Ebenezer Joseph Mather
The founder of The Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen
The grave of Ebenezer Joseph Mather can be found in St Katherine's Churchyard on Canvey Island.
Who is Ebenezer Joseph Mather and how did he come to be buried on Canvey?
Ebenezer was born on 12th June 1849 at Foregate Street, Stafford the son of Henry Penkett Mather (a 'shoe manufacturer') and his wife Elizabeth Douthwaite. Ebenezer was one of at least five children. Ebenezer's father Henry (son of Thomas Mather and Hannah Penkett) was born in Liverpool in 1806. The family had moved to Upton on Severn, Worcestershire by the 1871 census this is where Henry died in 1886 aged 79.
According to a biography by Stephen Friend, Ebenezer was raised as a member of the Plymouth Brethren later (c1883) joining the Church of England remaining an Anglican for the rest of his life. Stephen Friend goes on to say that he was educated at Mr Charles Hammer's private academy. Having worked as a junior clerk in a Worcester bank and as a market gardener he went on to become an auditor as noted in the 1871 census his occupation is Accountant.
The Mather Family tree Generation One
1. Thomas MATHER, b. c1778. He married Hannah PENKETT/H, married 8 Oct 1799 in St Peter, Church Street, Liverpool, Lancashire. Children: i. George Penkett MATHER, b. 24 Sep 1800, baptized 26 Oct 1800 in St Peter, Liverpool. Lancashire. 2. ii. Henry Penkett MATHER b. 21 Jul 1806. iii. Ann MATHER, b. 11 Feb 1809, baptized 18 Mar 1809 in St Peter, Liverpool. Lancashire. iv. John Cleave MATHER, b. 31 Jul 1811, baptized 11 Oct 1811 in St Peter, Liverpool. Lancashire. v. Hannah MATHER, b. 1813, baptized 21 Mar 1813 in St Peter, Liverpool. Lancashire. vi. Mary MATHER, b. 1814, baptized 5 Jun 1814 in St Peter, Liverpool. Lancashire.
Generation Two
2. Henry Penkett MATHER, b. 21 Jul 1806 in Liverpool, Lancashire, baptized 7 Jul 1806 in St Peter, Liverpool. Lancashire, d. Sept qtr 1886 in Upton upon Severn District, Worcestershire, resided 1851 in Stafford, Staffordshire, resided 1861 in Brunswick Terrace, Castle Church, Staffordshire, resided 1871 in 20 Princess Street, North Meols, Lancashire, occupation 1851-1861 Shoe Manufacturer, occupation 1871 Commercial Traveller. He married Elizabeth DOUTHWAITE, married 30 May 1833 in Warrington, Lancachire, b. 1814 in Lancashire, resided 1871 in Waterside & Duns Lane, Upton on Severn, Worcestershire. Children: i. Julia Ann MATHER, b. 1835. ii. Thomas MATHER, b. 1836. iii. Elizabeth MATHER, b. 1839 in Warrington, Lancashire. iv. Hannah MATHER, also known as Anna, b. 1847 in Stafford, Staffordshire. 3. v. Ebenezer Joseph MATHER b. Sept qtr 1849.
Generation Three
3. Ebenezer Joseph MATHER, b. Sept qtr 1849 in Stafford, Staffordshire, d. 23 Dec 1927 in Canvey Island, Essex, buried 28 Dec 1927 in St Katherines Church Yard, Canvey Island, Essex, resided 1851 in Stafford, Staffordshire, resided 1861 in Brunswick Terrace, Castle Church, Staffordshire, resided 1871 in Waterside & Duns Lane, Upton on Severn, Worcestershire, resided 1874 - 1875 in Upton, Worcestershire, resided 1880 in Richmond, Surrey, resided 1881 in 15 Shaftesbury Terrace, Islington, Middlesex, resided 1891 in 43 Mount View Road, Hornsey, Middlesex, resided 1901 in 12 Ashley Road, Islington, London, resided 1925-1927 in Cotswold Garden, Leigh Beck, Canvey Island, Essex, occupation 1871 Accountant, occupation 1881 Secretary Thames Church Mission Society, occupation 1891 Australia Agent, occupation 1901 Advertisement Manager. He married (1) Caroline Eliza LOUGH, married Sept qtr 1872 in Islington, Middlesex, b. 1849 in Marylebone, Middlesex, d. Jun qtr 1925 in Islington, London. He married (2) May Ethel TIMEWELL, married 16 Jun 1925 in Canvey Island, Essex, b. 1873, d. 1957?. Children by Caroline Eliza LOUGH: i. Ethel Lienard MATHER, b. Sept qtr 1873 in Upton, Worcestershire, resided 1881 in 15 Shaftesbury Terrace, Islington, Middlesex, resided 1901 in Islington, London, occupation 1901 Governess. 4. ii. Winifred Theadora MATHER b. Mar qtr 1875. iii. Eveleen Annie M MATHER, b. Sept qtr 1879 in Richmond, Surrey, resided 1881 in 15 Shaftesbury Terrace, Islington, Middlesex, resided 1901 in Islington, London, occupation 1901 Governess. iv. Enid Lilian V MATHER, b. Sept qtr 1882 in Islington, Middlesex. v. Gladys Irene MATHER, b. Dec qtr 1884 in Islington, Middlesex. vi. John Hugh MATHER, b. Mar qtr 1887 in Hornsey, London. vii. Una Beryl MATHER, b. Sept qtr 1888 in Hornsey, London.
Generation Four
4. Winifred Theadora MATHER, b. Mar qtr 1875 in Upton, Worcestershire. She married William C WAYMOUTH, married Sept qtr 1897 in Islington, Middlesex, b. 1872 in Hornsey, Middlesex. Children: i. William Gordon WAYMOUTH, b. Sept qtr 1899 in Hornsey, Middlesex.
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Canvey Island Essex |
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Mather Family |
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His headstone reads In affectionate remembrance of |
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Ebenezer married his first wife Caroline Eliza Lough in Islington on the 4th September 1872. Moving back to Upton where their two eldest children Ethel and Winifred were born. By 1879 the family have moved to Richmond where their third daughter Eveleen was born. By 1881 Ebenezer and his growing family have moved to Islington where two more daughters Enid and Gladys joined the family. In the 1881 census Ebenezer's occupation was stated as 'Secretary Thames Church Mission Society' which was founded in 1844. Was this the for-runner for the Fishermens Mission?
It was in 1881 that after a visit to the sailing fleets on the Dogger Bank that Ebenezer having been very shocked by the terrible conditions the fishermen lived and worked under founded the National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen later (1896) to become the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen. More can be read about the Mission through the link below. |
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Update May 2008
Ebenezer Mather’s grave is just to the west of the church, in the second row by a tree. It was vandalised a couple of years ago and now the headstone lays flat on the grave.
Today I braved the storms, as any good fisherman would and met with representatives of the Fisherman’s Mission at St Katherines (Heritage Centre). They arrived to my surprise, trailing a large silver fish behind their vehicle. Once introductions were made, with rain coming down, I took them over to Mather’s grave. We were huddled there under the tree by the grave taking photos, two very nice gentlemen in yellow wellies and me. If the rain was not bad enough we then had thunder, lightning and the heavens opened. I got rather wet. |
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Update November 2009
Margaret Payne (local historian) and I first spoke about the restoration of Mather's grave in early 2008. We talked about the possibility of getting the grave restored and called in the Fishermen's Mission and their local representative, Tim Jenkins, met me there in April 2008. It was not however until earlier this year that Margaret and I said something must be done and we set about contacting different local organisations to see if we could set things in motion. Our idea was to make it a community project, which I think has been achieved.
In April this year members from different local organisations got together and loosely formed 'The Mather Grave Restoration Group'. Stibbards who were the original makers of the headstone gave us a quote for the cost of refurbishment. Money was raised by the Canvey Community Archive as a grant from The Town Council to cover part of the costs and Stibbards themselves generously agreed to cover the remaining 50% cost of the work. Some further donations from Mather's family and members of the public were received.
It was on Sunday the 15th November 2009 at 2pm that we gathered together at St Anne's Church, Leigh Beck, Canvey Island to hold the 'Harvest of the Sea' service. It was at the old St Anne's Church, which was demolished in 1974, that during the time he lived on Canvey, Mather worshiped. After the battering of the storm on the Saturday, Sunday morning brought wonderful sunshine, which stayed with us all day. Members of the Canvey Community Archive were on hand to welcome guests and young Archive Volunteers gave out booklets giving a brief history of Ebenezer Mather's life.
Dignitaries from all over Essex including members of Essex County, Castle Point and Canvey Town Council alongside Ian and Pauline Mather, (Great Grandson of Ebenezer Mather) members of St Anne's congregation, Stibbards Funeral Directors, and Canvey Community Archive were lead in the service by The Rev Tim Hide from The Canvey Team Ministry, Superintendent Tim Jenkins and the Rev Andrew Wright, Chaplin of the Fishermen's Mission. There was a Scripture reading by Martyn Yorworth, a local fisherman and The Pilot Psalm was read by Peter Catchpole, a Council Member of the Fishermen's Mission.
Following the service we gathered again outside the church to bless the New Mobile Welfare Office which Superintendent Tim Jenkins uses to reach the many Fishermen across Suffolk and Norfolk as well as here in Essex. We then made our way to the other end of the Island where the Old St Katherine's Church stands (Now the Heritage Centre) to Ebenezer Mather's refurbished grave for the blessing. Although the ground was very wet, the sun shone as we gathered at the graveside. The Headstone, which was covered, was unveiled by Ian Mather before The Rev Tim Hide conducted the blessing.
Last of all we gathered in the Heritage Centre where refreshments had kindly been provided and Tim Jenkins presented the Heritage Centre with the Fishermen's Mission Flag.
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http://www.fishermensmission.org.uk/ Due to severe financial worries and increasing criticism Ebenezer Mather was forced to resign in August 1889. Stephen Friend writes that Mather sailed for Australia in January 1890 where he spent two years researching details for a popular travel book, The Squatter's Bairn. According to the 1891 census Ebenezer and his family have moved to Hornsey where his occupation is stated as an 'Australian Agent'.
The family had moved back to Islington by the 1901 census living at 12 Ashley Road. In 1918 Ebenezer was awarded a civil-list pension of £50 pa in connection with his work with the Fishermen's Mission. Ebenezer Mather retired to Canvey Island where he published his biography, Memories of Christian Service. He married his second wife May Ethel Timewell (who was his nurse) on the 16 June 1925.
Ebenezer died on the 23rd December 1927 of heart failure. He was buried on Canvey in St Katherine's Churchyard on the 28th December. His abode at the time of his death is stated as 'Cotswold Garden' Leigh Beck. Which I would presume is the name of his cottage/bungalow. Where this was or how long he had lived there no one as yet knows.
How and when did he come here? Did he come down during the Hester years? Did he have a holiday home here? Did he retire here? If anyone can fill in the years from 1901 to 1927 please get in touch.
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The damaged headstone |