This pair of brass altar vases is from the St. Nicholas Seamen’s Church, 139 Nelson Place, Williamstown, Victoria, during religious services there. The Church was operated by the Mission to Seamen organisation. Each vase is inscribed with the donors' names and the year of presentation - Margaret R. Pearson 1944, Mrs B Raybould 1944, - and the maker's name T. Gaunt & Co. The two donors presented the vases to St Nicholas Seamen's Church in Williamstown as part of the furniture and furnishings for the new church that officially opened in 1944. T. Gaunt & Co. engraved on both vases. T. Gaunt & Co. of Melbourne, is a manufacturer, importer and retailer of a wide variety of goods including jewellery, clocks and watches, navigational and measuring instruments, dinnerware, glassware and ornaments. Thomas Gaunt's photograph was included in an album of security identity portraits of members of the Victorian Court, Centennial International Exhibition, Melbourne, 1888. THE MISSIONS TO SEAMEN (Brief History: for more, see our Reg. No. 611, Set of Pews) The Missions to Seamen, an Anglican charity, has served seafarers of the world since 1856 in Great Britain. It symbol is a Flying Angel, inspired by a Bible verse. Today there are centr4es in over 200 ports world-wide where seamen of all backgrounds are offered a warm welcome and provided with a wide range of facilities. In Victoria the orgainsation began in Williamstown in 1857. It was as a Sailors’ Church, also known as ‘Bethel’ or the ‘Floating Church’. Its location was an old hulk floating in Hobson’s Bay, Port of Melbourne. It soon became part of the Missions to Seamen, Victoria. In the year 2000 the organisation, now named Mission to Seafarers, still operated locally in Melbourne, Portland, Geelong and Hastings. The Ladies’ Harbour Lights Guild was formed in 1906 to support the Missions to Seamen in Melbourne and other centres such as Williamstown. Two of the most significant ladies of the Guild were founder Ethel Augusta Godfrey and foundation member Alice Sibthorpe Tracy (who established a branch of the Guild in Warrnambool in 1920). The Guild continued its work until the 1960s. In 1943 a former Williamstown bank was purchased for the Missions to Seaman Club. The chapel was named St Nicholas’ Seamen’s Church and was supported by the Ladies’ Harbour Lights Guild, the Williamstown Lightkeepers’ Auxiliary and the League of Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Friends. It ceased operation in 1966. A Missions to Seamen Chapel and Recreation Room was a significant feature of ports during the late 1800s and into the 1900s. It seemed appropriate for Flagstaff Hill to include such a representation within the new Maritime Village, so the Melbourne Board of Management of Missions to Seamen Victoria gave its permission on 21st May 1979 for the entire furnishings of the Williamstown chapel to be transferred to Flagstaff Hill. The St Nicholas Seamen’s Church was officially opened on October 11, 1981 and closely resembles the Williamstown chapel. This par of vases is significant historically for its origin in the St Nicholas Mission to Seamen's Church in Williamstown, established in 1857 to cater for the physical, social, and spiritual needs of seafarers. It originated in Bristol, England when a Seamen's Mission was formed in 1837. The connection of pair of vases to the original donation to the Mission to Seamen highlights the strong community awareness of the life of people at sea, their dangers and hardships, and their need for physical, financial, spiritual and moral support. Vase: pair of two polished brass altar vases, round, pear-shaped, bulbous body on a round pedestal, two neck rings and flared lips. Inscriptions on both vases in script around the base. Made by T. Gaunt & Co. One was presented to the church by Margaret R Pearson and the other presented by Mrs B. Raybould in 1944 The vases are part of the St Nicholas Seamen's Church Engraved on the 625.1 "Presented By Margaret R. Pearson 1944." Engraved on 625.2 "Presented By Mrs B. Raybould. 1944." Both engraved "T GAUNT & Co"flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, religion, religious service, st nicholas seamen’s church, williamstown, missions to seamen victoria, brass vases, metal craft, brassware, altar vase, church vase, mrs r raybould, margaret r pearson, t gaunt & co, church furnishing

This framed document titled "The Victorian Missions to Seamen, St Nicholas Seamen's Church Williamstown" shows a list of donors of significant items to the St Nicholas Missions to Seamen's Church in Williamstown when the new building opened in 1944. The organisation ceased in 1966 and the furnishings were later donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village in Warrnambool by the Missions to Seamen Victoria. The transcription of the document is as follows: The Victoria Missions to Seamen, St Nicholas Seamen's Church, Williamstown To the Glory of God List of Gifts Altar - Mrs. and Miss J.R. Schutt Cross - Mrs. R.J. Ewart Chalice and Paten - Mr. and Mrs. Percy Taylor 1 Pair Altar Lights - Mrs. R.J. Ewart 1 Pair Altar Lights - Mrs. M. Jackson Sanctuary Lamp - Miss C. Roberts Rerebos - Miss. M. Breaks, in memoriam Miss. L.A. Breaks Sanctuary Window - Victoria Missions to Seamen Lightkeepers' Auxiliary Missal - Mrs. R.J. Ewart Missal Desk - Mrs. R. Hodgkiss Altar Vases - Mrs. R. Kaybould Bible - Mrs. R.J. Ewart Sanctuary Chairs - Mr. and Mrs. F.H. Twist Credence Table - Mrs. F. Clark Altar Dish – Mrs L. Clark Font - Mr. and Mrs. C.V. Dyble Prayer Desk - H.M.H.S. "Centaur" Reed Organ - "Joy Club for Fighters" Collection Plates - Mr. D. MacKae Hymn Board - St. David's Musical Society, Brighton Pews, Carpet and Hangings - Williamstown Lightkeepers' Auxiliary Bell - Mrs. A.L. Feenes THE MISSIONS TO SEAMEN (Brief History: for more, see our Reg. No. 611, Set of Pews) The Missions to Seamen, an Anglican charity, has served seafarers of the world since 1856 in Great Britain. It symbol is a Flying Angel, inspired by a Bible verse. Today there are centr4es in over 200 ports world-wide where seamen of all backgrounds are offered a warm welcome and provided with a wide range of facilities. In Victoria the orgainsation began in Williamstown in 1857. It was as a Sailors’ Church, also known as ‘Bethel’ or the ‘Floating Church’. Its location was an old hulk floating in Hobson’s Bay, Port of Melbourne. It soon became part of the Missions to Seamen, Victoria. In the year 2000 the organisation, now named Mission to Seafarers, still operated locally in Melbourne, Portland, Geelong and Hastings. The Ladies’ Harbour Lights Guild was formed in 1906 to support the Missions to Seamen in Melbourne and other centres such as Williamstown. Two of the most significant ladies of the Guild were founder Ethel Augusta Godfrey and foundation member Alice Sibthorpe Tracy (who established a branch of the Guild in Warrnambool in 1920). The Guild continued its work until the 1960s. In 1943 a former Williamstown bank was purchased for the Missions to Seaman Club. The chapel was named St Nicholas’ Seamen’s Church and was supported by the Ladies’ Harbour Lights Guild, the Williamstown Lightkeepers’ Auxiliary and the League of Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Friends. It ceased operation in 1966. A Missions to Seamen Chapel and Recreation Room was a significant feature of ports during the late 1800s and into the 1900s. It seemed appropriate for Flagstaff Hill to include such a representation within the new Maritime Village, so the Melbourne Board of Management of Missions to Seamen Victoria gave its permission on 21st May 1979 for the entire furnishings of the Williamstown chapel to be transferred to Flagstaff Hill. The St Nicholas Seamen’s Church was officially opened on October 11, 1981 and closely resembles the Williamstown chapel. This document is significant through its association with the St Nicholas' Mission to Seamen Church in Williamstown, Melbourne, established in 1857. The document is socially significant as it connects the community of Williamstown with the St Nicholas' Missions to Seamen and represents the importance of the church to the community. The items in our collection from the Missions to Seamen in Williamstown, Victoria, have historical and social significance. They show that people of the 1800s and 1900s cared about the seafarers’ religious, moral, and social welfare, no matter what the religion, social status or nationality. It had its origins in Bristol, England when a Seamen's Mission was formed in 1837. The first Australian branch was started in 1856 by the Rev. Kerr Johnston, a Church of England clergyman, and operated from a hulk moored in Hobson's Bay; later the Mission occupied buildings in Williamstown and Port Melbourne. Document titled "The Victorian Missions to Seamen, St Nicholas Seamen's Church Williamstown". The document is a list of gifts originally given to the St Nicholas Seaman's Church in Williamstown, Victoria. The document is mounted in a decorative wooden frame with glass cover. This is one of the original items in our ‘St Nicholas Seamen's Church Williamstown Collection’.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, framed document, donations to st nicholas seamen's church williamstown, 139 nelson place williamstown, religion, religious service, sailors rest, bethel sailors’ church, bethel floating church, ladies harbour light guild, mission to seafarers, st nicholas seaman’s church williamstown, mission to seamen williamstown, st nicholas seamen’s church flagstaff hill, flying angel club, mrs. and miss j.r. schutt, mrs. r.j. ewart, mr. and mrs. percy taylor, mrs. m. jackson, miss c. roberts, miss. l.a. breaks, miss. m. breaks, victoria missions to seamen lightkeepers' auxiliary, mrs. r. hodgkiss, mrs. r. kaybould, mr. and mrs. f.h. twist, mrs. f. clark, mrs l. clark, mr. and mrs. c.v. dyble, h.m.h.s. "centaur", "joy club for fighters", mr. d. mackae, williamstown lightkeepers' auxiliary, mrs. a.l. feenes, st. david's musical society brighton

Altar decorated for a Palm Sunday.st peter chapel, altar, cross, vases, palm trees, stained glass window, palm sunday, credence, alm's dish, altar lectern

The postcard depicts the St Peter chapel in its early years with all the gifts for donors and the original carpet in the sanctuary.The postcard depicts the original, untouched look of the chapel with the fleur-de lys carpet, pews, lectern, choir stalls, pulpit, altar, altar lectern, credence and alm's dish.Postcard depicting the interior of the St Peter chapel of the Centre Seamen's Institute shot in the centre of the have and focusing on the sanctuary.At the back in blue ink: With love from Dad/ This was taken some time ago/ They now have candles on the altar. Top corner in the stamp area in pencil: 2flinders street, pews, altar, st peter chapel, flag, chapel, pulpit, choir stalls, credence table, alm's dish, vases, flowers, carpet, fleur de lys

The St Peter chapel was furnished thanks to donations of supporters of the Mission. Some were donated for the previous temporary chapel at the Sidney Street site and some are lost. - Holy Table (altar): donated by Mrs Shuter, in Memoriam of Charles Shuter - Cross: - Vases (lost) - Stained Glass Windows: donated by Misses Edith and Ruby Forge, in Memoriam J. Leslie Forge - Altar Lectern - Alms Dish: donated by the Godfrey sisters in Memoriam of their parents - Credence Table: donated by - Sanctuary Chairs: donated by Miss Gladys Hawkey - Sanctuary Rail - Choir Stalls and Chancel Screen - Lectern (donated in 1909) - Pulpit (donated in 1907) - Prayer Desk (a plaque to Goldsmith) - Bible and Prayer Books - Font - Cover for Font - Pews - Offertory Collection Plates (lost) - Music Cupboard in Vestry (lost) The document lists all the gifts donated by generous supporters of the Mission in 1917. The chapel was built during World War 1 as. memorial to the merchant seamen lost during the war. These items are still in the chapel today.A4 document on cream colour paper, wording in black ink.gifts, chapel of st peter, flinders street, mission to seafarers, mission to seamen, gladys amy hawkey (1886-1974), reverend alfred gurney goldsmith, gifts-1917, amelia shuter nee lord, beatrice elizabeth higgins (nee shuter), charles shuter

B&W photo showing the altar in the St Martins Anglican Church, Belgrave South, prior to its relocation. The photo shows the wooden altar, covered with a gold and white altar cloth and a white lace overlay. On the top are two candlesticks and a small vase with flowers, and behind them in a raised part are two larger vases with flowers and a cross on the top of a stepped plinth. The top of the altar is surrounded by riddels (curtains) supported by riddel posts. On the wall behind the altar is the stained glass window, 'The Light Of The World'. In front of the altar on the right can be seen part of the railing between the sanctuary and the nave.

Black and white photograph: St. Mary's Church of England. Church altar, cross in centre, cross on left hand side, cross and banner on right hand side, 2 vases with flowers, 2 candlesticks. Alter rail in front. Hanging lamp. Large hand painted mural by A Moller above altar, mainly crucifixion scene.Herald Sunbuildings, church, st marys, copyright not for reproduction. herald sun photograph supplied by feature service the herald & weekly times ltd. melbourne australia