John Richardson (bishop of Bedford)

John Henry Richardson (born 11 July 1937) is a retired Church of England bishop. From 1994 to 2002, he was Bishop of Bedford (a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of St Albans, now serving in retirement as an honorary assistant bishop in the Dioceses of Carlisle and of Newcastle.[1]

John Richardson
Bishop of Bedford
Diocese	Diocese of St Albans
In office	1994–2002
Predecessor	David Farmbrough
Successor	Richard Inwood
Other posts	Honorary assistant bishop in Carlisle and in Newcastle (2003–present)
Orders
Ordination	1963 (deacon); 1964 (priest)
Consecration	1994
Personal details
Born	11 July 1937
Denomination	Anglican
Parents	John & Elizabeth
Spouse	Felicity-Anne Lowes (m. 1963)
Children	3 daughters
Alma mater	Trinity Hall, Cambridge

Early life

Richardson was born the son of John Richardson, sometime Archdeacon of Derby. Like his father, he was educated at Winchester and Trinity Hall, Cambridge,[2] gaining the degree of Cambridge Master of Arts (MA Cantab).

Priest

He was made a deacon on Trinity Sunday 1963 (9 June)[3] and ordained a priest the Trinity Sunday following (24 May 1964), both times by Michael Gresford Jones, Bishop of St Albans, at St Albans Cathedral.[4] Richardson began his ministry with curacies in Stevenage and Eastbourne. He became Vicar of Chipperfield, then Rural Dean of Rickmansworth[5] and finally, before his appointment to the episcopate, Vicar of St Michael's, Bishops Stortford.[6]

Bishop

He was consecrated a bishop on 23 February 1994, by George Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury, at Westminster Abbey.[7] Richardson served as the Bishop of Bedford, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of St Albans. He retired in 2002, but has since served the church in retirement as an honorary assistant bishop elsewhere.

Family

In 1963, John Richardson married Felicity-Anne. They have three daughters and are grandparents.

Later life

In retirement, Richardson continues to serve the Church, as an honorary assistant bishop in the Dioceses of Carlisle and of Newcastle.

References

1. History of post
2. ‘RICHARDSON, Rt Rev. John Henry’, Who's Who 2012, A & C Black, 2012; online edition, Oxford University Press, December 2011 , accessed 10 July 2012
3. "Trinity Ordinations". Church Times (#5235). 14 June 1963. p. 17. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 24 May 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
4. "Ordinations at Trinity". Church Times (#5285). 29 May 1964. p. 17. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 24 May 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
5. Crockfords On line- accessed Sunday 21 December 2008, 11:01
6. Parish details Archived 28 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine
7. "New bishops and a new dean". Church Times (#6838). 4 March 1994. p. 3. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 24 May 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.