How The Work Began

In April 1948, at the invitation of the Sarawak Government, a team of officers visited British Sarawak to explore the possibility of commencing Salvation Army work there. Substantial negotiations with the British authorities governing Sarawak ensued. The Army was convinced there was a genuine need for its presence. Earlier investigations confirmed the Government’s concern over problems of delinquency and prostitution among young girls. Our leaders were also assured of Government support.

Lieut. Colonel Frederick Harvey, the then Officer Commanding, made it plain to the authorities the mission of The Salvation Army. The Governor, Sir Anthony Abell, clearly understood our evangelical mandate and gave assurance of his government’s support for our integrated ministry, which caters to the physical, mental, and spiritual needs.

In 1950, Major Bertha Grey and Captain Elsie Willis arrived on the Raja Brooke and stayed at the Government boarding house. Government officials were very keen for the Army to begin operations and gave full support. Major Grey went back to Singapore after three weeks. A building at Jalan Haji Taha(present-day Chung Hua Middle School No.4) was placed at the disposal of the Army, and the Army began taking in residents. Within a short period of time, the Home was full to capacity.

(This building was the Army first Girls Home in Sarawak, 1950-1959)

Captain Joan Sharman was appointed from England to assist Captain Willis. Captain Sharman started Salvation Army Guards and Sunbeams at the Home (these groups were later renamed Girl Guides and Brownies and affiliated to the international movements). Sunday School and spiritual meetings were held in the Home for the girls and staff.

The Girls’ Home, as it was called then, was officially opened in October 1951 by Sir Anthony Foster Abell, Governor of Sarawak. Lieut. Colonel Frederick Harvey, the Officer Commanding, was present for the occasion.

The Corps (church) started to hold meetings in May 1953 in a small room above a mechanic’s workshop at Petanak Road at Padungan, and Captain Agnes Morgan was appointed to take charge on 17th September 1953 – the first pastor of the church.

(Brigadier Bertha Grey and Major Elsie Willis are in front of the Army flag, 17 May 1953)

Earlier in 1945, just after the war, the captain was among a team of New Zealand officers sent to Singapore and Malaya to hold down the work here while the officers who had been interned during the war years (1942-45) could take their homeland furlough. After a short term in Singapore, she went to China and served there for some years until ordered to leave the country by the Communist Government.

She was fluent in Mandarin and commenced work among the Chinese educated in the Padungan area. Quite a number of Chinese-speaking youths and children were attracted to the Army, and many became soldiers. So Kuching began as a Chinese-speaking Corps. Despite the lack of facilities, the work expanded very quickly, and there was a thriving Corps.

In October 1954, after the commissioning, Lieutenants Fong Pui Chan and Chan Chin Chai were appointed to the Corps and Girls’ Home, respectively, as assistants. Lieutenant Fong served till she was appointed to Malacca in 1957.

In 1958, Kuching Corps moved to its present location at Sekama Road. The Army was then offered the lease of the land at Sekama Road for church and community service on payment of a peppercorn per year! This larger and modern worship hall with an officer's quarters made it more convenient to add programmes to serve the people. The folk from the Padungan area continued their association with the Army and helped in the outreach to the people in the Sekama and Chawan Road area. New people started coming to the meetings and more members were added to our roll.

(Opening of Kuching Corps new hall at Sekama Road, 27 October 1957)

In September 1958, the Army was requested to take over the running of a Boys’ Club and Hostel at Song Kheng Hai. The name was then changed to The Salvation Army Boys’ Home and moved to the then location at Ban Hock Road – a bungalow with a large compound that allowed expansion. This was provided by the Sarawak Government. Captain and Mrs. Robert and Thelma Webb were the first married couple appointed to take charge of this Home.

In 1961, Captain Robert Webb initiated the opening of a carpentry workshop (which was funded and built by the Rotary Club of Kuching) in the compound of the Home. This carpentry workshop served a two-fold purpose – training boys with a skill and at the same time generating income for the Home. The Government even built quarters adjoining the Boys’ Home for the officers in 1963.

(The Boy's Home at Ban Hock Road, August 2023)

The Girls’ Home was catering to children and girls who needed care and protection, and the elderly without family support. The Government encouraged the Army to expand its work, and in 1959, the Government decided to purchase land and provided the Army with a purpose-built building at Uplands, Ong Tiang Swee Road, which was then a jungle! One section was for the nursery, another area for children and girls, and the third section for the elderly. The elderly section was stopped in the 70s. The Girl's Home was renamed Children's Home in 1974.

(The former Children's Home at Jalan Uplands)

In September 2023, both Homes at Ban Hock Road and Uplands were relocated to one location at the Kuching-Samarahan Expressway in Kota Samarahan. The new complex was officially opened on 23 September 2023, which has a multi-purpose hall and a care centre together in a compound.