Florence Soper
From Sawiki
Florence Eleanor Soper was born on 12 September 1861 in Blaina, South Wales. She was eldest daughter of Dr Isobel Soper and Jenny Soper (nee Levick) and had two sisters and a brother. Her mother died when she was only nine years old, and she lived with an aunt until her father, a doctor, remarried.
She enjoyed a happy childhood spending much time in the mountains of her home, Wales, where she could roam freely, ride ponies, skate and enjoy nature to the full. Florence was fond of reading and music and also had a secret ambition to become a doctor herself . She had just passed her last school examination and was visiting her two aunts in London when she heard Catherine Booth speak and made the decision to follow Christ and learn more about the Army.
Neither her aunts nor her father were too pleased that the gifted girl who had studied music under well-known masters, had taken up with The Salvation Army, a relatively unknown movement, joined by converted drunkards and others who had led a life of vice. They felt it was not suitable.
She looked at the matter differently and envied these people for their faith and joy. She became friendly with the Booth family including their son Bramwell. In 1881 as a Lieutenant she went to open the Army's work in France with the Booth's eldest daughter Catherine and it was at this time that Bramwell asked her to marry him. She was not yet 21 and her father opposed the marriage, but finally, on 12 October 1882 the wedding took place. They were married for 47 years and had 7 children. She died on 10 June 1957.
Florence was the founder of the Woman's Social Work and was it's leader until 1912, when Bramwell Booth succeeded his father as General.
