This item is part of the Giles Collection, dating back to the late Victorian era, from the 1880s to the early 1900s, in which Queen Victoria ruled England. The queen’s influence was felt throughout the world, including in the United States and Australia where Victorian values shaped society and style, especially in home décor. This period’s distinct style presents an eclectic mix of highly ornamented furniture, wallpaper, and knick-knacks. Particularly in terms of furniture, and the characteristic floral patterns and rich, contrasting colours, wall hangings that enjoyed the height of their popularity during the Victorian era were of the spiritual type with either embroidered or punched paper religious motto or bible quote. Mottoes were commonly hung high up on the wall or in an area of prominence, to remind the viewer of their important message, such as “He Leadeth Me” and “Honesty, Industry, and Sobriety.” Short and pithy, they embodied the ideals of Victorian society. Technological advances contributed to the boom of religious mottoes whereas before the Industrial Revolution home décor of this sort was handmade and therefore minimal, now consumers could purchase and fill their homes with all sorts of mass-produced ephemera goods similar to the subject item. Many of these mass-produced period pieces still exist today, often in their original frames, ceramic, enamelled or paper formats. Flagstaff maritime museum has many examples of mottoes on display that serve to reflect the period in which values of home, faith, and Christianity were very prominent in everyday Victorian society. The Giles Family There are many 19th century items of furniture, linen and crockery donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village by Vera and Aurelin Giles. The items are associated with the Giles Family and are known as the “Giles Collection”. These items mostly came from the simple home of Vera’s parents-in-law, Henry Giles and his wife Mary Jane (nee Freckleton), whose photos are in the parlour. They married in 1880. Henry Giles was born at Tower Hill in 1858. He was a labourer on the construction of the Breakwater before leaving in 1895 to build bridges in N.S.W. for about seven years. Mary Jane was born in 1860 at Cooramook. She attended Mailor’s Flat State School where she was also a student teacher before, as a family legend has it, she became a governess at “Injemiara” where her grandfather, Francis Freckleton, once owned land. Henry and Mary’s family of six, some of whom were born at Mailor’s Flat and later children at Wangoom, lived with their parents at Wangoom and Purnim west, where Henry died in 1933 and Mary Jane in 1940.The Giles family collection has social significance at a local level, because it illustrates the level of material support the Warrnambool community gave to Flagstaff Hill when the Museum was established. This wall decoration reflects the social values and attitudes of the late Victorian era that was used to promote good Christian and moral values in many households. These items of decoration were very popular at this time and the subject item is significant as it gives a snapshot into the social norms of past generations. Printed card wall hanging with floral design. Religious text on the sign is embossed onto the card and highlighted in silver print. There is a handwritten ink inscription, and a pencil inscription, on the back. A string is attached to two holes on top of the card. Embossed"THE BLESSING / OF THE LORD/ BE UPON YOU." "PS 129.8." In pencil "H/S" In ink "To dear Granny with lots of love / from Dorothy. X X."flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, paper wall decoration, religious, home decoration, societal values, victorian moral values, wall hanging, wall decoration, spiritual decoration, bible verse, giles collection

The Orbost Methodist Church began services in April 1910, the Rev. E. Hooper as the first minister. Reverend R.W. Little was minister in 1930-31.Ministers at that time batched either in a little room at the back of the church or in Locksley House (near the state school). Sunday School at that time involved a lot of commitment on the part of the teachers towards the children and this was reflected in the efforts they went to to make Sunday School an interesting and enjoyable event. The Sunday School Anniversaries were always a big community event and children usually dressed up for the occasion. The children spent weeks practising hymns and choruses for the occasion and on the Saturday before picked armfuls of flowers from Mrs Hocking's garden ( may blossoms) to decorate the church hall. (ref. Pioneers and Pilgrims Revd Peter Gador-White).For many years the Methodist people of Orbost enjoyed the fellowship of the church and the children, in particular, were socially and spiritually involved. This item is reminiscent of that time.A rectangular cardboard invitation to a service and prize-giving at the Orbost Methodist Sunday School. The print is black on a pale blue background with a black frame and floral decorations in each cornerSpecial Invitation R.W. Little, Ministerorbost-methodist-church sunday-school

This altar and rear reredos were 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. The reredos was donated to the Williamstown chapel by Miss. M. Breaks, in memoriam Miss. L.A. Breaks, who served a very active part in the Seamen's Mission, and the altar was donated by Mr and Miss J R Schutt. 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 altar and reredos are 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. They are historically significant for their connection to the Ladies Lightkeepers’ Auxiliary, an organisation of women, formed to support seafarers. The connection of this furniture 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. Altar and reredos or altar panel, wooden. The timber is panelled, stained and has a varnished finish. The base has a detachable vertical panel with the decoration of a sword and two anchors, the reredos has a cross on a panel. It was made by Hadwen and Houghton, Malvern, Victoria. A plaque at the bottom right edge is marked with the maker's name. The altar is part of the St Nicholas Seamen's Church collection.On removable panel; logo of [sword and two anchors] On bottom right of base: "Hadwen and Houghton, Malvern"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, altar, reredos, church furniture, religious furniture, miss m breaks, miss l a breaks, mr and miss j r schutt., worship service