Vernon Sampson Nicholls (3 September 1917– 2 February 1996) was an Anglican clergyman who served in the Church of England as the Bishop of Sodor and Man[1] from 1974 to 1983.[2]
Birth and education
He was born in Truro[3] on 3 September 1917 [4] and educated at Truro School and Durham University.
Church career
He studied for ordination at Clifton Theological College, was ordained in 1941,[5] and held Curacies at Bedminster Down, Bristol, and at Liskeard in Cornwall.[6] He was a temporary Chaplain to the Forces from 1944 to 1946. Later he was Vicar of Meopham[7] then Rural Dean of Walsall.
From 1967 to 1974 he was Archdeacon of Birmingham when he was elevated to the Episcopate.[8] From 1980 he was also Dean of the newly created Peel Cathedral — he was installed as such in the service where it was raised to cathedral status, on All Saints' Day (1 November 1980).[9] He died on 2 February 1996 in Stratford-on-Avon.
Private life
Nicholls was a very active Freemason under the United Grand Lodge of England. Initiated in Philbrick Lodge No 2255 (Essex), most of his masonic memberships were in Warwickshire, where he rose in seniority, eventually becoming Provincial Grand Master of the county, and leader of its 181 lodges from 1985 to 1992, following his retirement from church life.[10]
Notes
- ^ Debrett's People of Today: Ed Ellis, P (1992, London, Debrett's) p 1485 ISBN 1-870520-09-2)
- ^ The Times, Friday, 29 Apr 1983; pg. 14; Issue 61519; col A Bishop of Sodor and Man to retire
- ^ "Priests And Prelates: The Daily Telegraph Clerical Obituaries" Beeson, T.R: London, Continuum, 2002 ISBN 978-0-8264-6337-1
- ^ "Who's Who 1992" p1370 (London, A & C Black ISBN 0-7136-3514-2)
- ^ Crockford's Clerical Directory 1947-48 Oxford, OUP, 1947 p958
- ^ Independent obituary
- ^ Residents of Renown Archived 28 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Bishops of Sodor and Man Archived 31 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "New Manx cathedral hallowed". Church Times. No. 6143. 7 November 1980. p. 2. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 27 June 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
- ^ "The History of the Province of Warwickshire". Provincial Grand Lodge of Warwickshire. Retrieved 16 April 2020.