Eliza Marsden Hassall
Encyclopedia
Eliza Marsden Hassall was the daughter of an Anglican
clergyman, a lay leader of the Anglican church, and a philanthropist
.
, New South Wales
, the seventh of eight children of Thomas Hassall
, a colonial minister, and his wife Ann, the eldest daughter of Samuel Marsden
. Eliza was educated at home, by her governess and by the tutors of her brothers. She assisted in the Sunday school programs at Heber Chapel, which her father had built for the benefit of the workers at the Denbigh estate, and at St. Paul's Church, in Cobbity, beginning in 1842.
She maintained regular correspondence with the members of her extended family, being particularly interested in her family history
. She also became proficient at managing the household of her family, extending to assisting in management of the estate, to the point of learning winemaking
. She also helped to minister to the families of the estate's tenants and tradesmen.
In time, her elder sisters married. She did not, choosing instead to help her father and eldest brother, Rev. James Hassall, in their ministries, and later in caring for her mother after the death of her father. She also became involved in promoting missionary activity overseas.
By 1855, she had become involved in the work of the British and Foreign Bible Society
. With the assistance of her father, she acquired a farm at Bowral, which would later be sold in 1866 for 450 pounds. Following her father's death in 1868, Eliza moved with her mother to Parramatta. Eliza during these years became increasingly pietistic. She is recorded as having told a niece to break off an engagement with a young man, at whatever cost to herself, on the basis of his lacking good character, and as telling a sister-in-law that "the lessons affliction is sent to teach us is to be more sympathetic and forgiving to others.
In July 1880, she helped in the formation of the New South Wales brand of the Young People's Scripture Union, and later became secretary of that group. After the death of her mother in 1885, Eliza helped to form the Church Missionary Association of New South Wales, which was formally started in July, 1892. This organization set its own policies and engaged in its own recruitment of missionaries, although its parent group kept the job of placing these missionaries. The next year, Eliza bought a property called "Cluden", at the intersection of Frederick Street and Church Street in Ashfield, New South Wales
, near the local Anglican church. After receiving a request from the Church Missionary Association, she established Marsden House (alternately, the Marsden Training Home for Women Missionaries) there, and engaged in the recruitment of new missionaries. The first of these recruits, her niece Amy Isabel Oxley, became a missionary to China
in 1896.
Marsden House laid particular emphasis on Biblical studies
and geography
. Eliza herself was the superintendent
of the school and the president of the ladies' fund-raising committee. It proved quite successful, and in 1898 expanded to permit the training of even more missionaries. After a missionary exhibition the following year, Eliza was made an honorary life member of the Church Missionary Society.
took control of Marsden House and continued in the work of training woman missionaries.
Eliza died on 26 December 1917, at Coogee
and was buried in the churchyard of St. Paul's Church in Cobbitty. She is commemorated in the Calendar of saints
of the Anglican Church of Australia
on 2 January.
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
clergyman, a lay leader of the Anglican church, and a philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
.
Life
She was born at "Denbigh", in CobbittyCobbitty, New South Wales
Cobbitty is a village of the Macarthur Region near the town of Camden, southwest of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.The area is mostly farmland and location of an agricultural branch of Sydney University. At the southern end of the suburb, bordering the Nepean River is Camden...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, the seventh of eight children of Thomas Hassall
Thomas Hassall
Thomas Henry Hassall was an Anglo-Australian politician.Born in England, and educated at Loughborough Grammar School, he emigrated to Australia in 1861, and after working in the interior as a miner, drover and contractor, settled in Moree, New South Wales in 1867...
, a colonial minister, and his wife Ann, the eldest daughter of Samuel Marsden
Samuel Marsden
Samuel Marsden was an English born Anglican cleric and a prominent member of the Church Missionary Society, believed to have introduced Christianity to New Zealand...
. Eliza was educated at home, by her governess and by the tutors of her brothers. She assisted in the Sunday school programs at Heber Chapel, which her father had built for the benefit of the workers at the Denbigh estate, and at St. Paul's Church, in Cobbity, beginning in 1842.
She maintained regular correspondence with the members of her extended family, being particularly interested in her family history
Family history
Family history is the systematic narrative and research of past events relating to a specific family, or specific families.- Introduction :...
. She also became proficient at managing the household of her family, extending to assisting in management of the estate, to the point of learning winemaking
Winemaking
Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished wine. Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruit or non-toxic plant material...
. She also helped to minister to the families of the estate's tenants and tradesmen.
In time, her elder sisters married. She did not, choosing instead to help her father and eldest brother, Rev. James Hassall, in their ministries, and later in caring for her mother after the death of her father. She also became involved in promoting missionary activity overseas.
By 1855, she had become involved in the work of the British and Foreign Bible Society
British and Foreign Bible Society
The British and Foreign Bible Society, often known in England and Wales as simply as Bible Society, is a non-denominational Christian Bible society with charity status whose purpose is to make the Bible available throughout the world....
. With the assistance of her father, she acquired a farm at Bowral, which would later be sold in 1866 for 450 pounds. Following her father's death in 1868, Eliza moved with her mother to Parramatta. Eliza during these years became increasingly pietistic. She is recorded as having told a niece to break off an engagement with a young man, at whatever cost to herself, on the basis of his lacking good character, and as telling a sister-in-law that "the lessons affliction is sent to teach us is to be more sympathetic and forgiving to others.
In July 1880, she helped in the formation of the New South Wales brand of the Young People's Scripture Union, and later became secretary of that group. After the death of her mother in 1885, Eliza helped to form the Church Missionary Association of New South Wales, which was formally started in July, 1892. This organization set its own policies and engaged in its own recruitment of missionaries, although its parent group kept the job of placing these missionaries. The next year, Eliza bought a property called "Cluden", at the intersection of Frederick Street and Church Street in Ashfield, New South Wales
Ashfield, New South Wales
Ashfield is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Ashfield is about 9 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Ashfield.The official name for the...
, near the local Anglican church. After receiving a request from the Church Missionary Association, she established Marsden House (alternately, the Marsden Training Home for Women Missionaries) there, and engaged in the recruitment of new missionaries. The first of these recruits, her niece Amy Isabel Oxley, became a missionary to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in 1896.
Marsden House laid particular emphasis on Biblical studies
Biblical studies
Biblical studies is the academic study of the Judeo-Christian Bible and related texts. For Christianity, the Bible traditionally comprises the New Testament and Old Testament, which together are sometimes called the "Scriptures." Judaism recognizes as scripture only the Hebrew Bible, also known as...
and geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
. Eliza herself was the superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of the school and the president of the ladies' fund-raising committee. It proved quite successful, and in 1898 expanded to permit the training of even more missionaries. After a missionary exhibition the following year, Eliza was made an honorary life member of the Church Missionary Society.
Death and legacy
Eliza retired from Marsden House in 1903, and moved to a cottage on Charlotte Street in Ashfield, which she also named "Cluden". Roughly three of every four Australian overseas missionaries by this time were women who Eliza had helped recruit and train. The Deaconess Institute at RedfernRedfern, New South Wales
Redfern is an inner-city suburb of Sydney. Redfern is 3 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney...
took control of Marsden House and continued in the work of training woman missionaries.
Eliza died on 26 December 1917, at Coogee
Coogee, New South Wales
Coogee is a beachside suburb of local government area City of Randwick. It is located 8 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is also a part of the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney....
and was buried in the churchyard of St. Paul's Church in Cobbitty. She is commemorated in the Calendar of saints
Calendar of saints (Anglican Church of Australia)
The calendar of the Anglican Church of Australia follows Anglican tradition with the addition of significant people and events in the church in Australia....
of the Anglican Church of Australia
Anglican Church of Australia
The Anglican Church of Australia is a member church of the Anglican Communion. It was previously officially known as the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania...
on 2 January.