Lightbourne Avenue

The Salvation Army's presence in Perth County can be traced back to the mid-1880s with early services being held in Stratford, Mitchell, Listowel and St. Mary’s. This was a period of significant expansion for the organization. 

According to the Salvation Army's Canadian website, its first open-air “meetings” (or worship services) in this country were held in Toronto in January 1882, 17 years after the organization was founded in England by William and Catherine Booth. These meetings were strategically held in public spaces to engage as many people as possible. Occasional instances of heckling and disorderly conduct at meetings, as well as the groups' processions through the places they operated in, gave the Salvation Army a reputation for being noisy and disruptive in some areas.

An article printed in the Stratford Beacon Herald in October 1974 discussed what the Salvation Army's first open-air meeting in the city was like 90 years before in 1884.  The event was recounted after the fact in 1932 in the corps diary by a member.

“I can never forget the opening of the city of Stratford by the Salvation Army. It took place on the 5th of August, 1884 . . . . The people were all excitement to know what these peculiar people were about and as the large bright posters were put up announcing their coming on Sunday, Aug. 5, a large crowd gathered on the Market Place in the afternoon to see and hear what it all meant.” 

The Salvation Army cemented its presence in Stratford when it purchased a lot on George Street West in June 1887 with the intention of building its first barracks there. The construction of the barracks was completed in October 1888 and opened with celebratory services that were attended by many. The barracks at 21 George St. W. operated as a base for the Stratford branch until December 1912 when a new citadel was built on Ontario Street. The Dec. 23, 1912, issue of the Daily Beacon summarized the new building's opening ceremonies: 

“Saturday and Sunday are two days that will not soon be forgotten by the local Salvation Army corps, the occasion being the dedication of their fine new citadel on Ontario Street . . . . On Saturday night, the formal opening of the citadel was held and special services were held all day Sunday, the afternoon one being the service of the day, Mayor Brown presiding and the members of the city council, several of the city clergy and prominent citizens on the platform. The services throughout were in charge of Colonel Turner of Toronto, assisted by Major Morris, divisional commander.

“On Saturday night the service took the nature of a musical festival, the Lyton quartet of London, England leading. 

“A public meeting was held on Sunday morning and in the evening a regular revival meeting drew a large attendance. `Mental Gymnastics' was Colonel Turner's topic for discussion on Sunday afternoon and in the course of his address he reviewed all phases of the work of the Salvation Army together with a brief historical outline of the rise of this strong religious organization since its inception . . . . Mayor Brown also spoke briefly, extending his congratulations to the corps for the progress made and extending wishes for all possible success in the future. 

“As yet the interior work on the citadel, which cost in the neighborhood of $9,000, is not entirely completed, but the assembly hall, on the first floor, is practically finished. The Sunday school rooms, in the basement, specially arranged for juvenile work, are still in the painters' hands and the finishing touches will be put on in the course of a week or so. There is no extravagance shown in the interior or the exterior, but the citadel is very complete in every way and well suited for religious worship, and a credit to the city.” 

The citadel at 193 Ontario St. continued to be used by the Salvation Army until February 1991, with the final service being held Feb. 17. The building no longer stands as it was demolished soon afterwards.  Sources: Stratford-Perth Archives, "Stratford and the Salvation Army" by Claire Drake, 

The Beacon Herald  January 31,  2026.