign & Mrs. Woulds | 1902 – 1903 |
| Adj. & Mrs. Duff | 1903 – 1903 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Edwards | 1903 – 1904 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Snell | 1904 – 1905 |
| Adj. & Mrs. Kinpton | 1905 – 1906 |
| Adj. Constable & Lieut. Plowis | 1906 – 1907 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Joseph | 1907 – 1908 |
| Ensign & Mrs. Newton | 1908 – 1909 |
| Adj. & Mrs. Lockyer | 1909 – 1910 |
| Adj. & Mrs. Webber | 1910 – 1911 |
| Adj. & Mrs. Oakes | 1911 – 1912 |
| Adj. Davies & Ensign Hughes | 1912 – 1913 |
| Adj. & Mrs. Clarke | 1913 – June 1 1916 |
| Adj. & Mrs. Doherty | June 1 1916 – Nov. 1916 |
| Commandant & Mrs. Riches | Nov. 1916 – May 11 1919 |
| Adj. & Mrs. Thorpe | May 11 1919 – May 20 1920 |
| Adj. Scale & Capt. Eglington | May 11 1920 – May 1 1921 |
| Records show that during this time Charles Hales (Jnr.) was enrolled as a soldier. | |
| Commandant & Mrs. Jeavons | May 1 1921 – May 19 1922 |
| Commandant & Mrs. Titman | May 18 1922 – May 9 1923 |
| Ensign & Mrs. Swindell | May 9 1923 – Nov. 22 1923 |
| Ensign & Mrs. Airton | Nov. 22 1923 – Nov. 13 1924 |
| Adj. & Mrs. Graver | Nov. 13 1924 – Nov. 19 1925 |
| Captain and Mrs. Frederick Coutts | Nov. 19 1925 – May 11 1927 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Beaven | May 11 1927 – May 11 1928 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Simmons | May 11 1928 – May 17 1930 |
| Ensign & Mrs. Parkhouse | May 17 1930 – Dec. 15 1931 |
| Adj. & Mrs. Nye | Dec. 15 1931 – Nov. 24 1932 |
| Commandant Tanner & Capt. Whiteman | Nov. 24 1932 – May 18 1933 |
| Adj. Watson & Lieut. Boyd | May 19 1933 – Oct. 19 1933 |
| Capt. & Mrs. Arthur Smith | Oct. 19 1933 – May 16 1935 |
| Adj. & Mrs. Nutter | May 16 1935 – Feb. 1 1936 |
| Major McDowell & Capt. Russell | Feb. 1 1936 – Apr. 2 1936 |
| Adj. & Mrs. Gardner | Apr. 2 1936 – June 3 1937 |
| Major & Mrs. Stevens | June 3 1937 – Sept. 10 1937 |
| Major & Mrs. Noble | Sept. 10 1937 – Nov. 3 1938 |
| Major & Mrs. Robert Brown | Nov. 10 1938 – Feb. 8 1940 |
| Major & Mrs. Bolton | Feb. 8 1940 – May 22 1941 |
| Major Kathleen Day & Lieut. Gwendoline Whittaker (Lieut. Whittaker farewelled on 26 Oct. 1941 and Capt. Harlow was appointed.) | May 22 1941 – June 4 1942 |
| Major & Mrs. Louis Young | June 4 1942 – May 31 1945 |
| Major & Mrs. James Bagworth | May 31 1945 – May 15 1948 |
| At this point Charles Hales Junior took over the records. | |
| Major & Mrs. McLaughlan | May 15 1948 – Oct. 1949 |
| Major & Mrs. Joseph Beattie | Oct. 1949 – Dec. 19 1951 |
| Major & Mrs. Edward Robinson | Dec. 19 1951 – May 14 1953 |
| Sen. Major & Mrs. John Snary | May 14 1953 – May 20 1954 |
| Major & Mrs. Ernest Bloom | May 20 1954 – May 1956 |
| Major & Mrs. Edward Gregson | May 1956 – May 24 1959 |
| Brig. & Mrs. William Barrass | May 24 1959 – Dec. 3 1960 |
| Sen. Capt. & Mrs. Norman Hill | Dec. 3 1960 – May 18 1962 |
| Brig. & Mrs. Leonard Marham | May 18 1962 – May 1964 |
| Brig. & Mrs. Leslie Drake | May 1964 – May 1966 |
| Brigadier and Mrs. William Murphy | May 1966 – June 8 1969 |
| Brigadier and Mrs. Harold Black | June 8 1969 – May 25 1972 |
| Major and Mrs. Dennis Sneller | May 25 1972 – May 1975 |
| Major and Mrs. James Brown | May 1975 – May 1981 |
| Major & Mrs. John Wigley (R) overseeing in absence of appointed officer. | May 1981 – Nov 1981 |
| Captain and Mrs. Terry Jones | Nov. 1981 – June 2 1983 |
| Major Eileen Cook & Major Alice Graham | June 2 1983 – May 31 1984 |
| Captain and Mrs. Kingsley Layton | May 31 1984 – May 29 1986 |
| Major Laina Geleit | May 29 1986 – May 1991 |
| Major and Mrs. Alfred Gurr | May 1991 – June 1 1995 |
| Major and Mrs. Malcolm Westwood | June 1 1995 – May 2004 |
| Majors Drew and Beverley McCombe, with Captain Kathryn Woodhouse (promoted to Major – May 2006) | May 2004 – Jun 2008 |
| Majors Drew and Beverley MCombe | June 2008 – July 2011 |
| Majors Alec and Andrea Still | July 2011 – July 2015 |
| Majors Alec and Andrea Still, with Major Karen Ramsay | July 2015 – January 2016 |
| Major Andrea Still, with Major Karen Ramsay | January 2016 – July 2016 |
| Majors Nigel and Judith Schultz, with Major Karen Smith (nee Ramsay) | July 2016 – April 2018 |
| Major Ian Payne, with Major Karen Smith | May 2018 – July 2018 |
| Major Ian Payne | July 2018 – present |