Ambrose Weekes

Ambrose Walter Marcus Weekes CB FKC (25 April 1919 – 24 April 2012)[1] was an Anglo-Catholic[2] bishop in the 20th century who served as the first Suffragan Bishop in Europe.[1]

Ambrose Weekes
Suffragan Bishop in Europe and vicar-general
Diocese	Diocese in Europe
In office	1980–1986
Predecessor	Himself (as Assistant Bishop)
Other posts	Chaplain of the Fleet (1969–1972) Dean of Gibraltar (1973–1977) Assistant Bishop and vicar-general (Gibraltar & Fulham, 1977–1980)
Orders
Ordination	1942 (deacon); 1943 (priest) by Christopher Chavasse
Consecration	1977 by Gerald Ellison
Personal details
Born	25 April 1919
Died	24 April 2012 (aged 92) Smithfield, City of London, United Kingdom
Nationality	British
Denomination	Anglo-Catholic
Parents	William & Ethel
Alma mater	King's College, London

Family and education

Weekes was the son of William, a naval officer, and Ethel, a justice of the peace. He was educated at Rochester Cathedral Choir School, Sir Joseph Williamson's School, Rochester[1] and King's College, London,[3] where he gained his Associate of King's College (AKC)[4] in theology[2] in 1941 — he was later elected a Fellow of King's College (FKC) in 1972.[1] He trained for the ministry at King's and at Lincoln Theological College.[5]

Naval chaplain

He was ordained a deacon on Trinity Sunday (31 May) 1942[6] and a priest on Trinity Sunday (20 June) 1943[7] (both times by Christopher Chavasse, Bishop of Rochester, in Rochester Cathedral),[6][7] serving his title as assistant curate of St Luke's, Gillingham, Kent.[1] He then became a wartime chaplain with the RNVR (1944–1946)[2] then served as a Royal Navy chaplain (1944–1969). He became Chaplain of the Fleet, with the title of Archdeacon of the Royal Navy, and an Honorary Chaplain to the Queen (QHC, all 1969–1972),[4] also being made a Companion of the Bath (CB) in 1970 and a canon of Gibraltar Cathedral in 1971.[1]

Europe

Moving to the Diocese of Gibraltar, Weekes served Tangier as their chaplain from 1972 until[4] he was appointed Dean of Gibraltar (1973–1978).[8] On St James's day (25 July) 1977, he was consecrated a bishop (by Gerald Ellison, Bishop of London, in the chapel of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich),[9][10] to serve as full-time Auxiliary/[4]Assistant Bishop in Gibraltar diocese until the diocese was reformed into the Diocese in Europe in 1980, at which point he became the first Suffragan Bishop in Europe.[1] He was based in Brussels as Dean of the Pro-Cathedral and retired from both posts in 1986.[4] He was also Vicar General of the diocese.[11]

Retirement

In retirement, he became an honorary assistant bishop of the Diocese of Rochester and an honorary canon of Rochester Cathedral (1986–1988) before again serving in Europe as an honorary assistant bishop (from 1988) and chaplain of Montreux[1] and Gstaad[4] (1988–1992). He became a Freeman of the City of London in 2000[1] and held permission to officiate (PtO) from 2003.[4] He died, aged 92, at the London Charterhouse, where he was a resident.[11]

References

1. "Weekes, Ambrose Walter Marcus". Who's Who. ukwhoswho.com. 1920–2016 (April 2016 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 13 January 2017. (subscription or UK public library membership required)
2. Daily Telegraph obituary Issue no 48,822 dated 17 May 2012 Online version (Accessed 16 January 2017)
3. Debrett's People of Today, London, 2008 Debrett's, ISBN 978-1-870520-95-9
4. Crockford's Clerical Directory 2012/2013 Lambeth, Church House Publishing ISBN 978-0-7151-1053-9
5. Old Roffensian Society — OR Memoirs – Ambrose Weekes (Accessed 16 January 2017)
6. "Ordinations at Trinity". Church Times (#4141). 5 June 1942. p. 324. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 16 January 2017 – via UK Press Online archives.
7. "Ordinations at Trinity". Church Times (#4196). 25 June 1943. p. 336. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 16 January 2017 – via UK Press Online archives.
8. The Cathedral of The Holy Trinity — History Archived 24 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine (section: Deans of Gibraltar; accessed 13 January 2017)
9. "Historic day at Greenwich". Church Times (#5971). 22 July 1977. p. 2. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 16 January 2017 – via UK Press Online archives.
10. "picture caption". Church Times (#5972). 29 July 1977. p. 16. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 16 January 2017 – via UK Press Online archives.
11. Reid, Gordon (25 April 2012). "Bishop Ambrose Weekes". Retrieved 13 January 2017.