Sheffield Citadel Band

Arthur Greaves first came into contact with the Salvation Army when he met Alf Wileman in 1939, in Shepshed, Leicestershire, where they were both evacuated to from Sheffield. Arthur used to go to the Army open-air and barrack them. Alf befriended him because they were both from Sheffield and he eventually persuaded Arthur to come back to meeting. After a week or two of attending the meetings he was converted. From then on he attended all the meetings and the Corps Cadets and he joined in whenever the young people were involved in anything. Alf taught Arthur to play tenor horn whilst at Shepshed, where he stayed until the end of the War. He then linked up with the Army upon his return to Sheffield, where he worked in the steelworks.

At the Citadel on Cross Burgess Street, Arthur spent a little time in the Junior Band before transferring to the Senior Band. He married Joan at the Citadel in the early 1950s. Arthur was a member of the Band for about 42 years, exclusively on the 2^nd horn section – his ‘run up’ in the march The Canadian was always eagerly anticipated! Arthur went to Finland on the Band’s first overseas tour in 1966 and carried out many years sterling service as the band’s librarian (and also on the Kop at Bramall Lane, where he was renowned for berating both opposition players and referees alike. ‘Tha looks like tha’s been shipwrecked o’er a barrel’ was one of his well-known insults!)

Arthur spent the last few years of his life in a nursing home and so, sadly, was only able to come to worship at the Citadel occasionally.  He died in early February and is remembered fondly by so many.  A faithful servant, promoted to glory.