Catherine Booth co-founded The Salvation Army with her husband, William Booth. She was dubbed the 'Mother of the Salvation Army' due to her role in the organization's foundation. Catherine Mumford was born in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, England, in 1829, to Methodist parents John Mumford and Sarah Milward. Her father was an occasional secular preacher and carriage manufacturer. Her family eventually relocated to Boston, Lincolnshire, before settling in Brixton, London. Catherine was a thoughtful and sensitive little girl. She had a strong Christian upbringing and was claimed to have read the Bible eight times before the age of twelve. Catherine spent years of her adolescence obliged to be idle due to a spine deformity. She kept herself occupied, however, and was particularly concerned with alcoholism. She had worked as the secretary of a Juvenile Temperance Society and written articles for a temperance magazine when she was a child. Catherine belonged to the local Band of Hope and supported the National Temperance Society. Catherine spent years of her adolescence obliged to be idle due to a spine deformity. She kept herself occupied, however, and was particularly concerned with alcoholism. She had worked as the secretary of a Juvenile Temperance Society and written articles for a temperance magazine when she was a child.