In the 1880’s and 90’s the Salvation Army under the guidance of William Booth, started a number of shops in a variety of fields including match making, brush making, basket making, carpentry, tin smith shop, tambourine making, wood carving, mattress making, bakery, chair making, sign writing, tailoring and others. A brass musical instrument shop seemed inevitable?

Starting around 1884 the Trade Department in London sold other makers’ brass instruments, which were listed in the first SA Tune Book of 1884. By the late 1880’s the SA had almost 400 bands which could use repair services. Consequently, Commissioner John Carleton, head of the Trade Dept., suggested that the SA open a brass repair shop in London. This was opened in 1889, under the supervision of the Trade Dept., in a basement room of the IHQ at 96 Southwark St. The shop began with two experienced workers and one 16-year-old apprentice. The apprentice, Jack Furness, later became head of the factory and the Bandmaster of the St. Albans Corps Band.

After the brass shop opened for repairs in 1889, it was natural that the SA would eventually become a maker of instruments as well. In 1890 the new second edition Tune Books had a whole page of SA instruments available from the Trade Dept. These first instruments from the shop were made from parts, if not whole instruments, purchased from other makers. The first complete instruments made in the SA shop were produced in 1891 or ’92 and were proudly called, “Our Own Make”. From a business point of view, the SA production of instruments was an instant success, especially after the general, in his “Orders to Field Officers” in 1891, required that all SA bands must buy their instruments from the SA. Orders poured in and production increased so that by 1894 there were 17 workers and this increased to 60 workers 10 years later.

From 1890 to 1896 the Trade Dept. and the brass shop were located at 98, 100 and 102 Clerkenwell Rd., London. In 1896 they moved to 79, 81 Fortess Rd., London which was the location of instrument making until 1901. Instruments made during the late Clerkenwell period were the first ones to have the address stamped on the bells.

In 1901 the SA opened a real factory for instrument making in St. Albans, a city north of London. This factory, called The Campfield Musical Instrument Works, was next to the Campfield Press, which was the SA-owned printing facility. The Trade Dept remained at Fortess Rd. until 1911 and bells were stamped “Fortess Rd” during this time even though the instruments were made in St. Albans. In 1911 the Trade Dept moved to Judd St. and bell stamping then included “Judd St.” and “St. Albans”. In 1917 the name, “Trade Dept.” was changed to “Salvationist Publishing & Supplies”, which was changed on the bells as well.

The factory produced all of the instruments of the brass band including the early pocket cornet and “G” trombone. They even designed and patented an Eb bass trombone with a slide going forward as usual plus another slide going backwards, both working together with ropes and pulleys. Some SA bands in England between 1909 and 1922 started to use saxophones. The SA did not make these instruments.

Several attempts were made to produce a less expensive instrument line for small corps and youth bands. Each attempt was less successful than they had hoped, because ways could not be found to make cheaper instruments without lowering the quality. Some of these lines were called, Herald, Jubilee, Reliance (imported from France) and Congress. Other names for limited production or specialty instruments were Special Congress, Festival, Fanfare and Deluxe. The main model line for senior bands in the early days was called, “Triumph” with “Triumphonic” being added in 1914. The “Triumphonic” line was made until the factory closed. The top-of-the-line “Bandmaster” models were only made as Bb cornets and euphoniums.

From the beginning in England, brass instruments were built in “high” pitch (A=452.5), sometimes called “philharmonic” pitch. Most of the rest of the world used “low” pitch (A=440), sometimes called “concert”, “continental” or “international” pitch. The Campfield Works made both as far back as records go to 1926. It is likely that they made both pitches before 1926 as well. The low pitch instruments were made primarily for export. In 1964 Boosey & Hawkes decided to cease making  high pitch instruments and the SA agreed to do the same.

The St. Albans factory was in operation until 1972 when it was sold to Boosey & Hawkes. By terms of a seven year agreement, B & H would make for the SA only the Bandmaster cornets and Triumphonic tenorhorns. This agreement run out in 1979 and all SA instrument making came to an end.

The last instrument on record made by the SA in 1972 was a “Herald” cornet with the serial number 34283. The writer has acquired a “Herald” cornet not in the records with the serial number 34286 which is the last-known instrument made at the factory. By 1972 the factory machinery was getting so old that accurate parts were difficult to make. Some of the equipment still in use was bought as war surplus after World War I. The SA decision makers in London decided not to fund the modernization of the SA factory because of the huge cost and because it had been losing money for several years.

The Campfield Musical Instrument Works had a vibrant history of serving the needs of SA bands. Instruments were made with thicker metal and heavier silverplate to meet the needs of active schedules and sometimes-hostile street corners. Several designs and patents were attributed to the “Works” including the before mentioned Eb bass trombone, the first trombone slide lock and a special “drop end” lyre for trombone that did not have to be removed from the instrument before putting it in the case. The factory kept pace, too, with its competition with compensating valves for the lower brass instruments.

Even though only 34000+ instruments were produced in 83 years, these instruments were produced to serve the Lord and to meet the ever-expanding bands in the army world. Many of the workers in the factory right from the beginning used their skills to make instruments and to play them, too, in corps bands. Today we pay tribute to those dedicated men and women who gave so much to the history of Salvation Army Bands.