author
Catherine Mumford Booth
1829–1890
A powerful Victorian preacher and social reformer, she helped build The Salvation Army and became widely known as its “Mother.” Her bold public speaking and fierce concern for people in poverty made her one of the movement’s defining voices.
1 Audiobook
Godliness : being reports of a series of addresses delivered at James's Hall, London, W. during 1881
by Catherine Mumford Booth
About the author
Born Catherine Mumford in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, on January 17, 1829, she was raised in a deeply religious Methodist home and educated largely by her mother. She married William Booth in 1855, and together they went on to found The Salvation Army, with Catherine playing a central role in shaping its mission and message.
She became known for her preaching at a time when women speaking publicly in church life was still controversial. Clear, persuasive, and deeply committed to social reform, she argued for women’s ministry and worked tirelessly for people pushed to the margins of Victorian society.
Catherine Booth died on October 4, 1890, in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. Remembered as the “Mother of The Salvation Army,” she left a legacy of evangelism, compassion, and practical action that continued to influence the movement long after her death.