Historical information

On Easter Monday, 5 April 1915, the Mission organised a picnic on the St Andrew's Church grounds in Brighton. Some French and Swedish sailors ere invited to take part in sports.
In the centre is probably Ethel Godfrey, Honorary Secretary of the LHLG, who was just back from England where she visited her brother, Dr Frank Godfrey and his family in Scarborough. Along with her sisters Federica and Winifred, they saw the German attack on the English town.\ located on the North Sea.

Article published in the Herald, Monday 12 April 1915, page 3:

"SAILORS ENJOY OUTING
In the spacious grounds of St. Andrew's Church, Brighton, on Easter Monday, the Seamen's Mission held an enjoyable outing, which culminated in a tug-of-war between French and Swedish sailors, and a race in fancy costume. In the evening, at the mission house, on the Australian Wharf, a welcome home was given, after the chapel service, to Miss Ethel Godfrey, who addressed the men, and related some of her adventures at Scarborough, where she was staying when the English seaside resort was raided by German warshlps."

Significance

The Godfrey sisters and their step-mother had done the voyage to Europe to visit their brother just before the war stars. They witnessed the outbreak of the war, the attacks on Scarborough. When they came back to Australia, the voyage was dangerous as Germans were attacking vessels.
Barely arrived in Australia, Ethel Godfrey who could speak French, having studied in Belgium, was already helping with the picnics, eager to share her story and support French sailors.

Physical description

sepia photograph depicting four sailors, a lady and two young girls standing in a park.One of the sailors is handing an apple to them.

Inscriptions & markings

Written in Pencil on verso: French sailors in Brighton 1915