Historical information

This photograph records the interior of St Nicholas Seamen's Church at 139 Nicholson Street, Williamstown, Victoria, which was purchased and furnished around 1943. The furniture and furnishings are now part of the St Nicholas Seamen's Church collection.

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 the world's seafarers 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 orgainsation began in Williamstown in 1857. It was 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.

Significance

This item is significant through its association with the St Nicholas' Mission to Seamen Church in Williamstown, Melbourne, established in 1857.

Physical description

Photograph of St Nicholas Seamen's Church, Williamstown. Sepia photograph. The photograph shows the inside of the Chapel of Mission to Seamen, including organ, pews and other furniture and furnishings. There is a circular stained glass window high on the back wall depicting a sailor at the helm of a ship and a man standing behind him and pointing the way - "Christ Showing The Helmsman The Way". A Sanctuary Light is suspended from the ceiling. The Sanctuary chars are visible.
This shows the St Nicholas Seamen's Church in Williamstown, the furnishings and furniture of which is now part of the St Nicholas Seamen's Church Collection’.