The Timbrels: Worship through rhythm and tradition
Origins of Timbrel playing in The Salvation Army
The story of timbrels (different to the more commonly known tambourine) goes back to the very beginnings of the Salvation Army.
One account credits Captain Charles Rothwell’s wife in England in the mid-1800s as the first to use a timbrel in Army processions. Another famous origin story is that of Tambourine Lizzie, a Cockney theatre cashier who, after conversion, became known for her spirited tambourine playing in Army marches — even performing a tambourine solo at her own wedding.
Whoever was first, timbrels spread quickly. By 1882, The War Cry reported that 1,600 timbrels had been sold in just six weeks. The design we use today is based on William Goddard’s 1893 model.
The Hurstville Timbrel Brigade: Early years
The exact beginnings of the Hurstville Timbrel Brigade are uncertain, but photographs confirm its presence in the 1920s and 1930s, with members such as Bonnie Huggett, Eva Veal, Hilda Miller and Mrs Hodge.
By the 1950s, the Brigade had grown in skill and was recognised as one of Sydney’s best. Many girls began playing as children and continued through to senior timbrel ranks.
Festivals and performances (1950s–1970s)
The Brigade regularly joined in massed timbrel events, including a 1957 Sydney parade at Arlington Oval, where 150 timbrel players combined in performance.
In 1964, Hurstville hosted its own Timbrel Festival, welcoming brigades from Miranda, Burwood, Rockdale and Campsie. The event drew such a crowd that the Citadel could not contain it.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the Timbrels often travelled with the Hurstville Band, performing in towns such as Coffs Harbour, and took part in city events like the Sydney Waratah Festival.
At the 1971 Congress Festival of Praise in Sydney Town Hall, they were described as “without a doubt, the best Brigade in Sydney.”
Iconic marches and tours (1960s–1980s)
The timbrel march, Red Shield, created by Janette Smart in the late 1960s, became a “classic” piece that remains fondly remembered.
In 1978, the Brigade toured Taree with the Band, offering a varied program of music, piano solos and elocution. In the 1980s, they performed in diverse venues, including a Chinese Australian friendship luncheon at Tai Yeun Palace in Sydney.
They also supported the launch of the 1983 Red Shield Appeal in Martin Place, alongside a composite band and worship group Deep Harmony.
Outreach and witness (1980s–1990s)
Under leaders such as Karen Pack and Karen Staines, the Timbrels travelled widely — from Belconnen ACT in 1986, to massed items at the Sydney Entertainment Centre for the 1988 Bicentennial.
In 1994, they joined the Band in Leeton NSW for the Sunwhite Rice Festival, attracting thousands to open-air performances.
In 1995, under Sharon Sandercock-Brown, the Timbrels toured Africa with the Band, sharing their unique ministry of rhythm and witness.
Continuing ministry
Though the style and routines have changed over the years, the Hurstville Timbrel Brigade has remained a distinctive outreach ministry. Their lively performances, rhythmic worship and willingness to travel have shared the joy of Jesus with countless audiences, both local and international.
