The Skeleton Army

[Joshua Rogan]

I've just found out that in the 1880s there was a group known as the Skeleton Army, who opposed the Salvation Army and their teetotal ways.They would try to disrupt the latter's marches which often led to violence, apparently starting in Whitechapel in 1880.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeleton_Army

Does anyone know any more about this group?

[Abby Normal]

I've just found out that in the 1880s there was a group known as the Skeleton Army, who opposed the Salvation Army and their teetotal ways.They would try to disrupt the latter's marches which often led to violence, apparently starting in Whitechapel in 1880.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeleton_Army

Does anyone know any more about this group?

I thought you were talking about the skeleton army from lord of the rings. Lol

[Ginger]

How remarkable! That's news to me. Thanks for posting that!

[Sam Flynn]

I once tried to start a skeleton army, but no body was interested.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Great find Joshua. It’s amazing how The Skeleton Army have gone under the radar over the years. Of all the books set in the Victorian era that I’ve read I can’t recall a single mention of them.

Any authors out there looking for a subject for their next book

[Herlock Sholmes]

Found this short video Joshua.

https://youtu.be/nP07nbKvyW0

[jerryd]

Joshua,

A clip in the London Evening News And Post, April 8, 1892 has a reference to Albert Bachert being a former member of both the Skeleton Army and the Salvation Army. Kind of a contradiction, no?

[jerryd]

Here are some clips on Backert and the Skeleton Army. The second clip in 1883 gives the address of 13, Newnham Street, Whitechapel, which was Bachert's address. That one he states in a letter to the Daily News that he is the Founder and General of the Skeleton Army.


London Evening News and Post
April 8, 1892



Guardian
February 7, 1883



Evening News and Post
October 13, 1890

[jerryd]

Reposting from a thread I started at jtrforums.

One last post for the evening, sorry. The Skeleton Army marched under a banner with a Skull with Crossbones. Their motto was Blood and Guts/Thunder. "'Skeletons' used banners with skulls and crossbones; sometimes there were two coffins and a statement like, “Blood and Thunder” (mocking the Salvation Army's war cry "Blood and Fire") or the three Bs: “Beef”, “Beer” and “Bacca” - again mocking the Salvation Army's three S's - "Soup", "Soap" and "Salvation".[Charles Jeffries Wikipedia]

This is a Ripper letter from October 9, 1888. Notice the Skull and Crossbones, the word BLOOD spelled out, a coffin and a skeleton drawn to the right. Coincidence? Or from Bachert? Bachert was an Art engraver and would be talented with drawing skills I would think. The messy writing doesn't match the somewhat artistic drawings.

[Joshua Rogan]

Joshua,

A clip in the London Evening News And Post, April 8, 1892 has a reference to Albert Bachert being a former member of both the Skeleton Army and the Salvation Army. Kind of a contradiction, no?

Thanks so much for unearthing this info, Jerry!
Certainly sounds contradictory, but I guess he was turned somehow....maybe the Sally Army uniforms were smarter?
I was just reading a little about the Eagle pub mentioned in one of your clippings as the target of an abortive march by the Skeleton Army, and it seems it was a notorious pub and theatre which was actually purchased by Booth, the Salvation Army founder, to turn into his headquarters. So converting his adversary over to his side seems to fit his character, I think.

[Joshua Rogan]

Reposting from a thread I started at jtrforums.

One last post for the evening, sorry. The Skeleton Army marched under a banner with a Skull with Crossbones. Their motto was Blood and Guts/Thunder. "'Skeletons' used banners with skulls and crossbones; sometimes there were two coffins and a statement like, “Blood and Thunder” (mocking the Salvation Army's war cry "Blood and Fire") or the three Bs: “Beef”, “Beer” and “Bacca” - again mocking the Salvation Army's three S's - "Soup", "Soap" and "Salvation".[Charles Jeffries Wikipedia]

This is a Ripper letter from October 9, 1888. Notice the Skull and Crossbones, the word BLOOD spelled out, a coffin and a skeleton drawn to the right. Coincidence? Or from Bachert? Bachert was an Art engraver and would be talented with drawing skills I would think. The messy writing doesn't match the somewhat artistic drawings.

Great spot, I like your thinking. It all seems to fit....except that, according to Letters from Hell, this letter was posted in Birmingham - did Bachert have any connections there?