This painting was part of the original furnishings of the St Nicholas' Mission to Seamen's Church at 139 Nelson Place, Williamstown, Victoria. The Church was operated by the Mission to Seamen organisation. It was donated to the Church by the Williamstown Lightkeepers' Auxiliary. THE MISSIONS TO SEAMEN (Brief History: for more, see our Reg. No. 611, Set of Pews) The Missions to Seamen was an Anglican charity that served seafarers of the world since 1856 in Great Britain. It symbol is a Flying Angel, inspired by a Bible verse. Today there are centres in over 200 ports worldwide where seamen of all backgrounds are offered a warm welcome and provided with a wide range of facilities. In Victoria, the organisation began in Williamstown in 1857 as a Sailors’ Church, also known as ‘Bethel’ or the ‘Floating Church’ in 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 painting 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 painting is historically significant for its connection to the Williamstown Lightkeepers’ Auxiliary, an organisation of women, formed to support seafarers. The connection of this painting to the Mission to Seamen and to the Ladies Lightkeepers’ Auxiliary 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. Painting, oil on board, behind glass framed with wood. Portrait of a child dressed in white, kneeling in prayer, within a dark room. The artist, P Butcher, titled the picture "The Infant Samuel". This object is part of the St Nicholas Seamen's Church Collection.Painted at centre bottom edge "THE INFANT SAMUEL.", and right bottom edge "B. BUTCHER"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, painting, oil painting, religious painting, infant samuel, p butcher, religious worship, worship service, mission to seafarers, st nicholas missions to seamen’s church williamstown, missions to seamen, st nicholas missions to seamen’s church flagstaff hill, 139 nelson place williamstown, anglican church, church furnishings, religious furnishings

This document provides a detailed family history of Samuel Dobson and Frances Alice Bassford, tracing their origins, migration, and descendants from 19th-century England to Australia. The Dobson family traces back to Samuel Dobson, born around 1780 in Stepney, London, a scalemaker. William Dobson (b. 1809), son of Samuel, married Mary Ann Kitchen in 1833. They had twelve children, including Samuel Dobson (b. 1844), the main subject. The family lived in Stepney, London, during a period of significant social and industrial change. Samuel Dobson was born in 1844 in London, the sixth child of William and Mary Ann Dobson. He married Frances Alice Bassford in 1867. Frances was born in Tamworth, Staffordshire, in 1849, the daughter of Thomas and Sarah Bassford. Samuel and Frances, with their infant son, Samuel William, emigrated to Australia in 1868 aboard the clipper ship "Highflyer. "The voyage took 83 days, arriving in Melbourne in December 1868. They settled first in Melbourne, then moved to Bendigo during the gold mining boom. The Dobsons lived in Bendigo for about 15 years, where Samuel worked as a draughtsman and later in mining-related roles. Seven children were born in Bendigo, with three infants delivered stillborn. The family experienced both the excitement and challenges of the gold rush era. The family later moved to South Melbourne and then to Moonee Ponds, Melbourne, where more children were born. Frances’s sister, Edith Bassford, married George Lansell, a prominent mining magnate in Bendigo. Samuel Dobson was active in local cricket, playing against notable teams and figures. The Dobson family became well-established in Melbourne, with several members working for Buchanan and Brock Pty. Ltd., and participating in community and sporting activities. Samuel Dobson died in 1933 at age 89. Frances lived to 101, passing away in 1950, and was celebrated for her longevity and family contributions. The document includes family trees, photographs, and letters, illustrating the family’s growth and connections across generations. By Frances’s 100th birthday, the family included numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren, highlighting a lasting legacy.Lansell Articles - A History of the Dobson Family - High Flyer to Port Phillip by William T Dobson, donated by Mrs H Smith of Ferny Creek Victoria This item contains the following documents which are photocopies of the originals: 11217.69a1 The journal contains 46 A4 pages of text, and several pages of photos along with the family tree and detailed family history of Samuel Dobson and Frances Alice Bassford 11217.69a2 A large family tree approx 3 x A3 sheets wide by W T Dobson in 1978 - Contact the BHS for details 11217.69b Black and white diamond wedding anniversay photo of Franes Alice aged 77 and Samuel aged 82. They were married on Feb 28th in 1927non-fictionbendigo, fortuna, george lansell, samuel dobson, frances alice bassford, edith bassord, edith lansell

Hubert and Beulah Alice (Simpson) Rutter had five children: Hubert Jnr. (Joe) in 1913, David in 1915, June in 1917, Donald in 1922 and Samuel in 1926. Samuel died as an infant aged 17 days. Hubert was a notable figure in Eltham and beyond, with a career as a mining manager in Australia and Malaya. He served in the AIF in the First World War. While the children were growing up at ‘Yarra Braes’, Eltham, their father was an Eltham Shire Councillor in the 1920s, shire president in 1928 and a leading figure in establishing the Shire of Eltham War Memorial League, which was responsible for building the Shire of Eltham War Memorial tower at Kangaroo Ground, near where the Shire Offices were located until the 1930s. The Rutter name was commemorated after the war at Eltham High School with one of the schoolhouses named ‘Rutter House’ and at Geelong Grammar School until the 1960s where a ‘Rutter Badge’ was awarded to junior boys for leadership. The family home, ‘Yarra Braes’ was destroyed in the devasting Black Friday bushfire, 13 January 1939 and Beulah relocated to Toorak, Hubert working in Western Australia. Tragedy struck the family again December 19, 1940 when daughter June was killed after falling from the Heidelberg train on to an adjacent track into the path of a Reservoir train at Victoria Park station. Sons David and Donald both served in the R.A.A.F. during the Second World War and were killed in action, David in Libya in 1941 and Donald in Germany in 1945. The wreck of his plane and his body were not recovered at the time and Hubert never ceased to chase down leads as to his whereabouts. Beulah never gave up hope that Donald was still alive. Hubert had received several reports shortly after the war that his son was still alive but these were ultimately accepted as misidentification. Such was the anguish of the grieving parents, their son’s plane not found to confirm the fact for certain. Hubert wrote to the Air Force in frustration, failing to understand how the plane could disappear when it crashed in a relatively populated area. Unfortunately the answers came too late for Beulah who died in 1946 and was buried in Eltham Cemetery along with her daughter June and baby Samuel. Donald’s plane was eventually located and his body recovered in 1949. He is buried in the Hanover War Cemetery, Germany. David is commemorated on Column 245, Alamein Memorial, Egypt. Both David and Donald are commemorated on Eltham’s Roll of Honour Board, commissioned by the Eltham War Memorial Trust to be hung in the Baby Health Centre, part of the Eltham War Memorial building precinct. Hubert Senior and Hubert Junior both continued to work in the mining industry in Western Australia. Hubert senior died 1957 at Plantagenet Western Australia and Hubert junior in 1979 at Gascoyne, Western Australia. Sacred to the memory of Beulah AliceBeloved wife of Hubert Rutter Died August 21st 1946 also June Beloved daughter of Beulah and Hubert Rutter Died 19th December 1940 aged 23 years Also her baby brother Samuel Died 7th October 1926, aged 17 daysBorn Digitaleltham cemetery, gravestones, beulah alice rutter, hubert rutter, june rutter, samuel rutter

Photograph (Proof 63) of a group of six adults standing in front of the verandah of a farmhouse. There are three men and three women , one of the women is holding and infant. In the foreground there is an unpainted picket fence. VERY faded names can be seen written around the edges of the photo, viz., Samuel and Sarah, Henrietta Wright, Samuel , Robert, Frank, Blanchebuildings, house, farn huose, farm house