Mersey Mission to Seafarers

12/08/2025

It is with great sadness that we must announce the passing of Russell Eastham at the age of 52 on July 29th 2025. His funeral will take place at 1:15 p.m. on August 26th at Hutcliffe Crematorium, Beauchief, Sheffield, South Yorkshire. S8 0HP. Russell was a much-loved son and friend to many who will miss him.

Russell was a Chaplain's Assistant at the Mersey Mission to Seafarers in Liverpool for several years. A member of the ministry team who always served the seafarers with his great personal faith and commitment, and his sense of humour. May he rest in Peace.

20/02/2025

More Sad news as we hear of the passing of another Mission legend the Rt Rev William John Denbigh "Bill" Down. a former Chaplain in South Shields, Hull UK and Fremantle and seafarers ministry on the 4500km Western Australia Coast. In 1976 he was appointed as General Secretary to the Missions to Seaman and chaplain of St Michael Paternoster Royal. He was a great advocate of ecumenical working with the Apostleship of the Sea and Sailors Society.

Educated at St John's College, Cambridge, Bill was ordained in 1960. serving his curacy at St Paul’s Church, Salisbury. After the Mission in 1990 he was ordained Bishop and appointed as the ninth Bishop of Bermuda and later the Assistant Bishop of Leicester before retiring in 2001.

20/02/2025

Sad to hear of the passing of The Venerable Ken Good.
"Ken passed away suddenly but peacefully in hospital on 21st January, aged 83 years. Beloved husband of Joan, cherished dad of Sue and Andrew and a loving father-in-law to Clare and the late Paul. Ken was a much loved and respected Priest: a former Vicar of Nunthorpe and Archdeacon of Richmond, who touched the lives of all who knew him"

Ken was a Mission to Seafarers Chaplain in Antwerp and Kobe Japan before joining Central office as Ministry Secretary. Many of us in the ;Mission' valued his friendship and ministry.

04/01/2024

Sad to say that a friend of Mersey Mission to Seafarers when he was Mission to Seafarers Chaplain in Hull Fr Ivan Howitt passed away yesterday. May he rest in peace and rise in God's Glory.

10/04/2021

Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh is greeted by the Lord Lieutenant Earl of Derby and is introduced to the Lord Mayor and his wife. Duke inspects Guard of Honour of Merchant Seamen outside Kingston House - the new headquarters of the Mersey Mission to Seamen. Duke unveils a plaque commemorating a visit to declare the building open. Shot of the plaque. Duke talking to seamen inside the building. Two general views of the new of the Mersey Mission to seamen. Crowd shots as Duke leaves for the dock area. Duke inspects the Princes, Huskisson and Canada docks, including work of reconstruction after war damage. Ships unloading sugar on the dockside and shot of Duke leaving submarine "Explorer" after a call on the way to the docks. People looking on as Duke leaves in the car. Duke aboard vessel S. F. Vigilant - shots of the Duke seeing the dock. Scene from the river of the ships "Carinthia" and "Empress of India" and the "Vigilant" in the Gladstone River Lock. Shots of the Vigilant in the lock. Shots of the Duke inspecting the work of reconstructing the Canada Langton area. Shot of the Duke handing Merit Awards to young athletes at the Liverpool Boys' Association Lony Lane Playing Field.

17/10/2020

Very sad news that seafarers present and retired have lost my friend Bill Anderson. I worked with him on so many different cases for ITF and lately of missing seafarers on cruise ships. A great supporter of The Mersey Mersey Mission in my time there. He fought hard for proper memorials for those seafarers who have gone before. May he rest in peace as he crosses the bar.

17/06/2020

25/05/2020

RMS Empress of Ireland was an ocean liner that sank near the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River following a collision in thick fog with the Norwegian collier SS Storstad in the early hours of 29 May 1914. Although the ship was equipped with watertight compartments and, in the aftermath of the Titanic disaster two years earlier, carried more than enough lifeboats for all on board, she foundered in only 14 minutes. Of the 1,477 people on board, 1,012 died, making it the worst peacetime marine disaster in Canadian history.[

A short account of the loss of RMS Empress of Ireland and prayers for this anniversary of the sinking.

10/05/2020

Sad news that The Revd. Canon Ken Peters former Chaplain of The Mersey Mission to Seafarers and Director of Justice & Welfare The Mission to Seafarers has passed away this week. May he rest in peace.

25/06/2019