John Gowans

GOWANS, John. b. Blantyre, Lanarkshire, 13 November 1934; d. South London,  8 December 2012. Gowans became a Salvation Army officer in 1955, after National Service in the Royal Army Educational Corps.  At school he developed an interest in poetry and drama, and in 1966 was co-opted to write the lyrics for a Salvation Army youth musical, with the composer John Larsson.  Alongside his appointments in Britain, France and USA, he went on to write ten musicals on Biblical and Salvation Army themes, which became popular in Salvation Army circles and beyond.  When the audience went home singing the songs, it was not long before they were taken up by Salvation Army congregations, for use in...