A Brief History

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 thnan a purely religious character. Cews are able to spend spare time ashore relaxing in a friendly and welcoming 'club-like' atmosphere.

One of these groups was known as the 'Bethel Movement' whose activities were focussed on chaplains conducting services on board ships lying in the port of London

Port of London

The Port of London lies along the banks of the River Thames from London, England to the North Sea. Once the largest port in the world, it is currently the United Kingdom's second largest port, after Grimsby & Immingham...

, and distributing religious tracts to crews, which spread to other ports of the British Empire

British Empire

The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...

 such as Liverpool and Bristol and Sydney.

'Bethel' is a Hebrew word meaning 'House of God', possibly derived from Bethlehem

Bethlehem

Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...

, where Jesus Christ was born.

Following a perceived need for a more formal organistion in 1819 to be known as the Bethel Union was founded.

Sydney

In Sydney, a Bethel Union Society was formed in 1822. and a more permanent base was obtained from the colonial authorities ten years later, on Darling Harbour, which was moved in 1851

Five years later aa site was obtained on Circular Quay ('The Rocks

The Rocks, New South Wales

The Rocks is an urban locality, tourist precinct and historic area of Sydney's city centre, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the southern shore of Sydney Harbour, immediately north-west of the Sydney central business district...

') and a church built in 1859, with an Annual Service to seafearers. The facilites 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 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 had an impact on the operations of the Mission. Macquarie Place was sold in 1985 and a property at 320-324 Sussex Street obtained and the new facilities opened in 1993.

The name was changed from "Missions to Seamen worldwide" was changed in 2002 to Mission to Seafarers