Historical information

This patterned floor rug has the added feature of a fringe or tassel trim, and its size suits a dining table for four to six people. Originally, the rug was donated to the St Nicholas' Mission to Seamen's Church, Williamstown, by the Williamstown Lighthouse Keepers' Association, which had raised funds to furnish the church.

Floor rugs were often part of Victorian furnishings. They were less expensive than wall-to-wall carpets, easier to clean and added colour and warmth. Rugs were a practical way for immigrants to bring memories from their homeland.

THE MISSIONS TO SEAMEN (Brief History): -

The Missions to Seamen was an Anglican charity that had served seafarers of the world since 1856 in Great Britain. Its 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 Seamen 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

The connection of this floor rug 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.
This floor rug is representative of rugs used for furnishing homes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries times.

Physical description

Rug: rectangular floor rug with white tassel trim on short sides, in reds and yellows. This rug is part of the St Nicholas Seamen's Church Collection.