Gerald Burton Allen
Encyclopedia
Gerald Burton Allen was a British
scholar and a Church of England
priest and bishop.
of Weyhill
. He was educated at Cheltenham College
, later serving as a member of the College Council (1923–51) and President of the College (1939–51). He was a scholar of Wadham College, Oxford
, earning first-class honours in the Final Honour School of Theology in 1908, and in 1910 being elected Denyer and Johnson Theological Scholar and receiving the Ellerton Essay Prize. He studied briefly at Wells Theological College in 1908 and was ordained deacon the same year, when he had just satisfied the canonical
requirement for candidates for ordination to have attained twenty-three years of age. Both his youth and the brevity of his training were quite normal at the time.
His first appointment was as Chaplain to Wadham
(1908–10) and he was ordained priest in 1909. From 1910 until 1920 he was Fellow, Dean, and Chaplain of Pembroke College
(Honorary Fellow 1934). He was Temporary Chaplain to the Forces 1917-18 and Chaplain to the Royal Air Force
1918-19. In 1920 he returned to Oxford
as Senior Proctor (1920–21) and Principal of St Edmund Hall
(1920–28; Honorary Fellow 1942), assuming office at the age of just thirty-five. From 1923 until 1928 he was a member of the Hebdomadal Council
of the University of Oxford
.
From 1928 until 1936 he was the second Bishop of Sherborne. He returned to Oxford
in 1936, where he was Archdeacon of Oxford and Canon of Christ Church
until 1952. He was also Assistant Bishop of Oxford 1936-39 and served as the first modern Bishop of Dorchester
1939-52.
A man with the widest sympathies and the most excellent personal relations, he resigned in 1952 and died in retirement at Cheltenham
four years later.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
scholar and a 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...
priest and bishop.
Life
Allen was born into a clerical family, being the eldest son of The Reverend T.K. Allen, sometime VicarVicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of Weyhill
Weyhill
Weyhill is a village, three miles west of Andover, Hampshire. Within it there is a church, a nursing home, a pub and an historic Fairground site that houses a number of craft studios, a Village Hall and a Tearoom...
. He was educated at Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College is a co-educational independent school, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.One of the public schools of the Victorian period, it was opened in July 1841. An Anglican foundation, it is known for its classical, military and sporting traditions.The 1893 book Great...
, later serving as a member of the College Council (1923–51) and President of the College (1939–51). He was a scholar of Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, located at the southern end of Parks Road in central Oxford. It was founded by Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham, wealthy Somerset landowners, during the reign of King James I...
, earning first-class honours in the Final Honour School of Theology in 1908, and in 1910 being elected Denyer and Johnson Theological Scholar and receiving the Ellerton Essay Prize. He studied briefly at Wells Theological College in 1908 and was ordained deacon the same year, when he had just satisfied the canonical
Canon law (Church of England)
The Church of England, like the other autonomous member churches of the Anglican Communion, has its own system of Canon law.The principal body of canon law enacted since the Reformation is the Book of Canons approved by the Convocations of Canterbury and York in 1604 and 1606 respectively...
requirement for candidates for ordination to have attained twenty-three years of age. Both his youth and the brevity of his training were quite normal at the time.
His first appointment was as Chaplain to Wadham
Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, located at the southern end of Parks Road in central Oxford. It was founded by Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham, wealthy Somerset landowners, during the reign of King James I...
(1908–10) and he was ordained priest in 1909. From 1910 until 1920 he was Fellow, Dean, and Chaplain of Pembroke College
Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located in Pembroke Square. As of 2009, Pembroke had an estimated financial endowment of £44.9 million.-History:...
(Honorary Fellow 1934). He was Temporary Chaplain to the Forces 1917-18 and Chaplain to the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
1918-19. In 1920 he returned to Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
as Senior Proctor (1920–21) and Principal of St Edmund Hall
St Edmund Hall, Oxford
St Edmund Hall is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Better known within the University by its nickname, "Teddy Hall", the college has a claim to being "the oldest academical society for the education of undergraduates in any university"...
(1920–28; Honorary Fellow 1942), assuming office at the age of just thirty-five. From 1923 until 1928 he was a member of the Hebdomadal Council
Hebdomadal Council
The Hebdomadal Council was the chief executive body for the University of Oxford from its establishment in 1854 until its replacement, in the Michaelmas term of 2000, by the new University Council...
of the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
From 1928 until 1936 he was the second Bishop of Sherborne. He returned to Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
in 1936, where he was Archdeacon of Oxford and Canon of Christ Church
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
until 1952. He was also Assistant Bishop of Oxford 1936-39 and served as the first modern Bishop of Dorchester
Bishop of Dorchester (modern)
The modern Bishop of Dorchester is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Oxford, in the Province of Canterbury, England...
1939-52.
A man with the widest sympathies and the most excellent personal relations, he resigned in 1952 and died in retirement at Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
four years later.