TWO
Strictly From Memories
Sometime Around 1910
We don’t know the exact date that the No#2 Corps moved to Weller Street, but we know they did. Several Weller St. soldiers of the corps were around during much of the twentieth century, but only Frances Dart was asked to record her memories, and these were very brief. Her name was Frances James in those days, and she and her mother, Maud, were active Salvationists – Frances on the cradle roll and Maud in the songsters. Years later, Frances married Bandsman William Dart, son of an Army officer – Major Dart who had been arrested around 1914 and spent almost a month in jail because of his refusal to obey ordinances prohibiting the Army to march and hold meetings on the street. They had two daughters – Major Judy Nottle and Susan Spencer. Both are still active in the Tabernacle.
In remarks presented on September 27, 1964, on the occasion of the last meeting held in the Los Angeles Tabernacle at 48th and Hoover she stated:
Captain Tobin has dubbed me “the youngest of our forefathers” – a name I shall cherish.
I represent that link with the Tabernacle-Citadel-and old #2 on Weller Street. I can almost count on one hand the “old timers” left in this corps who were at Weller Street: Mom (Maud James) – me – Mill Williams – Norm Bowyer – Harold and Winnie Gooding – Luella Jackson – Elsie Morton.
What was the Weller Street Corps like physically? It was located in the Japanese district at First and Los Angeles streets. A men’s industrial hotel was also in the building that was very old when I was there in the mid twenties. It had a pie shaped auditorium. The officers I remember were the Spillers and the Barrys. (Notes from Frances Dart –courtesy of Susan Spencer)
The Army occupied almost a complete block with the Men’s Industrial complex located right next door to the corps. This was a bustling center of aid that picked up unwanted articles from people’s homes, processed them and sold them in thrift stores. By 1930 it had a large fleet of approximately 25 trucks.
