Ebenezer Joseph Mather (12 June 1849 – 23 December 1927) was the founder of ''The Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen'' now often abbreviated as the Fishermen's Mission. He is affectionally remembered as 'the fisherman's friend'.

Early life

Ebenezer was born on 12 June 1849 at Foregate Street, Stafford, England. He was the son of a shoe manufacturer Henry Penkett Mather and his wife Elizabeth Douthwaite. Ebenezer was raised as a member of the Plymouth Brethren however in later life he joined the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britai ...

and remained Anglican for the rest of his life. According to the 1871 census he was noted as an auditor. Ebenezer married his first wife Caroline Eliza Lough in Islington on 4 September 1872. After various moves and a growing family Ebenezer moved to Islington where he became secretary of the 'Thames Church Mission Society' which was founded in 1844.

Fishermen's Mission

Ebenezer founded "The National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen" in 1881 after being shocked by the poor conditions in which fishermen worked and lived. In the 19th Century fishing was notoriously dangerous with high fatality rates. In 1896 the Mission was given the Royal approval by

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...

adding Royal to the missions name. The Mission went on to help many during WW1 and WW2 as scores of fisherman's trawlers were used to help merchant convoys and defense against attacks from the air as well as mine sweeping. The mission still operates to this day.

Writings

According to the Bibliography of Australian Literature Ebenezer wrote a fiction piece called 'The Squatter's Bairn'. He also wrote 'Nor'ard of the Dogger'and 'Deep sea Trials and Gospel Triumphs in 1887.

Later life

Ebenezer Mather retired to

Canvey Island Canvey Island is a town, civil parish and reclaimed island in the Thames estuary, near Southend-on-Sea, in the Castle Point district, in the county of Essex, England. It has an area of and a population of 38,170.Office for National Statistics. ( ...

where he published his biography, ''Memories of Christian Service''. He married his second wife May Ethel Timewell (who was his nurse) on 16 June 1925. Only two years later Ebenezer died of heart failure. On 28 December 1927 he was buried at St Katherine's Churchyard on Canvey Island.

References

External links