Vincent Coles
Encyclopedia
Vincent Stuckey Stratton Coles (27 March 1845 – 9 June 1929) was an Anglican
priest, who served as Principal of Pusey House, Oxford
from 1897 to 1909.
before studying at the University of Oxford
as a member of Balliol College, Oxford
, where he obtained a third-class degree. He was ordained as a priest in the Church of England
, and was assistant curate
at Wantage
(at that time in the county of Berkshire
) from 1869 until his appointment as rector
of Shepton Beauchamp
, Somerset
, in 1872. When Pusey House was founded in Oxford 1884, he left Somerset to become one of its three librarians, later serving as chaplain (1885 onwards) then Principal (1897 to 1909). He also served as curate at Shepton Beauchamp from 1886 to 1897. From 1920 to 1920, he was Warden of the Sisterhood of the Epiphany
in Truro
, Cornwall
. He was an honorary canon
of Christ Church
from 1913. His publications consisted of some sermons, meditations and lectures. He died on 9 June 1929. He was the author of three hymns "O Shepherd of the sheep", "Ye who own the faith of Jesus", and "We pray thee, heavenly Father" (nos. 190, 218 & 334 in The English Hymnal).
His obituary in The Times
said that he had a "kindly humorous understanding of young men" and "exercised a wide influence in the University", with many people across the world, both clergy and laity, owing much to his guidance.
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, who served as Principal of Pusey House, Oxford
Pusey House, Oxford
Pusey House is a religious institution located in St Giles', Oxford, immediately to the south of Pusey Street. It is firmly rooted in the Anglo-Catholic tradition of the Church of England...
from 1897 to 1909.
Life
Coles was educated at Eton CollegeEton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
before studying at 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...
as a member of Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
, where he obtained a third-class degree. He was ordained as a priest 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...
, and was 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...
at Wantage
Wantage
Wantage is a market town and civil parish in the Vale of the White Horse, Oxfordshire, England. The town is on Letcombe Brook, about south-west of Abingdon and a similar distance west of Didcot....
(at that time in the county of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
) from 1869 until his appointment as 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 Shepton Beauchamp
Shepton Beauchamp
Shepton Beauchamp is a village and civil parish, from Barrington and north east of Ilminster between the Blackdown Hills and the Somerset Levels in the South Somerset district of Somerset, England.-History:...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, in 1872. When Pusey House was founded in Oxford 1884, he left Somerset to become one of its three librarians, later serving as chaplain (1885 onwards) then Principal (1897 to 1909). He also served as curate at Shepton Beauchamp from 1886 to 1897. From 1920 to 1920, he was Warden of the Sisterhood of the Epiphany
Convent of the Epiphany
The Convent of the Epiphany, Truro, Cornwall, UK, was the home of the Sisterhood of the Epiphany, founded in 1883. The founder of the sisterhood was George Wilkinson, Bishop of Truro. George Wilkinson was afterwards Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane...
in Truro
Truro
Truro is a city and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The city is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population recorded in the 2001 census of 17,431. Truro urban statistical area, which includes parts of surrounding parishes, has a 2001 census...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. He was an honorary 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 Christ Church
Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
Christ Church Cathedral is the cathedral of the diocese of Oxford, which consists of the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. It is also, uniquely, the chapel of Christ Church, a college of the University of Oxford.-History:...
from 1913. His publications consisted of some sermons, meditations and lectures. He died on 9 June 1929. He was the author of three hymns "O Shepherd of the sheep", "Ye who own the faith of Jesus", and "We pray thee, heavenly Father" (nos. 190, 218 & 334 in The English Hymnal).
His obituary in The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
said that he had a "kindly humorous understanding of young men" and "exercised a wide influence in the University", with many people across the world, both clergy and laity, owing much to his guidance.