Catherine Booth

Catherine Booth (1829–1890), co-founder of the Salvation Army with her husband William (1829-1912), whom she married in 1855, Booth believed women had the same right to preach as men. In 1859 she wrote a pamphlet, Female Ministry: Woman’s Right to Preach the Gospel and delivered her first sermon at Gateshead a year later. Known as the ‘Mother of the Salvation Army’ she made extensive lecture tours and held evangelical rallies. She played a key role in the campaign for the Criminal Law Amendment Act against teenage prostitution. A pacifist, she opposed war and blood-sport. The statue pairs with that of her husband also by George Wade at the same location. There are later identical casts of their statues in fibreglass (2015) on Mile End Road, London.

Location: Forecourt William Booth College, Southwark Champion Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5.