Nelson Wellesley Fogarty
Encyclopedia
Nelson Wellesley Fogarty (1871–1933) was the first Anglican Bishop of Damaraland
(Namibia
) from 1924 to 1933.
, Kent
, England, the son of John Evans Fogarty and his wife Mary Ann Mills.
He was educated at The King's School, Canterbury
before entering St Augustine's Missionary College
in 1890. (He was made an Honorary Fellow in 1924). After achieving a first class pass in the Preliminary Theological Examination in 1893 he went out to South Africa
, and was licensed as a catechist in the parish
of Stellenbosch, in the Anglican Diocese of Cape Town
, on 24 October 1893. He was made deacon
by the Metropolitan bishop
of Cape Town
, William West Jones, on 21 September 1894, and licensed as assistant curate
of St. Saviour's church, Claremont in Cape Town. He moved to Oudtshoorn in 1895, being licensed as assistant curate of St. Jude’s church, Oudtshoorn on 26 March 1895, and serving as acting chaplain
to the Oudtshoorn Volunteer Rifles. He was ordained priest
by William West Jones in St. George's Cathedral, Cape Town
, on 8 March 1896.
In 1897 he became chaplain
to the Bishop of Mashonaland
, William Thomas Gaul
, and to the Railway Mission, in what is now the Church of the Province of Central Africa
, and during the Anglo-Boer War was chaplain to the Southern Rhodesian contingent, being awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal, with two clasps. In 1901 he took up an appointment in Basutoland (Lesotho
), then part of the Anglican Diocese of Bloemfontein, as principal of St Mary's Training College, Thlotse Heights. In 1904 he became Director of the Government Industrial School, Maseru
. He served as a Canon
of Bloemfontein
Cathedral between 1912-1920.
Having served as a chaplain with the Union Defence Forces in German South West Africa during 1915, he was appointed as Archdeacon
of Damaraland and Vicar-General for the Metropolitan of the Church of the Province of South Africa in South West Africa
in 1916.
When the missionary Diocese of Damaraland
was formed in 1924, he was chosen to be its first bishop, and consecrated as such in St. George’s Cathedral, Cape Town on Quinquagesima Sunday, 2 March 1924 by the Archbishop of Cape Town, assisted by the Bishops of George
, Bloemfontein, and St. John’s, Kaffraria, as well as the Coadjutor Bishop of Cape Town, and Bishop Gaul.
During his episcopate St George's Cathedral in Windhoek
was built.
He died in Sea Point, Cape Town, on 8 April 1933.
Fogarty was "described as ‘a man of fine physique, more than average good looks and a forceful preacher’. He was friendly and simple-hearted, yet of a forceful character, and often laboured single-handed in remote districts to further the work of the Church” (Boucher).
Anglican Diocese of Namibia
The Anglican Diocese of Namibia is part of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, which is itself part of the Anglican Communion.The diocese, which covers the whole country of Namibia, was originally known as the Diocese of Damaraland....
(Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
) from 1924 to 1933.
Biography
Nelson Wellesley Fogarty was born on 13 September 1871 in CanterburyCanterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England, the son of John Evans Fogarty and his wife Mary Ann Mills.
He was educated at The King's School, Canterbury
The King's School, Canterbury
The King's School is a British co-educational independent school for both day and boarding pupils in the historic English cathedral city of Canterbury in Kent. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and the Eton Group....
before entering St Augustine's Missionary College
St Augustine's College, Canterbury
St Augustine's College, Canterbury was a Church of England theological college in Canterbury, Kent that opened in 1848 and closed in 1976. Many of those who trained there went on to serve as missionaries...
in 1890. (He was made an Honorary Fellow in 1924). After achieving a first class pass in the Preliminary Theological Examination in 1893 he went out to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, and was licensed as a catechist in the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Stellenbosch, in the Anglican Diocese of Cape Town
Anglican Diocese of Cape Town
The Anglican Diocese of Cape Town, South Africa, came into being in 1847 with the consecration of the first bishop, Robert Gray, and later expanded to become the Church of the Province of Southern Africa, now called the Anglican Church of Southern Africa....
, on 24 October 1893. He was made deacon
Deacon
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...
by the Metropolitan bishop
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
of Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, William West Jones, on 21 September 1894, and licensed as assistant curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
of St. Saviour's church, Claremont in Cape Town. He moved to Oudtshoorn in 1895, being licensed as assistant curate of St. Jude’s church, Oudtshoorn on 26 March 1895, and serving as acting chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
to the Oudtshoorn Volunteer Rifles. He was ordained 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...
by William West Jones in St. George's Cathedral, Cape Town
St. George's Cathedral, Cape Town
St George's Cathedral is the Anglican cathedral in Cape Town, South Africa. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cape Town....
, on 8 March 1896.
In 1897 he became chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
to the Bishop of Mashonaland
Anglican Diocese of Mashonaland
The Anglican Diocese of Mashonaland was formed in 1891 and its first Bishop was The Rt Rev George Wyndham Hamilton Knight-Bruce. He was succeeded by the Rt Revd William Thomas Gaul , formerly Rector of St Cyprian's Church in Kimberley...
, William Thomas Gaul
William Thomas Gaul
William Thomas Gaul was Rector of All Saints Church, Du Toit's Pan, Kimberley, afterwards of St Cyprian's Church, Kimberley, Rural Dean of Griqualand West, and Archdeacon in what was still the Diocese of Bloemfontein, before being elected the second Bishop of Mashonaland, where he styled himself...
, and to the Railway Mission, in what is now the Church of the Province of Central Africa
Church of the Province of Central Africa
The Church of the Province of Central Africa is part of the Anglican Communion, and includes 15 dioceses in Botswana, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Primate of the Church is the Archbishop of Central Africa; Albert Chama is the current Archbishop, being installed on 20 March 2011, succeeding...
, and during the Anglo-Boer War was chaplain to the Southern Rhodesian contingent, being awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal, with two clasps. In 1901 he took up an appointment in Basutoland (Lesotho
Lesotho
Lesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave, surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over in size with a population of approximately 2,067,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name...
), then part of the Anglican Diocese of Bloemfontein, as principal of St Mary's Training College, Thlotse Heights. In 1904 he became Director of the Government Industrial School, Maseru
Maseru
Maseru is the capital of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District. Located on the Caledon River, bordering South Africa, Maseru is Lesotho's only sizable city, with a population of approximately 227,880 . The city was established as a police camp and assigned as the capital after the...
. He served as a Canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
of Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
Cathedral between 1912-1920.
Having served as a chaplain with the Union Defence Forces in German South West Africa during 1915, he was appointed as Archdeacon
Archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
of Damaraland and Vicar-General for the Metropolitan of the Church of the Province of South Africa in South West Africa
South West Africa
South-West Africa was the name that was used for the modern day Republic of Namibia during the earlier eras when the territory was controlled by the German Empire and later by South Africa....
in 1916.
When the missionary Diocese of Damaraland
Anglican Diocese of Namibia
The Anglican Diocese of Namibia is part of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, which is itself part of the Anglican Communion.The diocese, which covers the whole country of Namibia, was originally known as the Diocese of Damaraland....
was formed in 1924, he was chosen to be its first bishop, and consecrated as such in St. George’s Cathedral, Cape Town on Quinquagesima Sunday, 2 March 1924 by the Archbishop of Cape Town, assisted by the Bishops of George
George, Western Cape
George is a city with 203,253 inhabitants in South Africa's Western Cape province. The city is a popular holiday and conference centre and the administrative and commercial hub of the Garden Route.- Location :...
, Bloemfontein, and St. John’s, Kaffraria, as well as the Coadjutor Bishop of Cape Town, and Bishop Gaul.
During his episcopate St George's Cathedral in Windhoek
Windhoek
Windhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
was built.
He died in Sea Point, Cape Town, on 8 April 1933.
Fogarty was "described as ‘a man of fine physique, more than average good looks and a forceful preacher’. He was friendly and simple-hearted, yet of a forceful character, and often laboured single-handed in remote districts to further the work of the Church” (Boucher).