page_title: Skeleton Army
section_title: Confrontation
hierarchical_section_title: Skeleton Army / Confrontation
caption_attribution_description: English: Scan of an illustration in The War Cry
context_page_description: The Skeleton Army was a diffuse group, particularly in Southern England, that opposed and disrupted The Salvation Army's marches against alcohol in the late 19th century. Clashes between the two groups led to the deaths of several Salvationists and injuries to many others.
context_section_description: Although George Scott Railton, second in command of the Salvation Army, claimed the Skeleton Army first started in Weston-super-Mare in 1881,  contemporary press reports show that it first appeared in Exeter in October 1881. In Weston-super-Mare, in March 1882 Captain William Beatty, Thomas Bowden and William Mullins  were given a three-month prison sentence by the magistrates for a breach of the peace when they broke a local ban on processions.
  This led to the case of Beatty v Gillbanks (1882), which held that the Salvation Army was acting lawfully when marching, despite knowing that their assembly could well lead to riots. As their intentions were ultimately peaceful and unrelated to the cause of inciting riot, the court found their actions to be within the limits of the law. That it was known that their marching may cause riots was not found to be a breach of the law, as it was the actions of antagonistic parties including the Skeleton Army which led directly to the riotous behaviour. The convictions against Beatty and the two other Salvationists were later quashed by the Queen's Court and costs were awarded against the sentencing magistrates.
  The action was reported by The Times; at the appeal hearing it was erroneously stated that the Skeleton Army was founded in Weston-super-Mare.
  Of an attack in Bethnal Green in November 1882 the Bethnal Green Eastern Post stated:
  A genuine rabble of 'roughs' pure and unadulterated has been infesting the district for several weeks past. These vagabonds style themselves the 'Skeleton Army'.... The 'skeletons' have their collectors and their collecting sheets and one of them was thrust into my hands... it contained a number shopkeepers' names... I found that publicans, beer sellers and butchers are subscribing to this imposture... the collector told me that the object of the Skeleton Army was to put down the Salvationists by following them about everywhere, by beating a drum and burlesquing their songs, to render the conduct of their processions and services impossible... Amongst the Skeleton rabble there is a large percentage of the most consummate loafers and unmitigated blackguards London can produce...worthy of the disreputable class of publicans who hate the London School Board, education and temperance and who, seeing the beginning of the end of their immoral traffic, and prepared for the most desperate enterprise.
  Both sources agree Salvationists were pelted with missiles. At Bethnal Green, such items as flour, rotten eggs, stones and brickbats were among those used, and many Salvationists were manhandled and beaten. When news of trouble in London spread, Skeleton riots took place in other parts of Britain.
  For example, when in April 1884 the owner of an alcohol shop in Worthing objected to Salvation Army criticism concerning the selling of alcoholic beverages, 4,000 "Skeletons" joined together in that town in direct opposition to the Salvationists. Black, sticky tar was painted onto the wall of the alley which the entrance to the Salvation Army barracks shared with the alcohol shop. This damaged Salvation Army uniforms as they marched through it. Also eggs filled with blue paint were thrown at the "Sally Army". Many in Worthing approved of these confrontational activities, but the Salvation Army continued unabated.
  Captain Ada Smith led those who faced the "Skeletons" in Worthing. General Booth requested police protection for the Salvation Army in that town and ordered Captain Smith and her soldiers to remain in their barracks until they got it. However, the Home Secretary, Sir William Harcourt, said it was outside his jurisdiction to offer such protection. Finally General Booth ordered Captain Smith and her group to march on Sundays unprotected by the authorities.
  On Sunday, 17 August 1884, the police, the Salvation Army and the Skeletons confronted each other in Worthing. For an hour the police kept the peace, then the Skeletons rioted. The area was filled with screaming men, brick dust and broken glass. The Salvationists returned to their "barracks" and the Skeletons trie
caption: The Skeleton Army rioting in Worthing in 1884
exif: {}