Australian Biography - Eva Burrows

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Opening title sequence for “Australian Biography” series

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Low angle up at Salvation Army band marching up street and past camera

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Eva v/o: Well I think one of the big factors of leadership is to exude inspiration...

Eva in Salvation Army uniform stands with finger held up in air. Salvation Army officer in b/g

Eva v/o: ... so that people want to follow. I often say that...

Eva

Eva sync: ... it’s a terrible thing when a leader looks behind and there’s no one coming.

Photo of Eva and Mother Theresa shaking hands

Eva v/o: And that inspiration isn’t just for religious...

Photo Eva in Salvation Army uniform

Eva v/o: ... leaders. I think it can be for business leaders...

Photo of Eva and members of Salvation army praying. Pan left to see Ronald Reagan praying with members

Eva v/o: ... and politicians too. To be able to inspire people...

Photo of Eva with Bob Hawke

Eva v/o: ... with the validity of what you’re saying so that they want to be with you...

Eva

Eva sync: ... in the campaign, or fight if you like

Photo of Eva in Salvation army uniform

Fade up on super:
General Eva Burrows
World Leader, Salvation Army
1986—1993

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Photo of Eva as a young girl

Eva v/o: I was born in 1929, and we often think of that as the — one of the key years for the Depression in Australia. And when my...

Eva

Eva sync: ... parents have told me, and I’ve read some of my father’s diaries about that time...

Photo of Burrows family

Eva v/o: ... there was tremendous poverty in Australia, unbelievable poverty. And as Salvation Army organisers...

Colour archive photo of Salvation Army building with people standing on front stairs

Eva v/o: ... in the Salvation Army Corps, as we call them, my parents would be dependent on the giving of the members of the church.

Eva

Eva sync: So naturally, they didn’t have very much to live on. But my mother seemed...

Photo of woman in Salvation army uniform

Eva v/o: ... to be an amazing person at making do, making many things out of nothing. And I don’t remember ever having new clothes until...

Photo of family group all dressed in Salvation army uniforms

Eva v/o: ... I was quite a big girl, because mother could make do with my older sisters’ clothes, or father’s trousers could be converted into skirts and things like that.

Eva

Eva sync: I would say we were — we shared the life of poverty of the people around us.

Photo of Eva as a young woman

Robin v/o: What were your ambitions for yourself?

Eva v/o: Well I think I didn’t have any...

Eva

Eva sync: ... long range ambitions. I just knew I wanted to do well, I wanted to achieve. I felt I had certain abilities. And therefore I wanted always to do well. And I already knew I was going to be a leader of some kind, because at Brisbane State High, which was an excellent school, and still has a wonderful reputation, I was...

Photo of school class group. Move into CU Eva sitting in front row between other girls

Eva v/o: ... elected by my peers as the form captain every year. And then I became the school captain of the whole school. But it was at that time that I became quite rebellious.

Eva

Eva sync: I really thought that I didn’t want anything to do with the Salvation Army. I think probably because I was popular at school, and the Salvation Army was so strict about — in those days — about your behaviour.

Robin o/s: In what way?

Eva sync: You couldn’t go to dances for example. And you weren’t supposed to go to the movies. We’ve moved on fortunately since those days. So I wanted to do all those things, because I was organising them often. So then I just felt I couldn’t be bothered going to the Salvation Army, because it was too strict. I...

Photo of Eva as a young woman

Eva v/o: ... wanted to be so free, and choose what I wanted to do, not just what I was told to do.

Robin v/o: So what happened to bring you back into the church?

Eva v/o: I...

Photo of building with statues at entrance

Eva v/o: ... went to Queensland University and it was in my first few weeks we had orientation...

Photo of building with columns and palm trees at front

Eva v/o: ... course. And I went to all the clubs to see what was going on in all the different societies.

Eva

Eva sync: So I went to the Christian Union and found all these very nice young people, all switched on, you know, to the Christian faith.

Photo of Eva as a young woman

Eva v/o: And I think before that I’d probably felt that Christianity was more to do with the older people and strict rules.

Eva

Eva sync: And they put on some very big youth events in the Salvation Army. And I went to this day when we were all young people. And it was during that day that I had the strong conviction — I can only call it an inner awareness — that the Salvation Army is the place where God wanted me to be. And that morning I made a very solemn decision.

Colorised photo of Eva wearing academic gown

Eva v/o: And from that time on there was no question in my mind that my life was to be devoted to God. And within the orbit of the Salvation Army.

Photo of Eva with two African women who hold tambourines

Robin v/o: What gave you the idea that you wanted to go to Africa?

Eva v/o: Well I think because I wanted to be a teacher...

Photo of Eva wearing blue uniform

Eva v/o: ... and I had this great feeling that I didn’t want to have life just easy. I wanted to do something that cost me something.

Eva

Eva sync: And so to become a missionary and a teacher seemed to me — God was sort of pushing me in that direction.

Photo of Eva and other woman. Huts in b/g

Fade up on super: Rhodesia (later Zimbabwe), 1952

Eva v/o: And I went to Howard Institute, which was a very large mission station.

Photo of Eva surrounded by African students

Eva v/o: I found it very pleasant to work with the African students.

Photo of Eva speaking to students who sit on ground in front of her in bush landscape. Tilt right to CU African students

Eva v/o: I wanted to try and understand them, identify with them. So I would talk to them a lot about their home, what happened...

Eva

Eva: ... at home, and what they believed at home and so forth. And that’s when I...

Photo of Eva in African village. Eva and other woman assist old man as women look on

Eva v/o: ... used to also go out into the villages myself, to talk...

Photo of Eva talking to villager in front of hut

Eva v/o: ... with the women. And that’s when I began to learn the African language.

Photo of Eva standing in front of group of young men in uniform

Eva v/o: Because at the mission station everything was in English, so to really...

Eva

Eva sync: ... learn the language you had to make an effort yourself, get out amongst the people.

Eva and student play game with pole as other students look on

Eva v/o: But I found sharing with them to be a lovely part of my own life’s experiences.

Robin v/o: Were you to some extent a cultural, as well as a religious missionary.

Eva

Robin o/s: I mean was there an assumption, perhaps even on both sides, that Western ways were best?

Eva sync: Oh, there was certainly, from the African side. And I knew you would see that in little things, like if a baby was born, a man who perhaps had only had one or two years of schooling will give his baby an English name. So that it would look as if he’s been educated. And that’s why some of the names were so ridiculous. You’d go around to the schools in the villages, and there’d be — in the school register — names like Dictionary or Geography or Typewriter or something like that. Which meant that the father wanted to tell people he knew some English words. So definitely from the African side, that was the feeling. If I can get a western education, if I can have western style, I’ll be able to improve my lot.

Photo of African students in school uniform. Move left and down to see Eva crouching in front row amongst students

Eva v/o: On the missionary side there would have been a bit of ambivalence, I think. Many missionaries, like myself, didn’t think we had all the answers.

Robin v/o: Now you were there at the time...

Eva

Robin o/s: ... that the white regime was seeking independence from England. Did that affect you?

Eva sync: I was in Zimbabwe at a time when Ian Smith was working towards — and then announced — the declaration of independence. I think that was one of my saddest days in Zimbabwe. I was so angry I couldn’t teach. I didn’t go to teach my class. I went out to walk in the forest, in the bush. Because I felt that they were so unfair, the whites were so unfair.

Photo of African students in uniform. Pan left across group to Eva standing in front row of student group

Eva v/o: And I felt that the Africans were going to get even less opportunity. And personally, I felt that civil war was inevitable. Much as I didn’t like that thought, I really say it had to come. That was their only way.

Robin v/o: What was the official...

Eva

Robin o/s: ... attitude of the Salvation Army to the movement for independence? Was a position taken in relation to that?

Eva sync: I would say that we remained fairly neutral, because the Salvation Army has never got involved in political parties and discussions like that. But we would be as supportive as possible.

Photo of Eva shaking hands with young man in uniform. Other man stands by Eva’s side

Eva v/o: And we had always been keen to develop black leaders.

Eva

Eva sync: And always, I think, we were keen to hear what they were saying. So that now in Zimbabwe our commanders have been black for quite some time.

Robin o/s: You loved Africa so much, why did you leave?

Eva sync: Well I didn’t leave of my own volition. I was told by the Salvation Army that I would have another appointment. And that’s Salvation Army style. You don’t plan where you’ll go, you just go where you’re sent. So they felt that I was to be useful in some other sphere of work. And I was being appointed to the Salvation Army’s International College in London.

Photo of Eva wearing uniform

Eva v/o: So I had to just get up and go.

Robin v/o: How did you feel...

Eva

Robin o/s: ... about that?

Eva sync: Oh, it was a grief experience. I was mourning inside myself. You know, I really felt that I was leaving part of myself behind.

Robin o/s: So really, the planning for your own future was taken away from you?

Eva sync: Correct. And when I went to Africa I thought I’d be there ’til the rest of my days.

Photo of Eva standing with group of African students

Robin v/o: And you weren’t even given a reason?

Eva v/o: Well, I think I interpreted the reason. And the reason was that I had performed well as...

Eva

Eva sync: ...a principal of a school and had shown leadership qualities and therefore...

Photo of Eva standing behind lectern

Eva v/o: ... it was seen that I should go somewhere else where that leadership would be developed.

Robin v/o: In retrospect of course, they were...

Eva

Robin o/s: ... grooming you for even higher things with a range of promotions, and then you were made Territorial Commander of Sri Lanka. Now most commanders take on these really very big jobs with the support of a wife. How did you manage?

Eva sync: Well I hadn’t had a wife before anyway. But I think it was a very big challenge to me. And I wanted to really see how best to organise the place.

Photo of Eva wearing sari

Fade up on super: Sri Lanka, 1977

Eva v/o: I was fortunate in — physically I was well cared for, because in the home where I lived there was a cook.

Robin v/o: Was your cook a...

Eva

Robin o/s: ... Salvationist?

Eva sync: No, the cook was a Buddhist actually. And she was a very good Buddhist, because she went to the temple very regularly. She had been the cook for the Salvation Army Commander for nearly 20 years when I went there. So they hadn’t converted her to Christianity. But she was a single elderly lady. She used to tell me what she did at the temple and so forth.

Robin o/s: Did you try to convert her?

Eva sync: No, I didn’t.

Robin o/s: Why not?

Eva sync: Well, no, because I felt by that time of her life she had settled into what she believed and she was very happy. And she did it most sincerely. And I knew that God looked upon her as somebody who had found a way of life that really she felt was good and right. In fact, she was sometimes better than me, because one day in the house I killed a mouse. She didn’t speak to me for a fortnight. Because as a Buddhist I shouldn’t have killed this poor little defenceless creature.

Old man with bowl of potatoes. Pan right to see Eva

Robin v/o: Now when you took up your next appointment as Commander in Scotland, almost straight away you had a heart attack. You were only 51.

Photo of Eva sitting on wooden chair. Woman sits next to her

Robin v/o: Why do you think it happened?

Eva v/o: I think I really overdid...

Photo of Eva standing behind lectern. Other Salvation army officers look on

Eva v/o: ... the work and when I got to Scotland and had to face...

Photo of Eva with group of young people dressed in national costume

Eva v/o: ... an entirely new situation, I just had this coronary.

Eva

Eva sync: But I did have an amazing experience when I was the hospital. And that was I woke up in the intensive care unit and I saw a black girl, the nurse, sitting near me. And I thought I was in Africa. And I looked around and I said “What has happened? What have I done?” And this girl said “Don’t worry, Major, you’ll be all right” you see. Now I’m a Commissioner by this time, and she’s calling me by a much lower Salvation Army rank. And then she revealed that she was one of my students...

Photo of smiling black woman

Eva v/o: ... from Usher Institute. And here she was looking after me in the intensive care.

Eva

Eva sync: And I sort of suddenly had a realisation, I’m going to be all right. This is a sign, a symbol. She said “You used to look after me and help me to be well-educated. Now I’m looking after you.” So many things in my life, people would call what a wonderful coincidence. But it was providential.

Photo of Eva in newspaper. Zoom out to see newspaper headline which reads “Woman heads Army in Australia Southern.”

Robin v/o: And in fact, after that bad beginning, things went so well for you in Scotland, that you were promoted, to a job back in Australia.

Eva v/o: Yes, that’s right and...

Eva

Eva sync: ... I think I was quite excited about it, because I was the first woman...

Newspaper article showing picture of Eva and other Salvation army officer. Headline below picture reads, “First day in office.” Tilt down to see other picture of Eva

Eva v/o: ... to ever be a Commander in Australia.

Robin v/o: And how were you received...

Newspaper article showing picture of Eva. Headline reads, “Australia need revival, says new Southern leader.”

Robin v/o: ... by the people you actually worked with?

Eva v/o: I think amongst the men there was a ...

Eva

Eva sync: ... concern whether I would be able to make it. Because I hadn’t worked in Australia for many years. People knew who I was, but didn’t know very much about my ability to lead and command.

Photo of Eva in white uniform

Eva v/o: My style, I think, is one of consultative leadership, so that I involved the men in the group in my decision making.

Eva

Eva sync: And then I think the men who worked with me discovered that I did have wide experience. Experience beyond what they had had themselves. And so then I think some of their scepticism may have turned to admiration.

Salvation army band marching down street and past camera

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Looking down row of Salvation army band as they march past camera playing their musical instruments

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Robin v/o: Now, at the High Council of the Salvation Army in...

Salvation army band marching down street

Robin v/o: ...1986, you were elected...

Crowd standing on pavement

Robin v/o: ... world leader.

Eva on viewing stand with other members of Salvation army. Eva holds hand up in air

Robin v/o: How did you feel when it was announced...

Eva

Robin o/s: ... that you were to be the new General?

Eva sync: Well I felt a great sense of awe I think. That’s my first emotion.

Photo of Eva wearing uniform

Eva v/o: Then I had a great sense of gratitude to God. And then I thought of my...

Photo of man wearing glasses.

Eva v/o: ... parents. And of course, they had long since...

Photo of woman wearing glasses and Salvation army uniform

Eva v/o: ... died. And many in the family said...

Eva

Eva sync: ... perhaps they’re looking over the battlements of Heaven. And I didn’t think that, but I felt something of my mother in me. My father too, but my mother very much so.

Photo of Eva smiling. Zoom out to see newspaper headline next to photo which reads, “Australian Woman to be world leader.”

Robin v/o: How did the rest of the world react to the fact that here was the first woman leader of a major church movement...

Eva

Robin o/s: ... that we’d had for a long, long time.

Eva sync: I think there was great pleasure around the world.

Picture of Eva on the cover of magazine called “The Warcry.” Tilt down to see picture at bottom of magazine of people waving their hands in celebration

Eva v/o: And I have since heard that when my name was announced there was a great cheer. So much so that...

Eva

Eva sync: ... it was heard on the top floor for a few people who hadn’t come down to the meeting. So that was a good sign, that I was to — I was well accepted by the people with whom I was going to work closely.

Photo of Eva signing papers behind desk. Zoom in to closer shot of Eva

Robin v/o: You’re credited with having modernised the Salvation Army, and it’s organisational structures and methods.

Eva

Robin o/s: Was this an important feature of your leadership?

Eva sync: I think we were moving in that direction, but I think the restructuring helped people to see that we could move into a modern era. I mean when we actually called in management consultants, some of our people were a bit worried about that, because that seemed such a secular thing for a spiritual organisation. But I think I was able to help people realise that the church must be well managed, just as well as anybody else. That God expects us to be efficient and well organised, to be accountable for our money. And I think people came to realise that the Salvation Army leader has to have this worldly knowledge of....

Photo of Eva standing behind lectern and talking to people seated in room

Eva v/o: ... how to run an organisation well.

Robin v/o: As the...

Photo of Eva seated behind desk

Robin v/o: ... General, you must have encountered the same sorts of problems that any chief executive faces...

Eva

Robin o/s: ... in leading a team of people who are themselves leaders.

Eva sync: Well, there are many similarities with the head of great corporations. But there’s a big difference, and that is we are all people whose first motivation is to do God’s will. And to build up the Kingdom of God through evangelistic endeavours and through social and community programs. So when we sit around the table, we’re not looking just to promote our own ideas, nor are we ambitious in the sense of wanting to take the seat of somebody else. We don’t have any stabs in the back in the Salvation Army.

Robin o/s: Is that really true? Nobody?

Eva sync: No, it’s true.

Robin o/s: Nobody coveted your job or wanted to — it was really absent. I mean I’m asking you to be really honest. These people really weren’t behaving the way managers in other organisations behaved.

Eva sync: No, I can look you straight in the eye and say no. No, because there is this awareness that a General’s position is a divine appointment. And even though some members, mostly I would think men, who may think I’ve got the gifts to be the General, he knows he can only be the General by going through the High Council and prayer and concern for what God wants. So that if his ambition is very secular, very human, he probably knows he’ll never get it anyway.

Photo of Eva with two Russian policemen

Robin v/o: It was during your Generalship that we saw the collapse of Communism, and the opening up of Eastern Europe to Western...

Eva

Robin o/s: ... influence. Did the Salvation Army respond to this?

Eva sync: Oh yes, this was a wonderful opportunity really. In fact, in think in my Generalship I was often anticipating certain things that would happen. I always liked to look ahead and try to plan. But this was something nobody could plan for. It was the unexpected moment.

Colour archive footage the Berlin wall being pulled down

Eva v/o: And so when the Berlin Wall was breached and we saw those...

Archive footage people protesting

Eva v/o: ... phenomenal ...

Colour archive footage protesters celebrating

Eva v/o: ... scenes of them shouting ‘Freiheit!’

Eva

Eva sync: Freedom, Freedom. Then the Salvation Army had to suddenly say “What are we going to do about this?” Because East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary...

Photo of Eva holding child’s hand. Other Salvation army members in b/g

Eva: ... and the whole of the Soviet Union had been closed to the Salvation Army. And so I called...

Eva

Eva sync: ... some of the European leaders together and we decided to go immediately back to those countries. And to see what opportunities we would have.

Photo of Eva talking to Vaclev Havel

Fade up on super: Prague, 1991

Eva v/o: One of the most interesting discussions I had was with that great leader in Czechoslovakia, Vaclev Havel. He had been imprisoned...

Photo Eva praying next to Vaclev Havel

Eva v/o: ... during the Communist era. A great playwright and a man of great intellect, poet. I was looking forward to meeting him.

Eva

Eva sync: But anyway, he said “You know, during the Communist era, the Salvation Army’s name was made to be a disreputable name” he said. “Your reputation was pulled down by the Communist people.” But he said “Now, you know, on the television, we have seen your people feeding the hungry on the stations, and giving a place to sleep to those who are sleeping rough in the doorways.” He said “You only have to show that on television and people know all those stories were lies about the Salvation Army.

Photo of statue. Move down to see Eva and other woman speaking into microphones

Eva v/o: “We are so pleased to welcome you back.”

Robin v/o: One Communist leader that you met during this...

Eva

Robin o/s: ... time was Fidel Castro in Cuba. Was that a memorable encounter?

Eva sync: Yes...

Photo of Eva meeting Fidel Castro

Fade up on super: Cuba, 1992

Eva v/o: I had this amazing conversation with this man.

Eva

Eva sync: And he revealed a tremendous compassion for his people. He could tell me how many handicapped, disabled people in the country, where they were cared for — and he was challenging me, you know. “What can you do for us that we can’t do for ourselves?” And I spoke about our purpose and our ministry.

Photo of Eva shaking Fidel Castro’s hand

Eva v/o: And he gave us every indication that we were free to do anything in the country. And I looked at him...

Eva

Eva sync: ... you know, he had the most piercing eyes. And this beard, you know, that he had. And for a strange moment, I thought of William Booth, you know, who had the long beard and had marvellous eyes. And I thought what a pity that Castro had never found the truth in the Christian faith. And had found his ideal in the Communist philosophy. I still pray he might change his views.

Photo of Eva meeting members of the Salvation army

Robin v/o: You’ve said that relationships are the most important ...

Photo of Eva signing book for children who look on

Robin v/o: ... things to you in your life. Have you ever been tempted ..

Eva. Move into CU Eva

Robin o/s: ... towards a relationship with a man? Has there ever been a time when you thought of that?

Eva sync: Oh yes, I wouldn’t say tempted even. I think that’s pretty natural. And I have liked a lot of men in my life, enjoyed their company, and had a strong friendship with them. But perhaps I was as if tempted to move away from my vocation, my calling, when I came back to Australia after I’d worked in Africa for some years. And had a friendship which, to me, was a natural and beautiful one. But I had to come to a very serious decision — was I prepared to give up my ministry, my ordination, because this person was not ordained and had no desire for that kind of ministry and felt no calling to that. So that it was therefore a very big decision for me.

Photo of Eva in uniform

Eva v/o: And I doubt whether I would ever have been the General if had been married. Even to a ordained Salvationist.

Robin v/o: There’s a great air of confidence...

Eva

Fade to black

Robin o/s: ... about you, and you’re somebody who can speak about your gifts very frankly. Has it been an advantage to you in life,or was it ever a problem that people felt you were a little too confident?

Eva sync: Oh, I think it certainly helped in my own leadership. But it’s not a sense of self confidence or self pride. It is an awareness that those gifts have come to me from my parents, from God and from my own hard work efforts. And therefore I shouldn’t be ashamed of them, I shouldn’t pretend I haven’t got them. And it’s in order to thank God by using them that I can be confident. So that in that sense there is a spiritual dimension to the fact that I can explain my gifts and accept them. I think earlier in my life I was arrogant about that. I perhaps had a tendency to think well I can preach better than somebody else. And if people were to be chosen to preach at some place I’d say “Oh I’ll do that.” Because I thought I could do it. But as I developed and matured, I began to realise that it wasn’t so much what I did that was important to God, but what I was. So I concentrated much more on being the person God wanted me to be, and let him use me as he would. And therefore I really am not proud, I’m not a proud person. I’m a grateful person, grateful for those gifts that I have.

Fade up on Salvation army parade marching past camera.

Dissolve to:

Drum music

Picture of Eva preaching set against black screen

Credits roll over picture

Interviewer
ROBIN HUGHES

Director of Photography
JENNI MEANEY

Additional Stills Photography
ROMAN BASKA

Music

Credits roll

Sound Recordist
MARK TARPEY

Sound Post Production
MICHAEL GISSING
DIGITAL CITY STUDIOS

Promotions Manager
MICHELLE O’RIORDAN

Music

Credits roll

Production Supervisor
IAN ADKINS

Production Accountant
JANETTE GOULD

Unit Co-ordinator
JEANNINE BAKER

Production Co-ordinator
SARAH MASON
TEAME Group Trainee

Music

Credits roll

Online Editor
ROEN DAVIS
VISUALEYES

Archive Sources

General Eva Burrows
Colonel Henry Gariepy
The Salvation Army
Brisbane State High School
University of Queensland Archives
ABC TV Footage Sales

Music

Credits roll

Researched by
LINDA KRUGER and
SARAH MASON
TEAME Group Trainee

Edited by
LINDA KRUGER

Produced and Directed by
ROBIN HUGHES and
LINDA KRUGER

Music

Credits roll

Executive Producer
SHARON CONNOLLY

Made in association with SBS TV

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Music

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