Arms of "Henry Chelmsford"

Henry Albert Wilson CBE (6 September 1876 – 16 July 1961)[1] was an Anglican bishop and author.[2]

Wilson depicted on an embroidered cushion at Chelmsford Cathedral

Biography

Born in Port Bannatyne, Wilson was educated at Camberwell Grammar School and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.[3]

Wilson was made a deacon in Advent 1899 (on St Thomas' Day, 21 December) by Mandell Creighton, Bishop of London, at Holy Trinity, Chelsea;[4] and ordained a priest the next Advent (23 December 1900) by Alfred Barry, assistant bishop for West London, at St Paul's Cathedral.[5] He began his career with a curacy at Christ Church, Hampstead, in London; after which he became Vicar of Norbiton. He was then Rural Dean of Cheltenham, until his appointment to the episcopate in 1929 as the third Bishop of Chelmsford.[6]

He was consecrated a bishop on the Feast of the Conversion of St Paul, 25 January 1929, by Arthur Winnington-Ingram, Bishop of London, at Westminster Abbey.[7] (He had recently taken his See by the confirmation of his election, after his predecessor had translated on 21 January,[8] but before his own consecration on 25 January.) A proposal to expedite divorce – by having divorce cases heard in a magistrates' court rather than a higher court – prompted his strenuous objection in 1944: "the landslide in sexual morals" meant that Christianity was "hanging by a thread in this country today".[9] He resigned effective 30 November 1950,[10] and retired to Southwold.[3] He had become a Doctor of Divinity (DD).

Wilson's son was the architect Colin St John Wilson.

Works

References

  1. ^ Rt. Rev. H. A. Wilson Former Bishop Of Chelmsford The Times Monday, Jul 17, 1961; pg. 18; Issue 55135; col D
  2. ^ “Who was Who” 1897–2007 London, A & C Black, 2007 ISBN 978-0-19-954087-7
  3. ^ a b "Wilson, Henry Albert (WL895HA)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  4. ^ "The Advent ordinations". Church Times. No. 1927. 29 December 1899. p. 772. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 2 February 2023 – via UK Press Online archives.
  5. ^ "The Advent ordinations". Church Times. No. 1979. 28 December 1900. p. 745. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 2 February 2023 – via UK Press Online archives.
  6. ^ National Archives
  7. ^ "Consecration of bishops". Church Times. No. 3445. 1 February 1929. p. 143. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 2 February 2023 – via UK Press Online archives.
  8. ^ "Personal". Church Times. No. 3444. 25 January 1929. p. 99. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 2 February 2023 – via UK Press Online archives.
  9. ^ Religion: Pretty Pass, Time Magazine, 31 June 1944
  10. ^ "Bishop of Chelmsford". Church Times. No. 4574. 6 October 1950. p. 729. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 2 February 2023 – via UK Press Online archives.
Church of England titles Preceded byGuy Warman Bishop of Chelmsford 1929–1950 Succeeded byFalkner Allison


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