Blue plaque to honour Salvation Army co-founder unveiled

A new blue plaque commemorating Catherine Booth, co-founder of The Salvation Army and one of Victorian Britain’s most influential women, was unveiled in Clacton-on-Sea earlier this week.

The plaque was unveiled in a ceremony at Crossley View, Marine Parade East. The building today stands on the location of Ocean View, the home where Catherine Booth lived during her final years and where she passed away in 1890. The event celebrated Catherine’s contributions to social reform, Christian ministry and the empowerment of women.

The plaque is part of the Essex Women’s Commemoration Project, an initiative started by the Lord-Lieutenant of Essex, Mrs Jennifer Tolhurst, to draw attention to the achievements of historic women in the county and is the first to be put up in the seaside town. 

The ceremony, coordinated by Deputy Lord-Lieutenant Nigel Spencer MBE, featured members of The Clacton Salvation Army and Tendring Brass Bands playing hymns and a profile of Catherine Booth by Norman Jacobs, chairman of the Clacton Local History Society, who also helped organise the event. Mrs Tollhurst unveiled the plaque.

After the unveiling had concluded, a reception was held at the nearby St Michael’s Home, run by The Sisters of Mercy, a religious institute for women in The Catholic Church.

Norman said the day was extremely memorable.

He said: “We honoured a life that played an important role in shaping the moral and social fabric of our nation. This was about more than marking a building. We celebrated a life of purpose. May Catherine Booth’s legacy continue to inspire us — to speak up, to reach out, and to believe that one person’s voice can echo across generations.”

Steven Spencer, director of The Salvation Army’s International Heritage Centre, also attended and paid tribute to the event’s organisers.

He said: “This blue plaque is a fitting tribute to a remarkable woman whose influence has rippled across the world. Catherine Booth’s work in Clacton and her final days spent here are an important chapter in both local and national history.”

Nigel Spencer said he was delighted.

He explained: “I’m humbled by the work that Catherine Booth did and also that in the 21st century, you can have Catholicism and The Salvation Army linked together in a common cause celebrating the work women have done and also celebrating that so much has been done for the benefit of vulnerable people in our society. Even the rain that was threatening us passed over on this poignant and historic day which I think we will all remember.”

Catherine Booth is celebrated for her commitment to social reform. She is known for her advocacy of better conditions and pay for women workers in London’s sweated labour, notably in the match-making industry. For many Salvationists, her legacy is advancing an expanded role for women in church life. She is affectionately remembered as ‘The Army Mother.’