Historical information

Mary was the fifth daughter of Reverend Kerr Johnston and his wife Elizabeth.
Mary married Reverend Richard Vallencey Danne (1846-1904), they had 8 children. One of their son Noel also became a reverend.
She continued her father's work by becoming part of the Mission's committee in 1905.
On 9 November 1906, for King's Birthday, she hosted a sailors' picnic at the property she rented, Glenfern on Inkerman Road (see item 1637), where she was running a school, Newington.
She died on the 30th of July 1926 at her residence, Seymour Grove in Camberwell.

The plaque was erected on the 9 October 1927 (AR 1927).

Significance

The Kerr Johnston Family migrated to Tasmania in 1854. The Reverend took up his appointment with the Victorian Bethel Union for Seamen in 1857 and moved all his family in the "floating church", the ex water police hulk Emily, first Chaplain serving the seamen in Hobsons' Bay.

Physical description

Large rectangular brass plaque with smaller plaque mounted onto it of Mission to Seamen insignia. The Larger plaque is mounted to a brick wall.

Inscriptions & markings

Mission to Seamen.

To the glory of God
In loving memory of Mary Danne member of the executive committee of the Victoria Missions to Seamen from 1905 to 1920 and daughter of the REv. Kerr -Johnston chaplain of the Victorian Seamen's Mission 1857 to 1883
"The greatest of these is love"