Richard Cheetham

Richard Ian Cheetham (born 18 August 1955) is a Church of England bishop and former teacher. Since 2002, he has been the current Anglican area Bishop of Kingston.[4]

The Right Reverend Richard Cheetham
Bishop of Kingston
Bishop Cheetham in Jerusalem, 2019
Church	Church of England
Diocese	Diocese of Southwark
In office	2002–present
Predecessor	Peter Price
Other posts	Archdeacon of St Albans (1999–2002)
Orders
Ordination	1987 (deacon); 1988 (priest) by Alec Graham
Consecration	17 October 2002[1] by George Carey
Personal details
Born	18 August 1955
Denomination	Anglican
Spouse	​ ​ (m. 1977)​ [2]
Children	two[3]
Profession	formerly investment analyst; teacher
Alma mater	Corpus Christi College, Oxford

Early life

He was educated at Kingston Grammar School.[2] He studied physics and philosophy at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. He remained at the University of Oxford to study for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).[5]

Having qualified, he taught science at a comprehensive school in Richmond, North Yorkshire, from 1978 to 1980. He then moved to Eton College, Windsor, where he was Assistant Physics Master from 1980 to 1983. After five years teaching, he left the profession to become an investment analyst.[5]

Church career

Cheetham left his career and in 1985 began preparation for ordination at Ripon College Cuddesdon. Having completed a Certificate in Theology, he was made a deacon in the Church of England at Petertide (5 July) 1987.[6] The following year, at Petertide (3 July 1988), he was ordained a priest; both times by Alec Graham, Bishop of Newcastle.[7]

He began his career as curate at Holy Cross, Fenham, Newcastle upon Tyne and from 1990 until 1999 he was vicar of St Augustine of Canterbury's Church, Luton and additionally (from 1995) Rural Dean of the area.[8] From 1999 to 2002 he was Archdeacon of St Albans.[9] On 17 October 2002, at Southwark Cathedral, he was one (with David Hamid and David Hawkins) of the last three people to be ordained and consecrated a bishop by George Carey before his retirement as Archbishop of Canterbury; Cheetham was then enthroned as area Bishop of Kingston in Southwark Cathedral on 27 October 2002.[1] As the senior suffragan bishop in post at the time of Tom Butler's retirement on 5 March 2010, Cheetham served as Acting Bishop of Southwark from then until his fellow suffragan Christopher Chessun became Bishop of Southwark on 17 January 2011.[10]

In 1999, Cheetham completed his Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD) as an external student of King's College London.[2] His thesis was entitled, 'The nature and status of religious belief in contemporary Britain (with particular reference to the concept of 'truth') as reflected by acts of collective worship in a sample of Luton schools since the 1988 Education Reform Act'. A book, Collective Worship: issues and opportunities, followed in 2004. He became an Honorary Research Fellow of King's College London in 2011. Cheetham is also a keen sportsman.[2]

Cheetham is Chair of the Southwark Diocesan Board of Education, Anglican President of the Christian Muslim Forum,[11] Patron of the Fircroft Trust,[12] the Curriculum for Cohesion and Kingston Bereavement Service. Until 2012 he was a member of the Roehampton University Council. He is President of the YMCA London South West who have a large multi-function building in Surbiton[13] and became Chair of the British Regional Committee of St. George's College, Jerusalem, in May 2013.

Styles

• The Reverend Richard Cheetham (1987 – February 1999)[3]
• The Venerable Richard Cheetham (February – October 1999)
• The Venerable Doctor Richard Cheetham (October 1999 – 2002)
• The Right Reverend Doctor Richard Cheetham (2002–present)

References

1. "Consecration & Commissioning of the The Venerable Richard Cheetham as 11th Bishop of Kingston". Southwark.anglican.org. 15 October 2002. Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
2. "Cheetham, Richard Ian". Who's Who. ukwhoswho.com. 2017 (November 2016 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 22 July 2017. (subscription or UK public library membership required)
3. "Official notification of appointment". Number10.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 8 December 2009. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
4. "Anglican Communion". Aco.org. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
5. "Biographical notes for Bishops: The Rt Revd Dr Richard Cheetham". Who we are. Diocese of Southwark. Archived from the original on 6 January 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
6. "Ordinations". Church Times (#6492). 17 July 1987. p. 3. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 22 July 2017 – via UK Press Online archives.
7. "Ordinations". Church Times (#6543). 8 July 1988. p. 13. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 22 July 2017 – via UK Press Online archives.
8. "Richard Ian Cheetham". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
9. Debrett's People of Today 2008
10. Diocese of Southwark — Tenth Bishop of Southwark is announced Archived 11 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine (Accessed 17 December 2015)
11. "Co-Chairs and Presidents of the Christian Muslim Forum". Archived from the original on 31 March 2012. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
12. "The Fircroft Trust". Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
13. "YMCA London South West". Retrieved 23 March 2012.

External links

Media related to Richard Cheetham at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website

Sources

• Debrett's People of Today 2008. London: Debrett's. 2007. ISBN 978-1-870520-95-9. OCLC 764415351.