Practical religion : a study of the Salvation Army's social services for women, 1884-1914
Historians of Victorian Britain have focused on the reclamation of prostitutes as an area which illustrates the tensions between middle class ideology, as exhibited by the rescue workers and their organisations, and the experiences of working class women. However, no rescue society has been studied in depth, and consequently the relationship between theory and practice has not been documented. This thesis examines the Salvation Army's Social Services for Women, one of the largest and most prominent rescue work agencies active in late-Victorian London. The first chapter analyses the historiography of rescue work. The principle themes identified are the appropriateness of viewing rescue work as a form of social control, or as an inspiration for feminism. Chapter 2 discusses the formative experiences of the founders of the Salvation Army, William and Catherine Booth, and it is argued that their personal experiences and religious beliefs formed the basis of their later philanthropic activities. Following from this, Chapter 3 examines the development of the Booths' ideas into a model for society which placed greatest emphasis on the responsibility of the individual. This involved a social critique which redefined
Ball, Gillian
Practical religion : a study of the Salvation Army's social services for women, 1884-1914. Historians of Victorian Britain have focused on the reclamation of prostitutes as an area which illustrates the tensions between middle class ideology, as exhibited by the rescue workers and their organisations, and the experiences of working class women. However, no rescue society has been studied in depth, and consequently the relationship between theory and practice has not been documented. This thesis examines the Salvation Army's Social Services for Women, one of the largest and most prominent rescue work agencies active in late-Victorian London. The first chapter analyses the historiography of rescue work. The principle themes identified are the appropriateness of viewing rescue work as a form of social control, or as an inspiration for feminism. Chapter 2 discusses the formative experiences of the founders of the Salvation Army, William and Catherine Booth, and it is argued that their personal experiences and religious beliefs formed the basis of their later philanthropic activities. Following from this, Chapter 3 examines the development of the Booths' ideas into a model for society which placed greatest emphasis on the responsibility of the individual. This involved a social critique which redefined
practical religion study salvation_army social_service woman historians victorian_britain focused reclamation prostitute area illustrate tension middle_class ideology exhibit rescue worker organisation experience work_class woman however rescue society study depth consequently relationship theory_practice document examines salvation_army social services women one_large prominent rescue work agency active late victorian_london first analysis historiography rescue work principle theme identify appropriateness view rescue work form social_control inspiration feminism discus formative experience founder salvation_army william argue personal_experience religious_belief form_basis later philanthropic activity following examines_development idea model society place great_emphasis responsibility individual involve social critique redefine