The Reverend John Wakeford (died 13 February 1930) was a Church of England clergyman who was convicted of adultery and deprived of his post as Archdeacon of Stow in a celebrated court case in 1921.

Church career

Wakeford was the son of an employee of Plymouth dockyard. He took holy orders in 1884 at Exeter, and subsequently obtained a Bachelor of Divinity degree at the University of Durham. He served as Vicar of St Margaret's, Anfield, Liverpool from 1893; this appointment was at first difficult as Wakeford came from the high church tradition which was not the tradition of the diocese.^[1] He was promoted to be a prebendary at Lincoln Cathedral at the end of 1910.^[2] He became Archdeacon of Stow in July 1913.^[3]

Scandal

In February 1921 Wakeford was convicted of charges under the Clergy Discipline Act 1892 that he had committed adultery at a hotel in Peterborough in March and April 1920. He appealed to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, which dismissed his appeal. As a result of his conviction he was deprived of the post of Archdeacon of Stow, but he was not removed from holy orders. Wakeford continued to dispute the finding, bringing proceedings for slander against the managing clerk of the Bishop of Lincoln's solicitors.^[1] As a result of the fight and his legal bills, he was bankrupted in 1924.^[4]

Death

He was removed to Barming Heath Asylum on 6 March 1928, having suffered a breakdown,^[5] and died there on 13 February 1930.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "The Rev. John Wakeford" (obituary), The Times, 14 February 1930, p. 19.
^ "Ecclesiastical Intelligence", The Times, 22 December 1910, p. 6.
^ "Ecclesiastical Intelligence", The Times, 23 July 1913, p. 6.
^ "Bankruptcy of a former Archdeacon", The Times, 23 July 1924, p. 5.
^ "News in Brief", The Times, 9 March 1928, p. 11.

v t e Archdeacons of Stow, of Lindsey and of Stow and Lindsey
High Medieval (Stow)	Hugh Osbert William son of Osbert Roger de Almaria Richard de Almaria Alexander William de Firsby William de Thornaco John of York Hugh de Sancto Edwardo William son of Fulk II William of Canterbury W. Gilbert Michael de Benington Simon de Barton Antony de Sauzthorp Durand of Lincoln Joceline Kirmington
Late Medieval (Stow)	William Ockham William Langwath Adam de Brome Richard Northwode Walter Stauren John Islip Simon Islip John Nassington John Longespey de Regenhill Thomas Ripplingham John Bekingham Henry Chaddesden Henry Motoun Thomas Chandos Thomas Aston Hugh Hanworth Thomas Brunce Stephen Wilton William Lyndwood William Scrope Peter Irford Lawrence Booth Edmund Booth William Witham John Collinson Thomas Downe Edmund Shireff John Blithe William Sheffield Robert Frost William Smith Edward Derby
Early modern (Stow)	Anthony Draycot Christopher Massingberd John Aylmer John Harrison John Aylmer (again) Roger Kelke Thomas Sparke John Fermery John Hills Alexander Chapman Nicholas Walker James Duport Stephen Luddington Byrom Eaton John Gery John Hutton Laurence Echard Squire Payne William Bassett John Towne Robert Wharton Cayley Illingworth Henry Bayley William Stonehouse
Late modern (Stow)	John Giles Edward Trollope (Bishop of Nottingham) George Perry John Bond George Jeudwine John Wakeford Ernest Blackie (Bishop of Grantham then of Grimsby) Arthur Greaves, Bishop of Grimsby Mervyn Armstrong Lawrence Ashcroft Michael Roy Sinker Sidney Harvie-Clark David Scott Roderick Wells (became Archdeacon of Stow and Lindsey)
of Lindsey	archdeaconry split from that of Stow Herbert Parry Nathaniel Railton Lisle Marsden Clifford Jarvis Bill Dudman Christopher Laurence merged back into Stow archdeaconry
of Stow and Lindsey	Roderick Wells (previously Archdeacon of Stow) Tim Ellis Jane Sinclair Mark Steadman Aly Buxton

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