Charles John Abraham
Encyclopedia
The Rt Rev Charles John Abraham DD
(1814–1903) was the inaugural Bishop of Wellington
.
Born in 1814, the son of the late Captain Abraham, R.N., of Farnborough, Hants, he was educated at Eton and King’s College, Cambridge and was later a Fellow
. He was admitted to the degree of B.A. in 1837, M.A. in 1840, B.D. in 1849, and received the degree of D.D. in 1859. He was ordained deacon in 1838, and priest in the following year. He was Assistant Master at Eton until 1850, when he went out to New Zealand to become Master of the English department of St. John's College, Auckland.
In 1853 he was appointed Archdeacon of Waitemata by the George Augustus Selwyn
, Bishop of New Zealand. The Bishop had for two or three years been offering to members of the Church of England a Church Constitution, whereby they were to govern themselves; and during the two years which followed, while absent in England, he left Archdeacon Abraham to propagate and expound the principles of the Church Constitution. In 1857 a convention of representative churchmen from all parts of the colony was held in Auckland, which resulted in the framing of the Constitution now in force. In the following year Archdeacon Abraham, who had also been acting as chaplain to the Bishop, was consecrated first Bishop of Wellington by the John Sumner, Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishops (Wilberforce
) of Oxford and (Lonsdale
) of Lichfield. When the Maori war broke out by reason of the purchase by the Government of the Waitara block, Bishop Abraham presented a protest to the Governor, claiming for the Maoris as British subjects the right to be heard in the Supreme Court.
In 1870 he resigned his see, and, returning to England, was made coadjutor bishop
to Dr. Selwyn, then Bishop of Lichfield
. This office he held until the death of Bishop Selwyn, in 1878. From 1872 to 1876 he was Prebendary of Bobenhall in Lichfield Cathedral, and in 1875-6 was rector of Tattenhill, Staffordshire. Since 1876 he has been Canon and Precentor of Lichfield Cathedral.
He married in 1850 Caroline Harriet, daughter of Sir Charles Thomas Palmer, Bart., of Wanlip Hall, Leicestershire, and cousin of the wife of Bishop Selwyn. She died in 1877. Bishop Abraham is the author of "Festival and Lenten Lectures in St. George's Chapel, Windsor," 1848-9 (Parker), and other works. He died on 4 February 1903. His son
and grandson
were also bishops.
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
(1814–1903) was the inaugural Bishop of Wellington
Diocese of Wellington
The Diocese of Wellington is one of the thirteen dioceses and hui amorangi of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. The Diocese covers the area between the bottom of the North Island of New Zealand up to the area of Mount Ruapehu....
.
Born in 1814, the son of the late Captain Abraham, R.N., of Farnborough, Hants, he was educated at Eton and King’s College, Cambridge and was later a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
. He was admitted to the degree of B.A. in 1837, M.A. in 1840, B.D. in 1849, and received the degree of D.D. in 1859. He was ordained deacon in 1838, and priest in the following year. He was Assistant Master at Eton until 1850, when he went out to New Zealand to become Master of the English department of St. John's College, Auckland.
In 1853 he was appointed Archdeacon of Waitemata by the George Augustus Selwyn
George Augustus Selwyn
George Augustus Selwyn was the first Anglican Bishop of New Zealand. He was Bishop of New Zealand from 1841 to 1858. His diocese was then subdivided and Selwyn was Primate of New Zealand from 1858 to 1868. He was Bishop of Lichfield from 1868 to 1878...
, Bishop of New Zealand. The Bishop had for two or three years been offering to members of the Church of England a Church Constitution, whereby they were to govern themselves; and during the two years which followed, while absent in England, he left Archdeacon Abraham to propagate and expound the principles of the Church Constitution. In 1857 a convention of representative churchmen from all parts of the colony was held in Auckland, which resulted in the framing of the Constitution now in force. In the following year Archdeacon Abraham, who had also been acting as chaplain to the Bishop, was consecrated first Bishop of Wellington by the John Sumner, Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishops (Wilberforce
William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce was a British politician, a philanthropist and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780, eventually becoming the independent Member of Parliament for Yorkshire...
) of Oxford and (Lonsdale
John Lonsdale
The Right Reverend John Lonsdale was the third Principal of King's College London who later served as Bishop of Lichfield....
) of Lichfield. When the Maori war broke out by reason of the purchase by the Government of the Waitara block, Bishop Abraham presented a protest to the Governor, claiming for the Maoris as British subjects the right to be heard in the Supreme Court.
In 1870 he resigned his see, and, returning to England, was made coadjutor bishop
Coadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
to Dr. Selwyn, then Bishop of Lichfield
Bishop of Lichfield
The Bishop of Lichfield is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 4,516 km² of the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and West Midlands. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed...
. This office he held until the death of Bishop Selwyn, in 1878. From 1872 to 1876 he was Prebendary of Bobenhall in Lichfield Cathedral, and in 1875-6 was rector of Tattenhill, Staffordshire. Since 1876 he has been Canon and Precentor of Lichfield Cathedral.
He married in 1850 Caroline Harriet, daughter of Sir Charles Thomas Palmer, Bart., of Wanlip Hall, Leicestershire, and cousin of the wife of Bishop Selwyn. She died in 1877. Bishop Abraham is the author of "Festival and Lenten Lectures in St. George's Chapel, Windsor," 1848-9 (Parker), and other works. He died on 4 February 1903. His son
Charles Thomas Abraham
Charles Thomas Abraham was the second suffragan Bishop of Derby from 1909 until 1927. Born in 1857, he was educated at Keble College, Oxford. Ordained in 1881, he began his career with a curacy at St Mary’s, Shrewsbury and was subsequently Vicar of All Saints, Shrewsbury then Christ Church,...
and grandson
Philip Selwyn Abraham
The Rt Rev Philip Selwyn Abraham DD was the Bishop of Newfoundland from 1942 until his death in 1955. Born on 29 July 1897 he was educated at Eton and New College, Oxford. After wartime service with the Royal Artillery he was ordained in 1923 and began his career with curacies at Daybrook and St...
were also bishops.