The text reads: "This Print Represents The Chapel for Seamen... Port of London Society... Instituted March 18th 1818... Chapel for Seamen is moored off Wapping Stairs in the River Thames. View of the Interior (inset)"Excerpt from the autobiography of Robert Humphrey Marten (1763-1839) which he wrote at the request of his children on his 60th birthday. (As far as the donor's knowledge it only circulates within the family, so some of these details may not be recorded elsewhere about how the Mission to the Seafarers began. --------- Robert Humphrey Marten (1763-1839) left school at the age of about 14 to be employed in a “Counting House” in the City of London. Unfortunately, before the five years of his apprenticeship expired, the merchant ceased trading as he had lost a lot of money gambling. Marten made his way however and took opportunities which offered and eventually set up his own business with two of his sons, Robert and Charles. He was a Dissenter (non-conformist), active in his church and in many charitable works, as overseer of the poor for his parish, raising money for families in Germany impoverished by the Napoleonic wars, was a member of the Royal Humane Society and so it is not altogether surprising to find him in 1817 taking up the cause of sailors discharged from warships living on the streets: --- The Autobiography of R H Marten Esq of Plaistow Essex (1763-1839) “The deplorable condition of sailors discharged from the ships of war and now wanted for commerce – (trade being most woefully dull) attracted towards the close of the Year the notice and began to press upon the feelings of the Public. To relieve their urgent and personal distress I proposed a Public meeting – This was agreed to and Mr. Wilberforce was voted into the chair – A committee was formed and a noble subscription was most voluntarily supplied – Navy Captains and others gave most efficient assistance and Govt. lent some large ships to which the sailors were sent from the streets – were clothed and fed and the sick attended to and on the Sabbath Public Worship was performed on board. I was on this Committee which fully accomplish’d its humane purpose – and out of the Surplus fund sprang the present seaman’s floating Hospital where a sick or diseased seaman is received only on his presenting himself alongside and without any ticket or recommendation. For the greater benefit of seamen was sketched the present excellent establishment of the Merchant Seaman’s Auxiliary Bible Society of which Admiral Lord Viscount Exmouth is President. This was more formally instituted on the ---[space left to add date later]. I drew the outline of the address to the Public which was afterwards much improved by the Revd. Mr. Draltry and I had the honour to chalk out the plan which has been so well executed by the pious Lieut. Cox at Gravesend – to whose zealous and judicious activity the success of the institution is much indebted, and in December I published my ideas on the necessity and advantage of making some permanent accommodation for preaching the Gospel to the numerous sailors always to be found in the Port of London. This led ultimately to a public meeting on the 5 Feb. 1818 and to the formation of the Port of London Society for promoting Religion among seaman [sic]. As the Founder of the Society I became its Chairman and Treasurer and on its formal Institution on the 18 March 1818 the public appeared much gratified with the attempt about to be made to raise the moral character of a class of men who had been unaccountably and far too long in this respect overlooked. The large ship fitted by the Society most commodiously as a Chapel was in May following moored nearly on the spot where in October 1803 I was run down by a Gravesend Hoy and narrowly escaped with life – Churchmen and Dissenters contributed cheerfully to the cost – Officers of the Navy became subscribers, Noblemen visited this strange and converted ship – the Admiral Lord Gambier became the avowed President and the Chairman of the public Meetings, and what is of far more importance – sailors came to it on the Sabbath by hundreds willingly to worship their maker, and listen to instruction – until the Language in common use on the Thames was divested of its Blasphemy – and the voice of Prayer was heard from the mouths of Seamen; and the outposts and many Foreign ports imitated and thus honored the example of the Port of London in her society for promoting Religion among Seamen. The Floating Chapel was solemnly dedicated for divine worship on the 4 May 1818 when the morning sermon was preached by the Revd. Rowland Hill to a very crowded auditory. “[see illustration in separate email] Autobiography of R H Marten esq pp 33-34 (privately published monograph) Note: The incident (c 1803) he refers to in which he “was run down by a Gravesend Hoy…” is graphically described earlier in his memoir. The donor's family has a connection with R.H. Marten. through his sister Mary, who married Cornelius Berry on 9 February 1793. The donor's father, Hugh William Berry (1905-?) reprinted the autobiography of R.H. Marten. And, she has herself a connection with the Mission as she used to collect money for the Mission at school. Large print depicting a floating church in Londonfloating church, seamen, sailors, religion, london, r.h. marten esq, wapping stairs, river thames, port, robert humphrey marten (1763-1839), cate lewis, seamen's hospital, welfare, napoleonic wars, royal navy, merchant navy

Small circular metal container which stores six smaller circular metal containers of decreasing size which fit into or stack on one another. There is a latch to secure the lid of the primary container. Each of the containers features a small divot at the centre of their base (on the top face), the fourth container has a hole where this divot would typically be. Found in the top container location of the parent item.volum collection, apothecary, chemist, druggist, pharmacist, medicine

Small Bell shaped metal funnel with a large primary container which then is connected to a secondary elongated cylindrical portion with a narrow opening. Found in the top container location of the parent item.volum collection

British apothecaries’ Weight (pre 1864) as a standard measurement unit was used commonly in was used in and until the second half of the 19th century.A white circular cardboard container with a red lid and a paper label inscribed with the text “Weights” on top.Weightsvolum collection

This type of weights was used in the 19th century.Eleven brass, square shaped weights cut roughly square and filed to correct weightFront: Numeral with Unit in Script Lettering/Reverse: Apothecary Symbolvolum collection, weights, apothecary, pharmacy, medicine, drugs, medication

Nine weights made of a silver like material and are smaller in mass and size. These weights are all flat, rectangular pieces of metal each with a differing number of punched circles on them, likely to denote their mass.volum collection

Used to measure and pour liquid medicineDouble-ended measurement or pouring cup with a notched point for easy flow for substances exiting the container. Top cup is approximately four times the volume of the bottom cup. Each cup features two engraved bands near their respective rims. volum collection, chemist, druggist, medicine

Square based glass container with a circular opening on the top and a paper label with the cursive text: Calcined Magnesium. Features a corresponding metal lid with a red cork protrusion on the bottom to seal the container. Found in the top container location of the parent item.Calcined Magnesiumvolum collection,

Square based glass container with a circular opening on the top and a paper label with the cursive text: Carbonate of Soda. Features a corresponding metal lid with a red cork protrusion on the bottom to seal the container. Found in the top container location of the parent item.Carbonate of Sodavolum collection

Square based glass container with a circular opening on the top and a paper label with the cursive text : Epsom Salts. Features a corresponding metal lid with a red cork protrusion on the bottom to seal the container which is damaged revealing two metal hooks which are used to secure the cork piece to the lid. Found in the top container location of the parent item.Epsom Saltsvolum collection

Square based glass container with a circular opening on the top and a paper label with the text: ‘Cream of Tartar’. Features a corresponding metal lid with a red cork protrusion on the bottom to seal the container. Found in the top container location of the parent item.Cream of Tartarvolum collection

Long wooden bar with rounded top,and sheered ends. It is used to secure cutting board (2118.10) in place.volum collection

Ceramic cutting board with a smooth glossy top face which covers a raw rough object.volum collection, medicine, chemist, pharmacist, druggist

Small balance scale volum collection

Small glass container with a square base and an octagonal rim surrounding the circular opening on the top. Paper label with the text: ‘AEther’. Found within the front storage location of the parent item.AEthervolum collection, medicine, chemist, apothecary, ether

Minutes of the Williamstown committee of the Sailors' Rest created in 1878, and open on 24 May 1878. At the end, the pages also contains a list of books in the library of the Sailors' Rest and names of borrowers.sailors' rest, williamstown, sir william stawell, j. john halley, john courtis, library, books, minutes books

Typical light-hearted gathering of seafarers on a public holiday outing, organised by the mission on Monday 11 November 1907 for King's Birthday celebration (Edward VII), at "Ottawa", Toorak, the 82 acres estate of Mrs Jane A. Campbell between 1901 and 1911 when it became the property of John Archibald Campbell. (Heritage Overlay Review HO158)Small monochrome outdoor photograph, badly faded, depicting 20+ seafarers posed in a group with the central character wearing a dresstoorak, king's birthday, 1907, picnic, edward vii, mrs campbell, costume, ottawa, goldsmith album, lhlg, picnics, social events, entertainments

The photograph was taken on board the English four-masted barque Crocodile which was a a regular visitor of the Port Phillip bay ports, transporting wheat from Australia to the UK. A rare photograph of a ship's cook, a vital crew member on a voyage.Sepia photograph depicting the cook holding a tureen on board the ship Crocodile.Written in pencil at the back: "12"cook, barque crocodile, liverpool, tureen, goldsmith album, life on board, meals, steward

Barque CrocodilePhotograph was taken on the same ship as photograph 1660 and 1858Written in pencil at the back: "12"crews, barque crocodile, ships, tubs, sailors, deck, goldsmith album, life on board, meals

picnic, park, lhlg, sailors, social events, entertainments, seafarers, ladies harbour lights guild, goldsmith album