Bethel Union
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The Bethel Union, full name British and Foreign Seamen's Friend Society and Bethel Union, was a religious organisation for seafarers founded in 1819 by George Charles Smith ("Boatswain Smith").


Background

The main seaports in England in the early 1800s were well served by numerous religious organisations that devoted themselves to the religious welfare of seafarers of merchant and navy ships. These societies were the precursors of the ' Seamen's Missions' still to be found in ports all over the world which provide social facilities, of more than a purely religious character. Crews are able to spend spare time ashore relaxing in a friendly and welcoming 'club-like' atmosphere. The Bethel ships provided by The Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen ( now known as the Fishermens Mission) provided respite, medical care, and when requested services at sea, to those who worked in what was and is still considered to be the most dangerous job in the world outside of the armed forces during conflict, the Fishermen, they would go out with the Fishing fleets taking many of the same risks in the freezing weather to look after the welfare of the Fishermen. The Fishermens Mission is still with us today as the only Charity to exclusively look after fishermen and their families Welfare, providing emergency support alongside practical, financial, spiritual and emotional care for all fishermen, active or retired, and their families. One of these groups was known as the ''Bethel Movement'' whose activities were focused on chaplains conducting services on board ships lying in the
port of London The Port of London is that part of the River Thames in England lying between Teddington Lock and the defined boundary (since 1968, a line drawn from Foulness Point in Essex via Gunfleet Old Lighthouse to Warden Point in Kent) with the North Se ...
, and distributing religious tracts to crews, which spread to other ports of the
British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...
such as Liverpool and Bristol and Sydney. ''Bethel'' is a Hebrew word meaning 'House of God'. Following a perceived need for a more formal organisation in 1819 to be known as the Bethel Union was founded.


Britain

In
Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
a branch of the Seamen's Friend Society and Bethel Union was established in 1820. In 1821 the hulk of the ''Aristomenes'' was purchased, fitted as a place of worship and moored at The Grove in Bristol. Dubbed 'The Ark' it could accommodate 800-1000 worshipers. A sailors home was later established. In 1846 the ''Aristomenes'' was condemned and replaced by H.M. bomb-ship ''Ætna,'' also moored at the Grove. It was replaced in 1883 by the ''Gloriosa,'' moored at Markdyke, a mile west down the
Floating Harbour Bristol Harbour is the harbour in the city of Bristol, England. The harbour covers an area of . It is the former natural tidal river Avon through the city but was made into its current form in 1809 when the tide was prevented from going out p ...
on
Hotwells Hotwells is a neighbourhood in the English port city of Bristol. It is located to the south of and below the high ground of Clifton, and directly to the north of the Floating Harbour. The southern entrance to the Avon Gorge, which connects th ...
Road.


Sydney

In
Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
, a Bethel Union Society was formed in 1822. In 1828 the Hobart Bethel Union Society was founded by
George Augustus Robinson George Augustus Robinson (22 March 1791 – 18 October 1866) was an English born builder and self-trained preacher who was employed by the British colonial authorities to conciliate the Indigenous Australians of Van Diemen's Land and the Po ...
and set up on board a former magazine ship in Sullivan's Cove in 1828. A more permanent base for the Sydney organisation was obtained from the colonial authorities in 1832, on
Darling Harbour Darling Harbour is a harbour and neighborhood adjacent to the city centre of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, that is made up of a large recreational and pedestrian precinct that is situated on western outskirts of the Sydney central busines ...
, which was moved in 1851. Five years later a site was obtained on
Circular Quay Circular Quay is a harbour, former working port and now international passenger shipping terminal, public piazza and tourism precinct, heritage area, and transport node located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on the northern edge of the ...
(' The Rocks') and a church built in 1859, with an Annual Service to seafarers. The facilities were extended in the 1870s. In 1895, the Church of England Mission to Seamen became a Branch of The Missions to Seamen, England. Further extensions of the Sydney Bethel Union were made in 1910 with a recreation hall, a new chapel and a vestry, administrative offices, a library and an Officers' Room with some accommodation cubicles, a gymnasium, smoking room and other facilities were added. On redevelopment of Circular Quay in the 1970s, a new site was obtained at 11-15 Macquarie Place, Sydney. It was opened in April 1977. Changes in the patterns of ship operations (smaller crews and faster turn round times) soon prompted At this time rapid changes were occurring in international shipping and these affected the operations of The Missions to Seamen. Macquarie Place was sold in 1985 and a property at 320-324 Sussex Street was obtained and the new facilities opened in 1993. Rebranded
The Mission to Seafarers The Mission to Seafarers (formerly The Missions to Seamen) is a Christian welfare charity serving merchant crews around the world. It operates through a global network of chaplains, staff and volunteers and provides practical, emotional and spiri ...
in 2002, The Sussex Street property was sold in 2011 and a new property was purchased at 24 Hickson Road, Millers Point. Sydney Bethel Union continues to provide financial support to The Mission to Seafarers in Sydney and elsewhere in
New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
.


See also

* Mariners' Church, The Rocks


References

{{reflist Christian charities based in the United Kingdom 1819 establishments in the United Kingdom