Living History: Medal of Honour

Living History is an ongoing series showcasing just a small assortment of the more than 350,000 items housed at The Salvation Army Heritage Centre in Toronto. This month, we spotlight a Fellowship of the Silver Star pin.

Brg Florence MacGillivray and, likely, her mother, Brg Abbie MacGillivray, on the steps of The Salvation Army’s London East Quarters, Ont., in 1956 — Brg Florence MacGillivray and, likely, her mother,
Brg Abbie MacGillivray, on the steps of The Salvation Army’s
London East Quarters, Ont., in 1956

The Order of the Silver Star was instituted in the United States in 1930 by Commander Evangeline Booth to recognize the mothers of Salvation Army officers. It became an international order in 1936. In 2001, the Order of the Silver Star became the Fellowship of the Silver Star “to affirm the importance of family in shaping the lives of officers.”

Originally, mothers whose children were commissioned as Salvation Army officers were presented with an Order of the Silver Star certificate of membership and a badge or pin. “Membership of the Order is to be considered a mark of The Salvation Army’s recognition of its indebtedness as well as its gratitude to the mothers who have trained and, often at great sacrifice to themselves, have consecrated their children for the battle against sin and sorrow— in which battle the mothers, too, thus have their share,” states the Order of the Silver Star booklet.

The pin is shield shaped and is made from sterling silver. At the pin’s centre is a five-pointed star outlined in blue enamel.

Two Order of the Silver Star pins, including the unique Silver Star pin with one blue enamel star and three gold stars that belonged to Brg Abbie MacGillivray

The Heritage Centre boasts a unique Silver Star pin in its possession. While it has the familiar shield shape with blue enamel surrounding a five-pointed star, three additional silver stars, set in a gold sunburst background, were attached.

Florence Evangeline and Dorothy Jean MacGillivray

The Silver Star was presented to Brigadier Abbie MacGillivray (1870-1965) who had four children who were Salvation Army officers. She would have received an Order of the Silver Star for each of her children. The pin from the Archives’ collection recalls a point in time when one of her officer children was alive and the other three had been promoted to glory.

The Silver Star on a blue enamelled shield represents her surviving daughter, Florence Evangeline MacGillivray (1897-1981). The three additional stars represent her other three children, Kenneth Ian MacGillivray (1902-1934), Dorothy Jean MacGillivray (1900-1943) and Gordon Graham MacGillivray (1899-1954). This likely dates the pin to 1954-1955.

Along with the Silver Star certificate and a pin, recipients of the Order of the Silver Star also received small gifts, including sewing kits, bookmarks, mirrors and magnifying glasses.