Chipping Sodbury
From Sawiki
| Chipping Sodbury |
 |
| Territory: United Kingdom Territory |
| Division: South Western Division |
| Opened: N/A |
| Corps Number: N/A |
| Location: Brook Street, Chipping Sodbury |
| Current Officers: corps now closed. |
Chipping Sodbury was a corps in South Gloucestershire.
Chipping Sodbury is a market town in the South Gloucestershire area. Today it is engulfed by the Yate new town, but in 1880s it was an important local centre for the villages surrounding it It was a rich market town, built on the wealth of the wool trade. The Salvation Army came here in 1882, initially as an outpost of Bristol Citadel, where they took up residence in the old Quakers chapel in Brook Street. In later years it became a Jehovah's Witnesses hall, and is now a private house. The outpost eventually became a corps in its own right and had, itself, outposts in Yate (then a tiny village) and in Acton Lane.
In 1884 Chipping Sodbury corps collected the grand total of £9 4s 4d during the Christmas period, as reported in the War Cry of 4th July 1885.
The Army, however, failed to take a great hold on the town and the corps closed in late 1885 or early 1886. There was a legacy nonetheless. In Bristol Busy Bees - the Annual Report for the 5th. year of the work in the Bristol Division - there is a tale about two Salvationists
Travelling in a carriage on the Midland Railway were five passengers, two Salvationists in full uniform, a clergyman and two young men, one of whom. entered into conversation with the clergyman, and after taking on a few general subjects suddenly noted our comrades, turning the conversation on the Salvation Army. "The Salvation Army has done nothing at Chipping Sodbury and have left there!" "Yes", replied the clergyman, "I suppose it will die a natural death everywhere."
When the train reached Chipping Sodbury station both the young man and the clergyman got out of the carriage, and the other young man arose to get out when the Salvationists accosted him - "Are you saved?" "Yes, I am a Wesleyan Local preacher" "Where were you saved?" "Through the Salvation Army."
So that although the Salvation Army had been obliged to leave the town because they had no hall, yet we had left behind us results. We have there today a Sergeant who was once the greatest drunkard and poacher in the town. Hallelujah.
