The Rt Rev Percival William Stephenson was the 6th Anglican bishop of Nelson[1] whose episcopate spanned a 14-year period in the mid-20th century.
Family[edit]
The son of Arthur Henry Stephenson (1867-1955),[2] and Annie Amelia Vevers Stephenson (1865-1903), née Brailey,[3] Percival William Stephenson was born at Malmsbury, Victoria on 5 May 1888.
He married Grace Ermyntrude Lavender (1885-1974) on 9 October 1913.[4][5] They three children, Millicent Lavender Stephenson (1914-),[6] Arthur Lavender Stephenson (1917-2001),[7] and Noel Lavender Stephenson (1920-). Percival Stephenson died in 1962.
Education[edit]
He was educated at Caulfield Grammar School, Melbourne,[8] where he was an outstanding footballer in the school's First XVIII,[9] the University of Melbourne, the Australian College of Theology, and the University of London.
- 1912: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) — University of Melbourne.
- 1913: Licentiate of Theology (L.Th.) — Australian College of Theology.
- 1915: Bachelor of Arts (M.A.) — University of Melbourne.
- 1917: Bachelor of Divinity (B.D.) — University of London.
Cleric[edit]
He was ordained in 1914.[10]
Academic[edit]
He moved to India to teach at CMS Edwards College in Peshawar, where he was initially a teacher and then principal (1921–1924). From 1924 to 1928 he was professor of exegetical theology at St John's College, Winnipeg.[11]
On his return to Australia he became federal secretary of the Church Missionary Society of Australia and Tasmania and headmaster of Trinity Grammar School, Sydney (1935–37)[12] and then commonwealth secretary of the British and Foreign Bible Society until his elevation to the episcopate in 1940.
Death[edit]
He died on 29 May 1962.[13]
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^ "Who was Who" 1897-2007 London, A & C Black, 2007 ISBN 978-0-19-954087-7
- ^ Deaths: Stephenson, The Argus, (Saturday, 18 June 1955), p.13.
- ^ Marriages: Stephenson—Brailey, The Age, (Saturday, 2 July 1887), p.5.
- ^ Births: Lavender, The Australasian, (Saturday, 16 May 1885), p.3.
- ^ Stephenson—Lavender, The Argus, (Saturday, 29 November 1913), p.11.
- ^ Birth: Stephenson, The Bendigonian, (Tuesday, 25 August 1914), p.7.
- ^ Births: Stephenson, The Bendigo Advertiser, (Tuesday, 20 November 1917), p.4.
- ^ Webber (1981), p.316.
- ^ Wilkinson (1997), p.39.
- ^ Crockford's Clerical Directory1940-41 Oxford, OUP,1941
- ^ "Archives: Head Masters". Trinity Grammar School. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
- ^ School web site
- ^ News of death
References[edit]
- Cole, Keith, Sincerity My Guide: A Biography of the Right Reverend P.W. Stephenson (1888-1962), Church Missionary Historical Publications Trust, (Melbourne), 1970.
- Webber, Horace (1981). Years May Pass On... Caulfield Grammar School, 1881–1981. Centenary Committee, Caulfield Grammar School, (East St Kilda). ISBN 0-9594242-0-2.
- Wilkinson, Ian R. (1997). The Fields At Play – 115 years of sport at Caulfield Grammar School 1881–1996. Playright Publishing. ISBN 0-949853-60-7.
