The Origin
As soon as the canal was fit for cargo vessels a growing number of seamen & boatmen flocked to Gloucester. It was the days of missionary zeal and Rev. John Davies of Worcester had been taking the Gospel to people of the waterways throughout the region. About 1831 a Mr. Campbell of Gloucester drew up a scheme to build a chapel for them. he died soon after and his son found the money he had put aside for the project and, not sharing his father's vision of a chapel, he divided the sum between other established missions and seamen. One part he gave to Rev. John Davies. Although the money was spent elsewhere the son did eventually see his father's plan carried out eventually in Gloucester and took part in its fruition.
The Plan
The vision was taken up by certain Gloucester business men trading with the Docks in 1846, who shared a concern for evangelism among the ignorant and neglected seamen and boatmen. This need was highlighted by separate complaints from a ship captain and a boatman about the absence of spiritual comforts. A public meeting was held in 1847 chaired by Dr. Jeune, who became Bishop of Peterborough. The resolution for the establishment of a Mariners' Chapel at the Port of Gloucester, served by a clergyman whose entire attention would be devoted to the sailors and boatmen frequenting the Port was carried unanimously.
The Building
Work began on the building designed by John Jaques in 1848 and was completed a year later. It was and remains a Church of England extra parochial chapel. It was dedicated for public worship on February 11th 1849. The chancel is at the west end instead of the normal east because of limited space available and the entrance of necessity being at the east door. It was built by William Wingate, a citizen of Gloucester, as was the architect. Today it is a Grade II listed bulding.
The Ministry
In its first five years the church distributed 2,000 copies of the scriptures and over 14,000 tracts in 12 different languages. In those days seamen and bargees were distinctly dressed and there was a social barrier between them and the citizens notably on Sundays when the latter would wear their Sunday best. Mariners' therefore became their own special church. Gloucester was then a busy port with boats of many different visiting nationalities. There were many opportunities for the Chaplain and Lay Reader to visit the boats. Apart from church services, open air services were held and there was a Sunday School for seamen's children. In 1884 an old cheese warehouse in the vicinity was taken over by the church for use as a reading room and meeting place.
Early Days
At this time the watermen were proverbially in a demoralised condition, familiarised with blasphemy and drunkenness, hardened by ostracism and rough living, living in heathen darkness. The first Chaplain was the Rev. James Hollins and he worked assiduously until he resigned in 1855. He also ministered to a good number of British emigrants leaving Gloucester for the Western World. The spiritual needs of seamen was always uppermost in the ministry of Mariners' but the Hall gave an opportunity to help them and their families to read and write. A coffee bar was opened to attract them away from alchohol.