James Walkey

The Venerable James Rowland Walkey [1] CBE, was an amateur sportsman in the first half of the twentieth century who later became an eminent[2] Anglican Chaplain.[3]

He was born into a military family on 10 April 1880[4] and educated at Plymouth College and Christ's College, Cambridge. During his varsity years he was awarded a Blue for Rugby and, after joining the British Army as a chaplain, was its 100-yard champion in 1906. In that year he married Bijou Frances Paske [5] daughter of the Colonel Commandant of the Notts and Derbyshire Regiment with whom he had one son and six daughters. He was mentioned in despatches during World War I and at its conclusion joined the fledgling Royal Air Force Chaplaincy Service. After serving at Uxbridge (during which time he became its Fencing champion) he held posts [6] in Iraq and the Middle East before becoming an Honorary Chaplain to the King [7] and eventually its Archdeacon [8] (Chaplain-in-Chief).[9] Later he held incumbencies at Wateringbury, Worting,[10] Angmering,[11] Haversham and Moreton. He retired just a year before his death on 8 January 1960.[12]

Notes and references

1. Genealogical web site
2. London Gazette
3. airmans guide to The Bible
4. His father was Colonel Rowland Walkey, RA > “Who was Who” 1897-2007 London, A & C Black, 2007 ISBN 978-0-19-954087-7
5. Pask family web site
6. LG
7. Honorary Chaplain to the King
8. "New Chaplain-In-Chief To R.A.F.", The Times, Friday, 3 Nov 1933; pg. 16; Issue 46592; col A
9. Retirement
10. Crockford's Clerical Directory1947-48 Oxford, OUP,1947
11. Angmering Parish Incumbents
12. "Obituary Rev. J. R. Walkey", The Times, Thursday, 14 Jan 1960; pg. 17; Issue 54668; col B