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ARCHBISHOP OF MELBOURNE
Rev. J. J. Booth
MELBOURNE, Friday. -Right Rev. Joseph John Booth, M.C., B.A., Th.L., has been unanimously elected Archbishop of Melbourne in succession to the late Archbishop Head. This was announced today by Venerable Archdeacon H. B. Hewett, Deputy Chairman of the Archbishop Election Board. Archbishop Booth was born in Middlesborough, Yorkshire, England, in 1886 and came to Australia in 1910. Before entering Ridley College, he was engaged in industry and matriculated at Melbourne University in 1915. He obtained the diploma of Th.L. with honours at Ridley College and took his B.A. degree in the History School. In 1914 he was ordained by Archbishop Lowther Clarke and became a priest in 1915. He served at St. Stephen s, Richmond, under the late Archdeacon Lamble, from which parish he proceeded overseas in 1916 with the first A.I.F. He served for about two and a half years with the forces abroad, chiefly with the Eighth Battalion, and was awarded the Military Cross in December, 1917, after a previous recommendation. In 1919 he was appointed minister at Fairfield, where he stayed until 1924, when he moved to St. Paul's, Geelong. During his time there he acted as chaplain to the Geelong gaol, served at most of the camps with the 23rd Battalion, and was made Rural Dean in 1932. For a period he served as organising secretary of the Cathedral spires fund and in 1932 was made Archdeacon of Dandenong and organising secretary of the Bishop of Melbourne's fund. Overseas With Forces In 1934 the late Archbishop appointed him his coadjutor-bishop and his senior archdeacon. About the same time he was made Vicar-General and in 1937 was made Archdeacon of Geelong. In 1940, when the R.A.A.F. was organising its chaplain department, the late Sir Brudenell White recommended him as one who had considerable experience with the army and would be able to assist the officers generally concerned in organising the Church of England chaplains of that service. The army released him for service with the Air Force for six. months. Archbishop Booth was sent overseas, where he remained until the death of Archbishop Head, when General Blamey arranged for him to return. His home is in East Melbourne. His wife was formerly Miss Beryl Gertrude Bradshaw. daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Bradshaw. They have three daughters, Joan, Margaret and Patricia.

Examiner Launceston Saturday 28 March 1942 page 4

Church leader dies

MELBOURNE, Sunday
Melbourne churchmen paid tribute tonight to Archbishop J. J. Booth, a former Archbishop of Melbourne, who died early today in the Freemasons' Hospital, East Melbourne. He was 79.
Archbishop Booth was Archbishop of Melbourne from 1942 until his retirement in 1955.
He came to Australia from England at an early age and was ordained in 1914 after pursuing a university career.
He was Archdeacon of Geelong from 1937 to 1938.
A funeral service will beheld at St Paul's Cathedral on Wednesday.

The Canberra Times Monday 01 November 1965 page 3

"Joseph John Booth (1886-1965), Anglican archbishop, was born on 26 May 1886 at Middlesbrough, Yorkshire, the posthumous and only child of Joseph Booth, pawnbroker, by his wife, Mary Elizabeth, née Barker. Leaving Bell School, Middlesbrough, at the age of 13 (when his mother died), he worked as a farm labourer and then as traveller for a grocery firm. At 15, when he was confirmed in the Anglican Church, Booth was also attending services in a Methodist chapel: there he found friendship and eventually a vocation to the ministry. Lacking formal schooling and family connexions, he emigrated to Australia where he anticipated that his 'gumption and grit', together with his independent spirit, would be better appreciated.He arrived in Melbourne in 1910, settled in Footscray and encountered a different situation from the one he had left: whereas the Methodist Church was unwelcoming, in the vigorous Anglican parish of St John's he found cordiality and spiritual nourishment. Booth resolved to seek Anglican orders. To support himself until he could begin training, he initially worked in the grocery firm of Moran & Cato Pty Ltd and later as a millhand in the Colonial Ammunition Co. Ltd. In 1913 he entered Ridley College and next year became a licentiate in theology. Made deacon in 1914 and ordained priest on 21 December 1915, he served his curacy at St Stephen's, Richmond.

On 19 September 1916 Booth was appointed chaplain in the Australian Imperial Force; reaching France, he was posted in January 1917 to the 2nd Infantry Brigade and attached to the 8th Battalion on the Western Front. The letters which he sent to his fiancée from the troop-ship and the battlefields give a frank account of life in the trenches during some of the worst fighting of the war and show the writer going about his duties with complete commitment to the needs of the troops. For his courage during the fighting in France at Lagnicourt and Quéant in April, he was awarded the Military Cross. His nineteen months in the trenches showed Booth that he had special gifts for working with men and that he could earn the respect and affection of soldiers of all ranks; the experience removed any remaining regrets which he harboured about the circumstances of his upbringing..." - READ MORE LINK (adb.anu.edu.au)

Military Cross

"During the period 26th February 1917, to date Chaplain BOOTH has performed consistently good work both in and out of the line and has been such as to earn his the admiration and regard of all ranks of the Battalion.

During the heavy fighting round LAGNICOURT and QUEANT in April, 1917, Chaplain  BOOTH did splendid work caring for the wounded and preparing hot drinks and comforts for the men.  when the Battalion stromed an emeny strong point (near QUEANT) 19/22nd April, the number of casualties was so great and the supplies of stretchers and beares inadequate, Chaplain BOOTH himself went back through the barrage to a rear bearer station and guided up several squads of bearers.  

His devotion to duty, together with his courageous work in the line have endeared him to the men to who he has always set a splendid example of cheerfulness and courage."