Eric Milner-White
Encyclopedia
Eric Milner-White CBE
DSO
OGS
(23 April 1884–15 June 1963) was a Dean of York
in the Church of England
; holding this post between 1941 and his death in 1963.
before going to King's College, Cambridge
in 1903. He won a scholarship
to Cambridge
to read history and graduated in 1906 with a double-first and as the recipient of the Lightfoot Scholarship.
in 1908 and priest
in 1909 (at Southwark Cathedral
). He served a curacy at St Paul's Church, Newington
(1908-09) and St Mary Magdalen Woolwich
(1909–12) before returning to King's College as chaplain in 1912. He was also appointed a lecturer in history at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
at the same time. He then served as an army chaplain during the First World War on both the Western Front
and in the Italian Campaign
. He was appointed senior chaplain to 7th Infantry Division on 15 February 1917 (with temporary promotion to Chaplain to the Forces, 3rd Class
) For his service during this period he was Mentioned in Despatches on 24 December 1917 and awarded the Distinguished Service Order
(DSO) in the 1918 New Year Honours
. He resigned his commission on 5 January 1918 and returned to Cambridge. Upon returning he was made the Dean and a Fellow of King's College. He was a founder of the Oratory of the Good Shepherd
and also the order's superior from 1923 to 1938. He was re-appointed as an honorary chaplain to the armed forces, 3rd class, on 1 September 1921.
During his time at King's College, Milner-White introduced the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols
. This was first broadcast in 1928 and has now become a major part of the BBC
's Christmas
schedule.
. During his time as Dean, he directed the replacement of many of York Minster
's windows and undertook a great deal of writing on liturgical
matters, for example My God My Glory (1954). He served on various national committees and served on the Advisory Council of the Victoria and Albert Museum
from 1944 to 1959 due to his interest in stained-glass windows. He also became provost of the northern section of the Woodard Corporation, a charity which runs a number of private schools with a strong Christian ethos and, from 1948 to 1962, was amongst those who produced the New English Bible
.
A variety of Milner-White's written papers are held at the King's College Archive Centre at the University of Cambridge
, having been presented to the university in 1982 by Milner-White's "literary executor", the Revd P. N. Pare. Other items have since been added to the collection.
Milner-White was made an honorary freeman of the Worshipful Company of Glaziers in 1948. appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1952 Queen's Birthday Honours
, The same year he was also awarded a Lambeth
Doctorate of Divinity. He was also awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters
(DLitt) in 1962 by the University of Leeds
.
Milner-White died of cancer in the deanery of York Minster on 15 June 1963.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
OGS
Oratory of the Good Shepherd
The Oratory of the Good Shepherd is a dispersed international community of Anglicans, ordained and lay, bound by a common rule of celibate chastity, responsible spending, and direction of life.The OGS Rule calls members of the Oratory to daily Communion, Private Prayer, and the Office...
(23 April 1884–15 June 1963) was a Dean of York
Dean of York
The Dean of York is the member of the clergy who is responsible for the running of the York Minster cathedral.-11th–12th centuries:* 1093–c.1135: Hugh* c.1138–1143: William of Sainte-Barbe...
in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
; holding this post between 1941 and his death in 1963.
Early life and education
Milner-White was born in Southampton on 23 April 1884, to Henry Milner-White (a barrister and company chairman) and his wife Kathleen Lucy (née Meeres); his parents later becoming Sir Henry and Lady Milner-White. He was educated at Harrow SchoolHarrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
before going to King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
in 1903. He won a scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
to Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
to read history and graduated in 1906 with a double-first and as the recipient of the Lightfoot Scholarship.
Dean of King's College, Cambridge
After theological training at Cuddesdon College in 1907, Milner-White was ordained deaconDeacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
in 1908 and priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
in 1909 (at Southwark Cathedral
Southwark Cathedral
Southwark Cathedral or The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie, Southwark, London, lies on the south bank of the River Thames close to London Bridge....
). He served a curacy at St Paul's Church, Newington
Newington, London
Newington is a district of London, England, and part of the London Borough of Southwark. It was an ancient parish and the site of the early administration of the county of Surrey...
(1908-09) and St Mary Magdalen Woolwich
St Mary Magdalen Woolwich
St Mary Magdalen Woolwich is an Anglican church dedicated to Mary Magdalen in Woolwich, sited at the extremity of a spur reaching northwards towards the Thames...
(1909–12) before returning to King's College as chaplain in 1912. He was also appointed a lecturer in history at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is notable as the only college founded by Cambridge townspeople: it was established in 1352 by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary...
at the same time. He then served as an army chaplain during the First World War on both the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
and in the Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War I)
The Italian campaign refers to a series of battles fought between the armies of Austria-Hungary and Italy, along with their allies, in northern Italy between 1915 and 1918. Italy hoped that by joining the countries of the Triple Entente against the Central Powers it would gain Cisalpine Tyrol , the...
. He was appointed senior chaplain to 7th Infantry Division on 15 February 1917 (with temporary promotion to Chaplain to the Forces, 3rd Class
Royal Army Chaplains' Department
The Royal Army Chaplains' Department is an all-officer corps that provides ordained clergy to minister to the British Army.As of 2007, there are about 280 serving regular chaplains in the British Army; these can belong to either one of several Christian churches, or to the Jewish faith, although...
) For his service during this period he was Mentioned in Despatches on 24 December 1917 and awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(DSO) in the 1918 New Year Honours
New Year Honours
The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the New Year annually in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen Elizabeth II...
. He resigned his commission on 5 January 1918 and returned to Cambridge. Upon returning he was made the Dean and a Fellow of King's College. He was a founder of the Oratory of the Good Shepherd
Oratory of the Good Shepherd
The Oratory of the Good Shepherd is a dispersed international community of Anglicans, ordained and lay, bound by a common rule of celibate chastity, responsible spending, and direction of life.The OGS Rule calls members of the Oratory to daily Communion, Private Prayer, and the Office...
and also the order's superior from 1923 to 1938. He was re-appointed as an honorary chaplain to the armed forces, 3rd class, on 1 September 1921.
During his time at King's College, Milner-White introduced the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols
Nine Lessons and Carols
The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is a format for a service of Christian worship celebrating the birth of Jesus that is traditionally followed at Christmas...
. This was first broadcast in 1928 and has now become a major part of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
schedule.
Dean of York
Milner-White remained at King's until 1941, when he was appointed Dean of YorkDean of York
The Dean of York is the member of the clergy who is responsible for the running of the York Minster cathedral.-11th–12th centuries:* 1093–c.1135: Hugh* c.1138–1143: William of Sainte-Barbe...
. During his time as Dean, he directed the replacement of many of York Minster
York Minster
York Minster is a Gothic cathedral in York, England and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe alongside Cologne Cathedral. The minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the second-highest office of the Church of England, and is the cathedral for the Diocese of York; it is run by...
's windows and undertook a great deal of writing on liturgical
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
matters, for example My God My Glory (1954). He served on various national committees and served on the Advisory Council of the Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
from 1944 to 1959 due to his interest in stained-glass windows. He also became provost of the northern section of the Woodard Corporation, a charity which runs a number of private schools with a strong Christian ethos and, from 1948 to 1962, was amongst those who produced the New English Bible
New English Bible
The New English Bible is a translation of the Bible into modern English directly from the original Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic texts . The New Testament was published in 1961...
.
A variety of Milner-White's written papers are held at the King's College Archive Centre at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, having been presented to the university in 1982 by Milner-White's "literary executor", the Revd P. N. Pare. Other items have since been added to the collection.
Milner-White was made an honorary freeman of the Worshipful Company of Glaziers in 1948. appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1952 Queen's Birthday Honours
Queen's Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen...
, The same year he was also awarded a Lambeth
Lambeth degree
A Lambeth degree is an academic degree conferred by the Archbishop of Canterbury under the authority of the Ecclesiastical Licences Act 1533 as successor of the papal legate in England...
Doctorate of Divinity. He was also awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree, often a higher doctorate which is frequently awarded as an honorary degree in recognition of outstanding scholarship or other merits.-Commonwealth:...
(DLitt) in 1962 by the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
.
Milner-White died of cancer in the deanery of York Minster on 15 June 1963.