Catherine and William Booth (a former Methodist minister) founded the Salvation Army in London's East End in 1865. it was originally known as the 'Christian Mission' and the name, 'the Salvation Army' was adopted in 1878.

The Booths were concerned as much about the physical welfare of the destitute masses living in London's slums (their problems mostly a result of the Industrial Revolution) as well as their spiritual welfare.

The first headquarters in WA was set up in 1897 in a former skating rink at 57 Murray Street, Perth, and the Salvation Army had an early presence in Highgate when their Rescue Home (opened in 1895 in Summers Street, East Perth) was moved to Lincoln Street in December 1897.

The Salvation Army Citadel in Barlee Street was constructed in 1918 after the Highgate Army Corp was established. Designed by Mr A. C. Brett, the building was 50 feet in length and 25 feet in breadth, and had a seating capacity of over 250 people. The entire building, including land, cost £1,075. Newspapers of the day noted that the new Citadel was of a design similar to Salvation Army Buildings found in the eastern states. It was opened on Saturday 10 August 1918 and the hall wall had painted Salvation Army emblems of “Jesus – Strong to Deliver, Mighty to Save” (the refrain from a hymn written by Herbert Booth, William Booth’s son) and “Blood and Fire” (the motto of the Salvation Army).

In 1973, the Citadel was converted to function as a social hall for the Cracovia Club, illustrating the change in demography and immigrants. Cracovia Club Inc first started its operation in 1950 and was registered with the West Australian Soccer Association as a Polish Sports Club. The Club’s first premises were established in the former Salvation Army citadel in Barlee Street, Mount Lawley, which was completely run down. It was purchased and renovated by the Club members, although they still had to play their games at other grounds. All the work was done by volunteers who put in hundreds of hours of work to restore the building.

In 1978, four hectares of land were bought by the Cracovia Club for $50,000 in Beechboro with the intention of establishing sports grounds and other amenities in the one complex, and in November 1988 the foundation stone for the new Polish Community Centre in Beechboro was laid. The building at 69 Barlee Street in 1989 became the Vietnamese Catholic Community Centre having been bought by then Chaplain Fr Francis Ly for daily Mass.

In 1996, Fr Francis Ly went on to purchase an old sports Centre in Chipala Road, Balga, which would become their Mass and Community Centre, and sold the building at #69. It was subsequently used as a residential home and later leased out as office space for about 10 years.

The building was finally bought by Rohan Milne in February 2021 and with new signage became the Rohan Jewellers’ new headquarters and workshop