John Kirkham (bishop)

John Dudley Galtrey Kirkham ChStJ (20 September 1935 – 10 October 2019) was a British Anglican bishop. He was the Bishop of Sherborne in the last quarter of the 20th century[1] and the first area bishop under the 1981–2009 area scheme.[2]

The Right Reverend John Kirkham ChStJ
Bishop of Sherborne
Bishop Kirkham in 1995
Diocese	Diocese of Salisbury
In office	1976–2001
Predecessor	Victor Pike
Successor	Tim Thornton
Other posts	Honorary assistant bishop in Salisbury (2001–2019) Area bishop of Sherborne (1981–2001) Bishop to the Forces (1992–2001)
Orders
Ordination	1962 (deacon); 1963 (priest)
Consecration	1976
Personal details
Born	20 September 1935
Died	10 October 2019 (aged 84)
Denomination	Anglican
Parents	Rev Canon Charles & Doreen
Spouse	Hester ​ (m. 1986)​
Alma mater	Trinity College, Cambridge

Early life and education

Kirkham was born on 20 September 1935. He was educated at Lancing College, an independent school in West Sussex. Between 1954 and 1956, after finishing school, he completed his military service with the Royal Hampshire Regiment and King's African Rifles. He then studied at Trinity College, Cambridge from 1956 to 1959, and at the theological college Westcott House, Cambridge from 1960 to 1962.[3]

Ordained ministry

Kirkham was made a deacon at Michaelmas 1962 (30 September) at St Mary's, Woodbridge[4] and ordained a priest the Michaelmas following (29 September 1963) at St Mary-le-Tower, Ipswich — both times by Arthur Morris, Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich.[5] His ministry began with a curacy at St Mary-le-Tower, Ipswich,[6] after which he was Chaplain to Launcelot Fleming, Bishop of Norwich.[7] From 1970 to 1972, he was an assistant priest at St Martin-in-the-Fields and St Margaret's, Westminster. Finally, before his appointment to the episcopate, he was Director of Ordinands in the Diocese of Canterbury and Domestic Chaplain to Archbishop of Canterbury.[3]

He was consecrated a bishop on 30 November 1976, by Donald Coggan, Archbishop of Canterbury, at Canterbury Cathedral.[8] From 1976 until his retirement in 2001, he served as Bishop of Sherborne, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Salisbury. He was additionally an area bishop from 1981, and Bishop to the Forces from 1992.[3] On 30 November 1991 he was appointed Chaplain to the Order of St John.[9]

He died on 10 October 2019 at the age of 84.[10]

References

1. Church news Two bishops suffragan appointed (Official Appointments and Notices) The Times Wednesday, Jun 30, 1976; pg. 16; Issue 59743; col B
2. Salisbury Diocesan Synod minutes – 99th session, 7 November 2009 p. 3 (Accessed 23 April 2014)
3. ‘Kirkham, John Dudley Galtrey’, Who's Who 2012, A & C Black, 2012; online edition, Oxford University Press, December 2011 , accessed 5 July 2012
4. "Michaelmas Ordinations". Church Times (#5199). 10 October 1962. p. 16. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 18 May 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
5. "Michaelmas Ordinations". Church Times (#5251). 4 October 1963. p. 16. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 18 May 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
6. "St Mary-le-Tower – The Civic Church of Ipswich". www.stmaryletower.org.uk. Retrieved 2019-10-11.
7. Crockford's Clerical Directory2008/2009 Lambeth,Church House Publishing (ISBN 9780715110300)
8. "Canon is appointed as bishop". Church Times (#5924). 27 August 1976. p. 2. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 18 May 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
9. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/52712/page/17188/data.pdf
10. Kirkham