Headstone inscription: "In Affectionate Remembrance / EBENEZER JAMES / late Chaplain to the Naval Forces of Victoria / and / The Victorian Seamen's Mission/ This stone is erected / by Friends of all nationalities and creeds as a mark of esteem for his unselfish and consistent Christian efforts for the social and moral advancement of our sailors/ and / in recognition of.... his indefatigable and praiseworthy exertions the stamping out in Victoria of the cruel degrading maritime curse of crimping was mainly due. / Born 11th of March 1841 Died 14th of July 1901/ "A good deed is never lost. He who sows / courtesy reaps friendship and he who plants kindness gathers love." Basil. The Headstone was found at the Melbourne Cemetery, Carlton in 2016. Rev James worked at Port Melbourne and Williamstown Missions but was also a regular visit to Geelong and other coastal ports and beside encouraging fortnightly entertainments and Chapel services, actively shipvisiting to meet with Seamen.This image documents in full the inscription on this commissioned marble headstone marking the grave of a significant figure, the second Chaplain at Port Melbourne, and an important figure in the development and story of not only the Mission to Seafarers in Victoria but also in the life of the Naval Force of Victoria prior to Federation. Rev James was not only an influential figure in the stamping out of crimping, the exploitation of seamen, but also actively worked with government and community to improve the quality of life by active lobbying for the controlled licensing of hotels and liquor sources to limit the incidence of drunkeness rife in the Ports and Wharves of Victoria in the late 19th Century. See also MTSV 0030Large Sepia photograph on paper mount features an Inscribed marble Headstone and grave with a stone facing and surround supporting low decorative cast iron railing. There are flowers and ferns on the grave.Across edge of grave in White upper case: J ROBINSON CARLTON appears to be over printed, the Sepia image may be a copy of an original photograph. Inscription on the headstone can be read, see full wording below in History field. on the paper mount below lwr edge of Photograph: "T. TENNENT 'PHOTO-GOLD TS' COLLINGWOOD"ebenezer james, chaplains, seamen exploitation of, naval force, victoria, melbourne cemetery, carlton, maritime crimping, ebenezer james (1841 - 1901), carlton, mission to seamen, seamen's mission, mission to seafarers

see makers comments above. Rev James was also Chaplain to the Naval Forces of Victoria until the time of Federation. The article featured in the Port Gazette seems to be a profile of James and his works and headline being: "Jack's Friend" Rev Ebenezer James one of the early Chaplains based at the Mission to Seafarers. He ministered to and advocated on behalf of the seagoing fraternity both merchant and Naval forces and was an instrumental force in the stamping out of the practice of crimping and the exploitation of seafarers. He received and forwarded the letter from 22 sea captains (MTSV 0030 requesting the establishment of a Mission in the vicinity of the Australian Wharf. James' brother was an MLC and his daughter Britomarte is also noted with an entry in the ADB. The original clipping image of James is the only known existing image.Black and white gloss print photograph of 19th Century bearded man ; new wood frame, cream window mount ; glazed with perspex, composition back board. This photograph is a reproduction of an image found on a scrapbook clipping taken from and originally published in the Port Gazette of July 25th 1896. Verso - Texta inscription catalogue number : MTSV 0707 also 2 Labels on backboard of frame one a barcode and one handwritten "EBENEZER JAMES / CHAPLAIN, MISSION TO SEAMEN (1886 - 1901)ebenezer james, chaplain, jack tar, crimping, missions to seamen, port melbourne