"Etona" - The Floating Church

For many years, the only church available to the people who made their homes along the length of the River Murray in South Australia, was the little floating church aboard the paddle steamer Etona. She was built at Milang in 1899 to replace a smaller craft that had become too small for its purpose.

In 1899 Bishop J.R. Harmer had the "Etona" built using funds partially supplied by Eton College in England to commemorate his old Etonian predecessor Bishop G.W. Kennion who had started the River Murray Church of England Mission some years before. The Reverend Canon W. Bussell and a number of other ministers preached the gospel in the vessel's small chapel, gave first aid to the injured and even delivered babies in their travels up and down the river. At one time, a young Englishman often played the organ for the Church services aboard the "Etona" - he went on to become Viscount Montgomery of El Alamein - "Monty" to his troops.  

The little vessel was fitted with a cabin at the front and the chapel at the rear. The cabin was used for visiting dignitaries such as the Bishop and his family. The "Etona" served as the River Mission chuch until 1913, by which time a number of churches had been built in the towns that sprang up along the river. The little vessel was sold to a fisherman in 1944 and worked for a while in that capacity.

For 12 years she lay idle until put into service in 1956 to help with emergency flood relief on the Murrumbidee River at Balranald in Victoria. Following her heroic efforts, she underwent considerable recoditioning and steamed 300 miles up river from Boundary Bend to Echuca in 1961. Here she was restored to her former glory, but her organ was sold the Baptist Church in North Adelaide, but has since found its way to the Murray Bridge Museum. The "Etona" is now on display - and still occasionally sails at Echuca. Below is a list of people who were baptised aboard her and aboard her predecessor.

In 1894 Harewood Lascelles Monckton was the curate of Christ Church Strathalbyn and the River Murray Mission diocese of Adelaide. He was followed by the Reverend, later Archdeacon W.J. Bussell.

Rev. W.J. Bussell came from a distinguised WA family (Bussellton is named after his family) and was educated at St Peter's College in Adelaide. He was ordained in 1877 and began his clerical life at Mt Gambier and later took over from Rev Monckton at Strathalbyn. He was the missionary chaplain in charge of the "Etona" from 1894-1904.  Reverend Bussell was something of an innovator in clerical circles. In the mid-1890's he saw to it that the little church boat was fitted out with a gramophone and a "magic lantern" complete with screen. During this year ‘the energetic navigator missioner Mr Bussell delighted the pupils of Tormore School by an exhibition of a number of photographic views of the Murray … Sets of lantern slides on many subjects can be purchased for money, but slides to picture forth the Murray can only be had for love, aided by patience and work. Many, if not all of the photographs were taken by Mr Bussell himself from the deck of the Etona under difficulties more easily imagined than overcome. The broad surface of Lake Alexandrina, the high cliffs of the ancient gorge, the treacherous snags, the shifting sandbars, the rows of village settlers houses, the trim fruit gardens all excited keen interest as they fell upon the magic screen.’

On a visit to the settlement at New Residence in 1896 he conducted a service made up of magic lantern views of prayers, hymns and descriptive lectures. The locals had prepared a tent of pine and canvas and had lighted a fire inside to keep the parishioners warm. But the fire was so bright that the pictures from the magic lantern could not be seen on the screen because of the brightness from the fire. Not to be perturbed by this, the good Reverend held his service in the open air - despite the bitter cold.

Reverend Bussell left the river in 1904 and married this sister of his good friend Bishop Harmer.

[List compiled from SRG 94/61 River Murray Mission 1894-1913 State Records - contains 893 baptism records]