Household Troops Band

In the early Summer of 1885, there was a "Great Kent March" by Salvation Army Officer Cadets. They were known as "Life Guards" and the march was headed by a band of 25 brass instrumentalists, each wearing a white pith military helmet (the normal military headgear of the day), a red guernsey, blue trousers and gaiters and carrying a knapsack and water bottle. Later it was suggested that a permanent band might be established. A War Cry (Salvation Army newspaper) advert called for volunteers; it read: ''If you're young, if you're saved, if you're physically fit, if you can play a brass instrument.....are prepared to leave home and family for six months active service for God and the Army...then be at Clapton Congress Hall on 12 March 1887.'' The Household Troops Band was formed with Staff-Captain Harry Appleby as bandmaster. No salary was offered and no guarantee was given apart from food and clothing. On 1 June 1887 the pioneer 25 members of the Household Troops Band left Clapton Congress Hall to march into Salvation Army history. Their first tour lasted six months. The next year, in October, the band left for Canada as the first British Salvation Army band to cross the Atlantic. The tour was a success and led to Canada's own Household Troops Band being formed. Whilst they were away a second group of players was inaugurated under the leadership of Samuel Webber and the tradition continued. On 14 October 1889, in the country village of Whitchurch in Hampshire, it is reported that the Household Troops Band lead a march of over 1000 Salvationists in a great march for liberty. The local Salvationists had suffered persecution and injury in the Whitchurch Riots and over 800 had been imprisoned for conducting open-air services. This demonstration and others led by the local Corps likely led to The Salvation Army winning a legal case allowing them the right to play and preach in the open-air. The first Troops band returned home to Britain in 1891 and later members of both bands amalgamated. Then six years after it all started, in 1893, the band was dissolved to make way for a new band, and it was from the ashes of the Household Troops Band that the International Headquarters Staff Band (now known as the International Staff Band) was formed. ==The Troops Today==

In 1985, Captain John Mott, then National Bandmaster, established a new Household Troops Band by selecting members from the "A" Band at the National School of Music, Cobham Hall. Following his retirement on 16 October 2010, Major John Mott was succeeded by Carl Saunders. Composed of individuals from various Salvation Army centers, the band is selected based on their commitment to Salvationism, endurance, adaptability, and musical skills. The band conducts a limited number of rehearsals to prepare for the Summer Tour, which is the main focus of their work. These tours usually take place during the last week of August and are primarily held in coastal resorts, where larger holiday crowds gather, sometimes straining the resources of local Corps due to the vacation season. A notable aspect of the band is their march to the afternoon open-air venues. Although traffic can pose challenges, the band generally overcomes them through effective organization and cooperation with local law enforcement. Subsequently, in the evening, they hold a Festival in the local Citadel. The band has embarked on various tours over the years, including the South Coast in 1985, the Bournemouth area in 1991, the East Coast in 1996, and Essex, Kent & Dorset in 1997, among others. Additionally, the band releases a CD recording nearly every year. Regarded as one of the prominent Salvation Army Bands in the UK, the Household Troops Band shares this distinction with the International Staff Band. Notably, the Household Troops Band stands out within the Salvation Army as the only band internationally known for wearing a distinctive Pith Helmet. ==See also==