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On Sunday 29th
July 1883, Cwmbran Salvation Army opened their doors for the first time. The
first corps officers, Captain Isabella Johnstone and Lieutenant Annie Holliday were assisted in the opening by Major Coombes. They were supported by Newport I Corps, who had walked five miles along the banks
of the canal.
Ten people sought Salvation in the
first meeting. Converts were made, drunks were gloriously saved and the work
of God prospered in the lives of men, women, boys and girls.
There have been
many highlights in the history of the corps. The most outstanding being the visit
of the Founder, William Booth to Cwmbran village in 1911 when two meetings were held in the Two Locks Baptist Chapel. Large crowds gathered to hear the founder speak.
In 1914-18 war seriously depleted the number of members
in the corps. Many families moved away from the area in search for employment.
In 1933, another highlight was the
celebration of fifty years of Cwmbran Salvation Army. Lieutenant Annie Holliday,
who eventually became Mrs. Kelly, wife of the first bandmaster, who assisted
in the opening of the Corps was the guest speaker.
At the commencement of Cwmbran corps, several meeting
places were used. The first established hall and quarters was situated in Victoria
Street, now Victoria Fish Bar. Meetings continued there until 1928 when the Corps
moved to it’s present premises in Wesley Street. The building has gone
through several changes. It was renovated and extended in 1977 and re-opened
on 11th March 1978 when Lord Raglan along with the DHQ and NHQ staff led the re-opening ceremony.
The Centenary Celebrations began by
the production of the Gowans and Larsson’s Musical ‘GLORY’ in 1982 where many people were ‘saved’.
Our Centenary was celebrated in 1983
when the Chief of Staff, Commisioner Caughey Gauntlett and the Mayor of Torfaen, Mrs. Phyllis Roberts took the salute outside
Grimas Fish Bar now Victoria Fish bar where the first Salvation Army meeting place in Cwmbran was in the flat above. Salvationists and friends of the corps marched past together with the corps band and
a composite band from Cardiff Corps.
The open air meeting which followed
in Gwent Square created a lot of interest. Following this service, they marched
to Croesyceiliog School where the evening Festival of Thanksgiving took place. Here,
a vase was presented by Mrs. Harvey in memory of her mother, Lieutenant Annie Holliday who was one of the two women officers
who opened Cwmbran Corps 125 years ago.
The representative speaker was Mrs.
P. Baldwin who was one of the oldest Salvationists in Cwmbran Corps. She was
the daughter of the late Bandmaster Jonah Howells who was well known and respected in Cwmbran.
Sunday meetings were led by the Commissioner
in Wesley Street Salvation Army Hall. In the afternoon Salvationists were welcomed
into St. Gabriel’s Church by the Rev. Trevor Davies, for a thanksgiving service.
The Salvation Army flag was paraded and was received from Colour Sergeant David Barwell by the rector. The Mayor brought civic greetings and the address was given by the weekend leader Commissioner C. Gauntelett.
Other celebrations that took place
were a festival with Pontnewydd Male Voice choir, a band festival for young
people, a flower festival, songster and corps cadet weekends as well as Croydon Citadel band presenting a series of concerts
in the town.
Cwmbran Corps had been hoping to improve their building for some years and in 1987, the Masonic Hall in Wesley Street
was thought of as a possible location, however it was shown to be unsuitable. By
1992, plans had been agreed for the rebuilding, refurbishment and extension of the old hall.
In November that year, planning permission for a car park on the land opposite was given.
Within weeks this was to change with the discovery at the
end of December 1992 of serious defects in the structure of the main hall. The new year began with Captain Derek Jones, having to make alternative arrangements
for Sunday morning meetings and midweek activities.
 The hall was beyond economic repair, so plans were made
for a new, larger building to include the main hall and a secondary hall with a sliding partition between. During the following months various fund-raising events took place including a sponsored walk from London
to Cwmbran, a bike ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats and a concert by Pontnewydd Male Voice Choir.
There was still hope that the whole building could be demolished
and rebuilt, but it was difficult to see where the extra money would come from. Then
in November 1993 we were informed that we would be eligible for a substantial grant from the Hong Kong based Bradbury Trust. The plans were redrawn and resubmitted by March 1994 and the work began on May 9th
1994. The reopening and dedication of the new hall took place on Saturday 5th
November 1994 and was conducted by Colonel and Mrs R. Holdstock in the presence of Mr Paul Murphy MP, Councillor and Mrs Maurice
Morgan and Major and Mrs Leslie Mingay.
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