In January 1929, two parties were organised in the honour of the Wellers as they left Melbourne. Reverend Weller had been appointed assistant superintendent to the headquarters of the Missions to Seamen in London. They boarded the Osterley on the 22 January. Unfortunately Mrs Weller died in 1934. Many ladies on the photograph are yet to be identified. Refer to the identification numbers: 7 - Alexina Weller (nee Caley) (marked by red cross). 8 - Alice Sibthorpe Tracy 20 - Ethel Godfrey 23 - Dora walker Group portrait of the Ladies Harbour Light Guild in the cloister at the Mission to Seamen Flinders Street. Written in blue ink at the back: Farewell party in courtyard Missions to Seamen for Mrs Wellerlhlg, alexina weller (nee caley), dora walker, ethel augusta godfrey, alice sibthorpe tracy

This album containing 50 photographs depicts a year at the Mission in 1928: Wedding of the Dora Walker with Harry Simpson on 14 February. Picnic at Riversdale Hawthorn, 1 January 1928 Ships in Port Melbourne in November: HMAS Australia, HMAS Brisbane, and destroyers Anzac, Success, Swordsman Wharfs, Victoria Dock, Stevedores Picnic in Finhaven, Kew, the Buchan's Property for Cup Day (6 November) Views of Port Melbourne from 1888 building Monday 29 October: return of Archbishop of Melbourne (Dr. Harrington Lees), who had spent a 10-month holiday in England with his wife. Arrival on the RMS Maloja Two photographs are missing.Pre Great Depression, 1928 was a difficult year in Melbourne and also for the Mission. Ships were rare on the wharfs meaning seamen were also rare in the missions. However they started the fundraising for the extension of the 1888 Port Melbourne building which was becoming too small. At the end of the year, Reverend Weller announced he was appointed assistant in London. He and his wife Alexina left in January 1929 after five years. They sailed on the Osterley on the 22 January 1929.Embossed yellow font on cover reads: ALBUMfan, strikes, police, reverend john reginald weller (1880-1969), alexina weller (nee caley), freda oxley, hmas australia, hmas brisbane, great depression, unemployment, port melbourne, station pier, sugar cane, queensland, dora simpson nee walker, weddings, cup day, finhaven, kew, the ducketts, mrs john buchan, flinders street extension, gasworks, wharfs, victoria dock, motorboat, southern cross, success, destroyers, football, sports, rms maloja, lhlg, fan album, anzac, swordsman, freda kathleen oxley 1882-1969, annie alexandrina caley (known as alexina) 1885-1934

Reverend Weller succeeded the senior chaplain role after Rev Gurney Goldsmith in the mid 1920s until the end of the decade. He was a keen photographer himself. Freda Kathleen Oxley (1882-1969) pictured here holding a camera took pictures during a voyage to Melbourne on S.S. Persic via Cape Town in 1925. An album of 126 photographs is now held at the National Library of Australia in Canberra., containing views of the Mission to Seamen, Melbourne, with visiting sailors and clergy; family groups, gardens, ships, church picnics, a wedding, some views of Portsea. She seems to have been a childhood friend of Mrs Weller as she was like her born in Windsor, UK. She lived in the chaplaincy for 3 years and became a volunteer; she can be seen in a few photographs of picnics. She left in 1929 shortly after the Wellers (see Jottings Easter 1929) and went back to the UK.Provides early 20th C. records of MTS senior personnel and images of LHLG supporters and members.small black and white photograph mounted on an album page depicting clerically dressed male figure flanked by two females in 1920s dress posed in front of a large palm tree. on page 12On album page handwritten: "Reverend JR Weller, Mrs Weller, Mrs Orley (holding a Kodak Brownie camera)"alexina weller (nee caley), reverend john reginald weller, finhaven, kew, mr john inerrarity buchan, cup day, freda oxley, 1928, ss persic, fan album, annie alexandrina caley (known as alexina) 1885-1934, freda kathleen oxley 1882-1969

weller album, reverend john reginald weller (1880-1969), alexina weller (nee caley)

Reverend John Weller and his wife with young officers on the terrace of the Manse.Reverend Weller, his wife Alexina (nee Caley) and young sailors are posing on the terrace of the Mission, Flinders Street. In the background we can see the Harbour Bond Store with the inscription "-ne 770-" (Phone 7704).alexina weller (nee caley), officers, manse, reverend john reginald weller (1880-1969), terrace, weller album, 1926, verandah

Alexina Weller was the first wife of Reverend Weller. They arrived in Melbourne in January 1925. They lived in the Mission's Manse for 4 years. Alexina was part of the Ladies Harbour Lights Guild. They left in January 1929 for South America. She died in January 1934.The organ was donated in memory of Mrs Weller as a member of the Ladies Harbour Lights Guild. Next to the organ is the plaque dedicated to Olive Cramer who must have played on this organ during services.Wooden organ with memorial plaque to Alexina Weller on the right sidePlaque: In Loving Memory of / Alexina Weller / Wife of the Rev. J.R. Weller M.A. / Formerly chaplain of the Victoria Missions to Seamen / Died in England 20th January 1934alexina weller (nee caley), reverend john reginald weller (1880-1969), suttons, annie alexandrina caley (known as alexina) 1885-1934

This is a copy of an album of photographs held at the National Library of Australia. The album was photographed by Reverend's Weller grand daughter. Freda Oxley was a friend of the Wellers. She was born in Windsor in 1882 and Alexina Weller (nee Caley) was born in 1885 also in Windsor. She travelled on the SS Persic from England and arrived in 1925. She stayed at the Mission for several years, and became a host of the many picnics, making friends with the ladies from the Guild, taking photographs of people and events. Page 1 to 3: Outward Bound - SS Persic - September 26th .... November 12th 1925 Page 4: Interiors of the Mission to Seamen Melbourne Page 5: Page 6: Page 7: Page 8: Freda Oxley, the Wellers, Alexina Weller, Xmas Day 1927, Dora Walker and Rev. Weller Page 9: Gardens: the photographs show the garden's plants in its early years / Botanical Gardens / Nellie Melba's gardens in her estate Coombe: Walter Butler, the architect of the Mission had designed some extensions for Nellie Melba's estate and part of the gardens of the property, so it was likely through they acquaintance that the Mission's reverend and friends were invited. Page 10:This album provides photographs of the Mission's interiors, garden, staff, guests and activities during the Wellers stay. It also provides the provenance of the Weller album held in the Mission's collection.The album was donated to the National Library of Australia by Miss Elizabeth Phillips, with her address in England, with a typed note attached that reads: 'These photographs were taken by my aunt Miss Freda Oxley between 1925 and 1928. She went out to Melbourne at that time and stayed at the Mission to Seamen with her friends the Revd Jack Weller and Mrs Weller. The Revd Weller later became Bishop of the Falkland Islands.'freda kathleen oxley 1882-1969, ss persic, gardens, botanical garden, picnics, officers, portsea, sydney, rev. w.m robertson, dora simpson nee walker, wedding, alice sibthorpe tracy, ethel augusta godfrey 1861-1935, royal botanical garden, nellie melba, coombe, zoo, seamen, sailors, walter richmond butler (1864–1949), juan oyarzo, john oyarzo, fern tree gully, kerferd family