Samuel Bennett Crooks
Encyclopedia
The Very Reverend
Samuel Bennett Crooks, OBE
, TD
was Dean of Belfast
in the last third of the 20th century.
He was born on 20 January 1920 into an ecclesiastical family (his father was the Rev. S. B. Crooks, Rector
of St Stephen’s, Belfast) and educated at Down High School
and Trinity College, Dublin
. He was ordained in 1944 and became Dean's
Vicar
at St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast
until 1949, when he was appointed Rector
of St John’s, Orangefield. Later he was Rural Dean
of Hillsborough
and Archdeacon
of Dromore
. In 1970 he became Dean of Belfast
, a post he held for 15 years. He was made a Chaplain
of the Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem
in the Queen's Birthday Honours
in February 1976. He died in 1986 aged 66 in a car crash on the Saintfield Road near Carryduff
on his way to a meeting at Belfast cathedral.
Very Reverend
The Very Reverend is a style given to certain religious figures.*In the Roman Catholic Church, by custom, priests who hold positions of particular note: e.g...
Samuel Bennett Crooks, OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, TD
Territorial Decoration
The Territorial Decoration was a medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army...
was Dean of Belfast
Dean of Belfast
The Dean of Belfast is the senior official of St Anne's Cathedral in the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland and head of the Chapter, its governing body.-List of Deans of Belfast:* 1894–1899: Henry Stewart O’Hara; became Bishop of Cashel and Waterford...
in the last third of the 20th century.
He was born on 20 January 1920 into an ecclesiastical family (his father was the Rev. S. B. Crooks, Rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of St Stephen’s, Belfast) and educated at Down High School
Down High School
'Down High School, also called DHS and Down High Grammar School, is a controlled co-educational Grammar School located in Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland...
and Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
. He was ordained in 1944 and became Dean's
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
Vicar
Vicar
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...
at St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast
St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast
St Anne's Cathedral, also known as Belfast Cathedral, is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Donegall Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland...
until 1949, when he was appointed Rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of St John’s, Orangefield. Later he was Rural Dean
Rural Dean
In the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church, a Rural Dean presides over a Rural Deanery .-Origins and usage:...
of Hillsborough
Hillsborough, County Down
Hillsborough is a village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland, situated from the city of Belfast. It is within the Lisburn City Council area....
and 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 Dromore
Dromore
- Places :* Dromore, Ontario, Canada* Dromore , a crater in the Lunae Palus quadrangle of Mars- Other :* Bishop of Dromore, named for the town in County Down; the pre-Reformation antecedent of:** Roman Catholic Diocese of Dromore...
. In 1970 he became Dean of Belfast
Dean of Belfast
The Dean of Belfast is the senior official of St Anne's Cathedral in the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland and head of the Chapter, its governing body.-List of Deans of Belfast:* 1894–1899: Henry Stewart O’Hara; became Bishop of Cashel and Waterford...
, a post he held for 15 years. He was made a 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...
of the Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
in the 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...
in February 1976. He died in 1986 aged 66 in a car crash on the Saintfield Road near Carryduff
Carryduff
Carryduff is a small town and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland, about south of Belfast city centre. It had a population of 6,595 people in the 2001 Census....
on his way to a meeting at Belfast cathedral.