Thomas Nettleship Staley
Encyclopedia
Thomas Nettleship Staley (1823–1898) was a British
bishop
of the Church of England
and the first Anglican
bishop
of the Church of Hawaii
.
, Yorkshire
, England
. His father was minister William Staley.
Staley entered Queens' College, Cambridge
in 1840, earned his BA in 1844, and became a Fellow in 1847 after earning his MA. He was Tutor at St. Mark's College, Chelsea 1844-48 and Headmaster of the St. Mark's Practising School 1848-50 (whilst still lecturing at St. Mark's College) and then Principal of the Collegiate School, Wandsworth
.
He married Catherine Workman Shirley Staley in September 1850.
He was appointed by John Bird Sumner
, the Archbishop of Canterbury
, and consecrated on 15 December 1861, at the suggestion of Samuel Wilberforce
and Queen Victoria
, as the church's first bishop of the Kingdom of Hawaii
. He and his wife departed on 17 August 1862 and arrived in Honolulu in October 1862, a few weeks after the death of Albert, Prince of Hawaii
, the only son of King Kamehameha IV
and Queen Emma Kaleleonālani Naea
.
His presence provoked conflict with the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
because they considered him a symbol of ritualism. The fact that he was a Bishop also bothered the Calvinists who disliked any kind of religious hierarchy. In a letter to Rufus Anderson
of the American Board, British missionary William Ellis (who had visited the Hawaiian islands
in 1825) wrote that Staley was "associated with that section of the Church of England from which the greatest number of perverts to Popery has proceeded, and between whom and the Roman Catholics the difference is reported to be slight..."
Even the American writer Mark Twain
criticized Staley as an agent of Britain.
Staley publicly defended his actions as being non-political, but was considered symbolic of the struggle for influence on the islands. Although he was appointed to the King's Privy Council
1863–1864 and Board of Education
in 1865, he denied ever giving political advice, or being behind any plots leading to British colonization of the islands.
In December 1863 he held the memorial service for Kamehameha IV, and later dedicated the Royal Mausoleum
where the royal family was reburied.
The next King Kamehameha V
would continue his support, and the cornerstone for the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew
was laid in a ceremony in March 1867.
Staley began two church-operated boarding schools: Saint Andrew's Priory School for Girls
and Iolani School
in Honolulu (originally named for Saint Alban
). Staley was appointed Chaplain
of Hawaii's Royal Order of Kamehameha I
.
He corresponded with Charles Darwin
regarding the decline in population of the native Hawaiians
.
Staley was frustrated with the political struggle, and suggested he would like to resign. He hoped to be replaced by an American Episcopal
bishop, but none could be found. He retired in 1870, and was replaced by Alfred Willis. He resided in Croxall
, and died on 1 November 1898, at Bournemouth
.
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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...
bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of 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...
and the first Anglican
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Church of Hawaii
Church of Hawaii
The Church of Hawaii, originally called the Hawaiian Reformed Catholic Church, was the national church of the Kingdom of Hawaii and a member of the Anglican Communion from 1862 to 1893.-History:...
.
Life
Thomas Nettleship Staley was born 17 January 1823 in SheffieldSheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. His father was minister William Staley.
Staley entered Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
in 1840, earned his BA in 1844, and became a Fellow in 1847 after earning his MA. He was Tutor at St. Mark's College, Chelsea 1844-48 and Headmaster of the St. Mark's Practising School 1848-50 (whilst still lecturing at St. Mark's College) and then Principal of the Collegiate School, Wandsworth
Wandsworth
Wandsworth is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Toponymy:...
.
He married Catherine Workman Shirley Staley in September 1850.
He was appointed by John Bird Sumner
John Bird Sumner
John Bird Sumner was a bishop in the Church of England and Archbishop of Canterbury.-Life:Sumner was the elder brother of Bishop Charles Richard Sumner. He was born at Kenilworth, Warwickshire and educated at Eton College and Cambridge University. In 1802 he became a master at Eton and was...
, the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, and consecrated on 15 December 1861, at the suggestion of Samuel Wilberforce
Samuel Wilberforce
Samuel Wilberforce was an English bishop in the Church of England, third son of William Wilberforce. Known as "Soapy Sam", Wilberforce was one of the greatest public speakers of his time and place...
and Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
, as the church's first bishop of the Kingdom of Hawaii
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
. He and his wife departed on 17 August 1862 and arrived in Honolulu in October 1862, a few weeks after the death of Albert, Prince of Hawaii
Albert Kamehameha
Prince Albert Kamehameha, formally Albert Edward Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa a Kamehameha , was the only son of King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma, who during his short life was the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Hawaii...
, the only son of King Kamehameha IV
Kamehameha IV
Kamehameha IV, born Alexander Iolani Liholiho Keawenui , reigned as the fourth king of the Kingdom of Hawaii from January 11, 1855 to November 30, 1863.-Early life:...
and Queen Emma Kaleleonālani Naea
Queen Emma of Hawaii
Queen Consort Emma Kalanikaumakaamano Kaleleonālani Naea Rooke of Hawaii was queen consort of King Kamehameha IV from 1856 to his death in 1863. She ran for ruling monarch against King David Kalākaua but was defeated....
.
His presence provoked conflict with the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was the first American Christian foreign mission agency. It was proposed in 1810 by recent graduates of Williams College and officially chartered in 1812. In 1961 it merged with other societies to form the United Church Board for World...
because they considered him a symbol of ritualism. The fact that he was a Bishop also bothered the Calvinists who disliked any kind of religious hierarchy. In a letter to Rufus Anderson
Rufus Anderson
Rufus Anderson was an American minister who spent several decades organizing overseas missions.-Life:Rufus Anderson was born in North Yarmouth, Maine, on August 17, 1796. His father, also named Rufus Anderson, was Congregationalist pastor of the church in North Yarmouth. His mother was Hannah...
of the American Board, British missionary William Ellis (who had visited the Hawaiian islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
in 1825) wrote that Staley was "associated with that section of the Church of England from which the greatest number of perverts to Popery has proceeded, and between whom and the Roman Catholics the difference is reported to be slight..."
Even the American writer Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
criticized Staley as an agent of Britain.
Staley publicly defended his actions as being non-political, but was considered symbolic of the struggle for influence on the islands. Although he was appointed to the King's Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
1863–1864 and Board of Education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
in 1865, he denied ever giving political advice, or being behind any plots leading to British colonization of the islands.
In December 1863 he held the memorial service for Kamehameha IV, and later dedicated the Royal Mausoleum
Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii
The Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii, known as Mauna Ala in the Hawaiian language, is the final resting place of Hawaii's two prominent royal families: the Kamehameha Dynasty and the Kalākaua Dynasty.-Description:...
where the royal family was reburied.
The next King Kamehameha V
Kamehameha V
aloghaKamehameha V , born as Lot Kapuāiwa, reigned as monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1863 to 1872. His motto was "Onipa`a": immovable, firm, steadfast or determined; he worked diligently for his people and kingdom and was described as the last great traditional chief...
would continue his support, and the cornerstone for the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew
Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew, Honolulu
The Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew, also commonly known as St. Andrew's Cathedral, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church in the United States located in the State of Hawaii...
was laid in a ceremony in March 1867.
Staley began two church-operated boarding schools: Saint Andrew's Priory School for Girls
Saint Andrew's Priory School for Girls
St. Andrew's Priory School is a private all-girls college preparatory school in Honolulu, Hawaii. Founded in 1867 by Queen Emma Kaleleonālani, wife of King Kamehameha IV, the school enrolls students in kindergarten through grade 12. The enrollment is 550, with a student-teacher ratio of 8 to 1. ...
and Iolani School
Iolani School
Iolani School, located at 563 Kamoku Street in Honolulu, Hawaii, is a private coeducational college preparatory school serving over 1,800 students. Founded in 1863 by Father William R. Scott, it was the principal school of the former Anglican Church of Hawaii. It was patronized by Kamehameha IV...
in Honolulu (originally named for Saint Alban
Saint Alban
Saint Alban was the first British Christian martyr. Along with his fellow saints Julius and Aaron, Alban is one of three martyrs remembered from Roman Britain. Alban is listed in the Church of England calendar for 22 June and he continues to be venerated in the Anglican, Catholic, and Orthodox...
). Staley was appointed 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 Hawaii's Royal Order of Kamehameha I
Royal Order of Kamehameha I
The Royal Order of Kamehameha I was a society established in 1865 by King Kamehameha V in defense of the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Hawaii.-History:...
.
He corresponded with Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
regarding the decline in population of the native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...
.
Staley was frustrated with the political struggle, and suggested he would like to resign. He hoped to be replaced by an American Episcopal
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
bishop, but none could be found. He retired in 1870, and was replaced by Alfred Willis. He resided in Croxall
Croxall
Croxall is a parish that was historically in Derbyshire, but is now in Staffordshire, England. Croxall is still very near to the boundary with Staffordshire...
, and died on 1 November 1898, at Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
.
External links
- Anglican Faces: Thomas Nettleship Staley, by Richard Mammana in The Living ChurchThe Living ChurchThe Living Church is a biweekly magazine based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin providing commentary and news information on the Episcopal Church in the United States...
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