Mission Gallery, Gloucester Place, Swansea
This gallery ensures that an historic docklands building remains in use, as well as providing a space for artists and craftworkers to display their creations.
The Seamen’s Mission in Swansea was established in the 1850s as the docks expanded rapidly. Initially the mission used a rudimentary hut. Its new building, erected in 1868, was known as St Nicholas’ Church. Seamen from around the world could worship or meditate here, regardless of their Christian denomination. The church is on the left in the old photo, courtesy of West Glamorgan Archive Service, with the South Dock pumping station to its right.
In 1877 William Shapland was sentenced to six months in jail with hard labour for stealing prayer books and bibles from the vestry and selling some of them to a bookseller. The books belonged to the Seamen’s Mission Society.
Rev Edwin Wolfe was licensed as chaplain here in 1877. In 1899, when he was 65 years old, a farewell meeting was held in St Nicholas’ Church. His leaving present was a purse of gold worth £136 (over £14,000 today). He criticised the rules of the parent society in London which required him to resign at 65. He continued his work as rector of Bleddfa, Radnorshire.
St Nicholas’ Church became a warehouse soon after the First World War. The mission was then based in a building nearer to the larger docks which had been created east of the river Tawe.
In 1977 the former church became the art gallery of Swansea Arts Workshop, run by volunteers from the Association of Artists and Designers in Wales. In 1992 the gallery became independent, with the closure of the AADW, and six years later was renamed Mission Gallery.
The gallery is now run by a not-for-profit company and exhibits work by artists and craft workers from Wales and around the world. It also gives Swansea art and design students the opportunity to show their work.
From 2003 Mission Gallery received Arts Council of Wales funding to support its programme of exhibitions. In 2012 the ACW also funded conversion of the first floor into a space for educational activities for schools and other groups.
Postcode: SA1 1TY View Location Map
Website of West Glamorgan Archive Service
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