John Rodney Oliver (7 July 1931 – 26 September 2010) was the son of Frank and Moira. Rodney Oliver was born on 7 July 1931, and lived for many years at the Missions to Seamen at the Flinders St Extension. Rodney was schooled at Melbourne Grammar, matriculating in 1948. Then, after a couple of years as a lumberjack and jackaroo, he commenced at University of Melbourne, beginning more than half a century’s association with Trinity College. Graduating with a BA in 1953, Rodney then made the first of many trips to England, reading theology at Bishop’s College, Cheshunt. A man who revelled in scholarship, he was also a competitive and energetic bowler, snooker and squash player. Ordained deacon on 23 September 1956, in the St Albans Diocese, his first ministry as curate began at the picturebook village of Much Hadham, where he met the love of his life, Lesley Brooks. Rodney was ordained priest on 5 January 1958, at the Missions to Seamen, Melbourne, commenced twelve years as Chaplain of Ballarat Grammar School in February 1958, and returned to England to marry Lesley in early 1961. Each of his and Lesley’s four children, Jeremy (TC 1979), David, Antony and Kate (TC 1987) was born at that time, during which amongst other things, Rodney taught Religious Instruction, Latin and English, pioneered bushwalking and mountain climbing in western Victoria, ran a large scouting group and coached an Australian archer.Medium format photograph depicting two chaplains.rodney oliver, frank leslie oliver, mission to seafarers, flinders street, st peter chapel, courtyard, ordination, john rodney oliver (1931-2010)

The Ballarat Branch Committee and girls of Lucas & Co. raised the money for the memorial window in Good Chapel of Saint Peter which is dedicated to the men of the Jervis Bay and all Merchant seamen who gave their lives in the world wars. To see a picture of the actual window go to VC database Mtsv record 0035.Regionally based support across Victoria provided crucial funds to the Mission for Seafarer welfare, activities and operations. This support was very often sourced either through a country Auxiliary group based in places such as Ballarat, Camperdown, Hamilton, Bendigo and other similar towns or centres. Op shops and CWA, Church Auxiliaries and other similar charities mainly operated by the womenfolk of the respective communities, recognized the vital importance of 19th and 20th C Merchant and Military Naval services to the development of Australia. The cumulative local fundraising efforts helped maintain the work of the Coastal based Mission services to seafarers.Rectangular brass plaque mounted to wood board.This window was erected by the Ballarat Branch of the Victoria Missions to Seamen and the Lucas Girls 1946.ballarat, lucas girls, lucas & co., 1946, window, plaque, ww2, world war 2, textile company, lucas clothing factory

Two plaques in chapel are mentioning the donation of lights for the chapel: one mentions the standard lights donated by the Williamstown Lightkeepers Auxiliary in 1966 for the Sanctuary and another one (in the Baptistry) mentions the church lighting in memory of Miss Kimberley, Ballarat, December 1975.chapel, flinders street, st peter chapel, mission to seafarers, seamen's mission, miss kimberley