Albert (William Thomas) Orsborn

ORSBORN, Albert (William Thomas). b. Maidstone, Kent, 4 September 1886; d. Boscombe, Hampshire, 4 February 1967. He was the son of Salvation Army officers who had helped to pioneer Army work in Norway in 1888; he became one of the Army’s most significant writers of congregational song in the 20th century.  His early efforts at writing poetry, as a junior clerk, aged about 15, were despised by his office manager, but were encouraged by the editors of The War Cry, the Salvationist newspaper, when he won first prize in a song-writing competition. While training to become a Salvation Army officer, he was disciplined by the college staff for writing verses in fun and satire, but, once...