Richard Parsons (bishop)

For other people of the same name, see Richard Parsons.

Richard Godfrey Parsons was an Anglican bishop who served in three dioceses during the first half of the 20th century and a renowned liberal scholar.

Parsonshe was born into a Lancashire family on 12 November 1882 and educated at Durham School and Magdalen College, Oxford. Ordained priest in 1907 he was a curate at Hampstead before four years as Chaplain at University College, Oxford. Principal of Wells Theological College from 1911-16 he was then appointed a chaplain to the forces before two Lancashire incumbencies. Ideally suited to pastoral work he became Bishop of Middleton, a Suffragan appointment in 1927. During this period he was one of several clerics who made a major contribution to the revision of the Book of Common Prayer. A man with much sympathy to the poor he enjoyed his time at the See of Southwark (1932–41) before translation to Hereford. A devoted family man, he married Dorothy Streeter in 1912. His son died in the Siege of Tobruk and he died himself on 26 December 1948.

Notes

Church of England titles
Preceded by Inaugural appointment	Bishop of Middleton 1927 – 1932	Succeeded by Cecil Wilfred Wilson
Preceded by Cyril Forster Garbett	Bishop of Southwark 1932 – 1941	Succeeded by Bertram Fitzgerald Simpson
Preceded by Charles Lisle Carr	Bishop of Hereford 1942 – 1948	Succeeded by Tom Longworth