William Booth

Born in Nottingham on 10 April 1829, he grew up in financially difficult circumstances and worked as a pawnbroker's apprentice while still young. After a religious conversion in his teens, he became a Methodist lay preacher and developed a direct, urgent style that focused on reaching people outside the usual church setting.

In 1865, together with his wife Catherine Booth, he began the work that became the Salvation Army. Under his leadership, the movement adopted its distinctive military-style structure and spread far beyond London, combining street preaching with practical support for poor and marginalized people. He served as the Army's first General from 1878 until his death in 1912.

He is remembered not only as an evangelist but also as a social reformer. His 1890 book In Darkest England and the Way Out set out ideas for tackling poverty and unemployment, reflecting the same energy that made him one of the best-known religious figures of his age. He died on 20 August 1912, but the organization he helped build continued around the world.