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William Booth Facts & Worksheets

William Booth was an English preacher who founded The Salvation Army and worked to help people in need. He and his wife, Catherine, started The Salvation Army, and he served as its first General from 1878 to 1912.

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William Booth was an English preacher who founded The Salvation Army and worked to help people in need. He and his wife, Catherine, started The Salvation Army, and he served as its first General from 1878 to 1912. The Salvation Army is a Christian group that has grown from London to many places worldwide. Booth’s ideas and actions inspired many others to care about social issues.

See the fact file below for more information about William Booth, or you can download our 26-page William Booth worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE AND BACKGROUND

  • William Booth was born in Sneinton, Nottingham, the second of five children to Samuel Booth and Mary Moss, on April 10, 1829.
  • Samuel Booth, William’s father, worked as a nail maker and builder from Belper in Derbyshire, England.
  • However, the family faced financial hardship during William’s early years.
  • In 1842, when Booth was 13, his father could no longer afford to pay for his schooling, so became an apprentice to a pawnbroker.
  • During his apprenticeship, around two years later, Booth had a religious awakening. 
  • He honed his writing and speaking skills, eventually becoming a Methodist preacher.

METHODIST PREACHER

  • His friend Will Sansom played a significant role in encouraging Booth to become an evangelist.
  • Together, they began preaching to the poor and sinners in Nottingham. 
  • Will Sansom passed away from tuberculosis in 1849.
  • After completing his apprenticeship in 1848, Booth struggled to find employment for about a year.
  • Eventually, he moved to London in 1849 and took a job with another pawnbroker.
  • Despite his job, Booth’s passion for preaching remained strong, so he tried to continue preaching in London.
  • Frustrated with limited opportunities, he resigned as a lay preacher and turned to open-air evangelism in the streets and on Kennington Common.
  • In 1851, Booth joined the Methodist Reform Church.
  • On his 23rd birthday, April 10, 1852, Booth left his job as a pawnbroker and started working full-time as a preacher at Binfield Chapel in Clapham, the headquarters of the Methodist Reform Church.
  • A month after becoming a full-time preacher, on May 15, 1852, Booth got engaged to Catherine Mumford.
  • Booth then entered a training school to learn the Congregationalist approach to ministry, but he left shortly after.
  • In November 1853, Booth was invited to be a minister at Spalding in Lincolnshire, where he eventually married Catherine.
  • They later moved to Brighouse in Yorkshire, then by 1859, the Booth family had relocated to Gateshead.
  • Despite being a successful evangelist, Booth felt restricted by his pastoral duties.
  • After his request to focus solely on evangelism was denied at the Liverpool conference in 1861, he resigned from the Methodist New Connexion.
  • He then became an independent evangelist, focusing on the importance of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

THE SALVATION ARMY

  • The Salvation Army started in 1865 as the East London Christian Mission.
  • Its name changed in May 1878 with an incident that involved Booth calling their group a “volunteer army,” but his son Bramwell objected, saying he wasn’t just a volunteer but a regular soldier. 
  • Booth’s secretary, George Scott Railton, changed the word “volunteer” to “salvation.”
  • This new movement was organized like a military with its own flag, music, and uniform. 
  • William Booth became the “General” and other ministers were given ranks as “officers,” while regular members were called “soldiers.” 
  • Despite financial challenges in the early years, Booth and The Salvation Army persisted in their mission to help the needy.
  • In the early 1880s, The Salvation Army expanded to other countries, including the United States, France, and India.
  • Sometimes, members in other countries initiated Salvation Army activities and would request officers from London. 
  • For instance, in Argentina, British immigrants requested Salvation Army help.
  • Booth’s ideas laid the groundwork for The Salvation Army’s modern approach to social welfare based on Christian values.
  • Booth’s leadership extended Salvation Army work to 58 countries during his lifetime. 
  • He held “salvation meetings” and published magazines and books across the globe.
  • His influential book, “In Darkest England and the Way Out,” pointed out social issues and proposed solutions like homes for the homeless, aid for the poor, and support for those struggling with addiction.

SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS ACTIVISM

  • William Booth believed that helping people in need was not just about preaching but about taking action to improve their lives. 
  • He set up shelters and homes for the homeless, providing them with a safe place to stay and a chance to get back on their feet.
  • He also fought against addiction with programs to help people recover from substance abuse.
  • Booth was also concerned with the unfair treatment of workers, so he spoke out against low wages and discrimination.
  • His commitment to social activism is rooted in the fact that he was exposed to the struggles of people living in poverty, without homes, battling addiction, and facing inequality in their lives.

OPPOSITION TO THE SALVATION ARMY

  • During its early days, The Salvation Army faced strong opposition, especially from people in the alcohol-selling business.
  • They were worried that William Booth and his followers would convince poor people to stop drinking. 
  • Also, a group called the Skeleton Army, mainly in Southern England, caused trouble during The Salvation Army’s marches against alcohol from the 1880s to around 1892.
  • At first, the Church of England did not like what Booth was doing either. For instance, they did not like that he treated women equally in The Salvation Army.

LATER YEARS

  • As time passed, people’s opinions about The Salvation Army and William Booth became very favorable.
  • In his later years, he gained respect and received invitations from kings, emperors, and presidents.
  • The media started using his title of General with great respect.
  • In 1899, Booth suffered a temporary loss of vision in both eyes, but he eventually recovered.
  • He received honors, such as becoming a Freeman of the City of London in 1906 and getting an honorary degree from the University of Oxford.
  • He was also invited to important events like the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1902.
  • During a motor tour in 1909, Booth discovered he was blind in one eye and had cataracts in the other, which led to surgery to remove his right eye.
  • William Booth passed away at age 83 on August 20, 1912, at his home in London.
  • His funeral was attended by thousands, including dignitaries like Queen Mary and President William Taft of the United States.
  • He was laid to rest alongside his wife Catherine in Abney Park Cemetery in London.

William Booth Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about William Booth across 26 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about William Booth. The Salvation Army is a Christian group that has grown from London to many places worldwide. Booth’s ideas and actions inspired many others to care about social issues.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. William Booth Facts
  2. Booth’s Bio
  3. A Meaningful Journey
  4. Relevant Terms
  5. Backdrop Drawings
  6. Final Speech
  7. Song Inspiration
  8. Is it True?
  9. If I Were Booth
  10. Inspiration into Action
  11. Life and Legacy

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was William Booth?

William Booth was a British Methodist preacher who founded The Salvation Army, a Christian organization renowned for its charitable work and evangelism efforts.

When was William Booth born?

William Booth was born on April 10, 1829, in Nottingham, England.

What inspired William Booth to start The Salvation Army?

Booth was deeply moved by the plight of the poor and marginalized in Victorian England. His Christian convictions led him to start The Salvation Army in 1865, initially as the East London Christian Mission, to provide practical aid and spiritual support to those in need.

What were some key principles of William Booth’s approach?

Booth emphasized the importance of addressing both the spiritual and physical needs of individuals. He believed in offering practical assistance, such as food, shelter, and employment opportunities, alongside preaching the Gospel.

How did William Booth’s legacy impact society?

Booth’s dedication to social reform and his innovative methods of addressing poverty left a lasting impact. The Salvation Army expanded globally, providing assistance to millions of people worldwide. Booth’s legacy also inspired numerous social reform movements and influenced the development of modern social welfare systems.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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