Salvation Army Headquarters | WW2 London Photos

In the early hours of the May morning, 1941, when the City of London was ravaged by Hitler’s fires, the international headquarters of the Salvation Army in Queen Victoria Street went up swiftly in a roar of flames.

Salvation Army Headquarters London
Salvation Army Headquarters London

This building was destroyed by a fire during the Blitz in May 1941, leaving nothing but a skeleton façade. The night staff had left the building before it went up in flames, so there was no loss of life. The Army continued its work from temporary offices until a new building was constructed on the same site in 1963. This building had a distinctive circular shape and featured a large mural depicting scenes from Salvation Army history.

Nothing was left of the vast building in which several hundreds worked and the records of the Army’s worldwide activities were kept, except a pathetic skeleton facade. Since taken down. There was no loss of life, for the night staff, aware of danger, had left the building.

Salvation Army Headquarters London WW2
Salvation Army Headquarters London WW2

General Booth bought these offices 60 years ago. He and his workers started out from here on world travels. For many years at midday prayers were said in a small meeting room in the building.

In 2001, this building was demolished to make way for another redevelopment project. During this process, archaeological excavations revealed evidence of Roman foundations, medieval roads, and ale houses on the site.

In the photograph of the vacant site, the tower of St. Mary Somerset, at the corner of Lambeth Hill in Upper Thames Street, is clearly conspicuous.

3 thoughts on “Salvation Army Headquarters | WW2 London Photos”

  1. Hi my name is Miss Lesley Hayward my and I are trying to find our nephews they are not blood related to me but are to my 2 youngest sisters. Who we are looking for are their half brother’s twin boys they were born 23rd July 1983 their names are James Charles and Daniel Paul Smith they were taken by social services as their parents were unfit to lookafter them our brother couldn’t lookafter them by himself the mother used Togo out and leave them alone. Their father Paul Brian Smith later in the 1990s found out he had cancer a tumar in his spine , he sadly passed away a couple of yrs ago now. Their mother we only know her name but don’t know much about her only her name that is Susan Hadgett. I have searched ancestry records but I’ve not had any success yet we have done our DNA test. The twins might’ve been adopted or put into foster care and maybe had their names changed. Please can you help us to find them we would appreciate all the help you can give us. And please can you tell me how much you charge to someone’s.
    Thankyou
    Miss Lesley Hayward

    Reply

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