Edward Knapp-Fisher
Encyclopedia
The Right Reverend Edward George Knapp-Fisher (1915 – February 2003) was an Anglican bishop
and scholar.
, England
. His father was a Chaplain in the Royal Navy
and he was descended from an illustrious family whose ancestors included John Fisher
, cardinal and martyr.
He was educated at The King's School, Worcester
, and at Trinity College, Oxford
, where he took a First in Jurisprudence in 1936 (MA 1940). In 1938 he entered Wells Theological College
and he was ordained deacon in 1939 and priest in 1940.
He was Assistant Curate of Brighouse
(1940–42) before entering the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
as a Chaplain and serving in the Far East. In 1946 he was appointed Chaplain of Cuddesdon College
and he was briefly a member of the Oratory of the Good Shepherd
. He spent the period 1949-52 as Chaplain of St John's College, Cambridge
(Cambridge MA 1949) and then he returned to Cuddesdon
as Principal from 1952 until 1960. He was noted for his imposition of a strictly disciplined lifestyle on his students. He held the Principalship coterminously with the office of Vicar of Cuddesdon
and he served as Rural Dean
1958-60.
In 1960 he went to South Africa, where he had been elected Bishop of Pretoria
(he had been offered the post several times before eventually taking it up). He was instrumental in the founding of St Alban's College
in 1963. In 1967 he was appointed to the Anglican-Roman Catholic Joint Preparatory Commission, and in 1969 to the International Commission (ARCIC)
itself, on which he served until 1981.
He came back to England in 1975 when he was appointed Canon Residentiary
of Westminster Abbey
and Archdeacon of Westminster, serving as Sub-Dean of the Abbey
from 1982 until his retirement in 1987. His Sub-Deanship coincided with a long interregnum in the Deanery itself and he was therefore responsible for organising the Wedding of HRH The Duke of York
and Sarah Ferguson
on 23 July 1986. He was also an Assistant Bishop in the Dioceses of Southwark
(1975–87) and London
(1976–86).
He retired to Chichester
where he was an Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Chichester
and Custos of St Mary's Hospital.
He died in February 2003 at the age of 88. He was survived by his wife Joan Bradley whom he met in South Africa.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
and scholar.
Life
Knapp-Fisher was born in Chatham, KentKent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. His father was a Chaplain in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and he was descended from an illustrious family whose ancestors included John Fisher
John Fisher
Saint John Fisher was an English Roman Catholic scholastic, bishop, cardinal and martyr. He shares his feast day with Saint Thomas More on 22 June in the Roman Catholic calendar of saints and 6 July on the Church of England calendar of saints...
, cardinal and martyr.
He was educated at The King's School, Worcester
The King's School, Worcester
The King's School, Worcester is an English independent school refounded by Henry VIII in 1541. It occupies a site adjacent to Worcester Cathedral on the banks of the River Severn in the centre of the city of Worcester...
, and at Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
, where he took a First in Jurisprudence in 1936 (MA 1940). In 1938 he entered Wells Theological College
Sarum College
Sarum College is an ecumenical Christian institution in Salisbury, England. The College was established in 1995, and occupies the buildings formerly home to the Salisbury and Wells Theological College...
and he was ordained deacon in 1939 and priest in 1940.
He was Assistant Curate of Brighouse
Brighouse
Brighouse is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the River Calder, east of Halifax in the Pennines. It is served by Junction 25 of the M62 motorway and Brighouse railway station on the Caldervale Line and Huddersfield Line. In the...
(1940–42) before entering the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Royal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
as a Chaplain and serving in the Far East. In 1946 he was appointed Chaplain of Cuddesdon College
Ripon College Cuddesdon
Ripon College Cuddesdon is a Church of England theological college in Cuddesdon, a village outside Oxford, England.-History:Ripon College Cuddesdon was formed from an amalgamation in 1975 of Cuddesdon College and Ripon Hall...
and he was briefly a member of the Oratory of the Good Shepherd
Anglican religious order
Anglican religious orders are communities of laity and/or clergy in the Anglican Communion who live under a common rule of life. The members of religious orders take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and lead a common life of work and prayer...
. He spent the period 1949-52 as Chaplain of St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
(Cambridge MA 1949) and then he returned to Cuddesdon
Ripon College Cuddesdon
Ripon College Cuddesdon is a Church of England theological college in Cuddesdon, a village outside Oxford, England.-History:Ripon College Cuddesdon was formed from an amalgamation in 1975 of Cuddesdon College and Ripon Hall...
as Principal from 1952 until 1960. He was noted for his imposition of a strictly disciplined lifestyle on his students. He held the Principalship coterminously with the office of Vicar of Cuddesdon
Cuddesdon
Cuddesdon is an east Oxfordshire village about east of Oxford. It is notable as the location of Ripon College Cuddesdon....
and he served as Rural Dean
Rural Dean
In the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church, a Rural Dean presides over a Rural Deanery .-Origins and usage:...
1958-60.
In 1960 he went to South Africa, where he had been elected Bishop of Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
(he had been offered the post several times before eventually taking it up). He was instrumental in the founding of St Alban's College
St. Alban's College
St Alban's College is a private boarding school/day school for boys situated in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. It was founded in 1963 by Anton Murray.-About:...
in 1963. In 1967 he was appointed to the Anglican-Roman Catholic Joint Preparatory Commission, and in 1969 to the International Commission (ARCIC)
Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission
The Anglican—Roman Catholic International Commission is an organization which seeks to make ecumenical progress between the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion...
itself, on which he served until 1981.
He came back to England in 1975 when he was appointed Canon Residentiary
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 Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
and Archdeacon of Westminster, serving as Sub-Dean of the Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
from 1982 until his retirement in 1987. His Sub-Deanship coincided with a long interregnum in the Deanery itself and he was therefore responsible for organising the Wedding of HRH The Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
and Sarah Ferguson
Sarah, Duchess of York
Sarah, Duchess of York is a British charity patron, spokesperson, writer, film producer, television personality and former member of the British Royal Family. She is the former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, whom she married from 1986 to 1996...
on 23 July 1986. He was also an Assistant Bishop in the Dioceses of Southwark
Anglican Diocese of Southwark
The Diocese of Southwark is one of the 44 dioceses of the Church of England, part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The Diocese forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England. It was formed on May 1, 1905 from part of the Diocese of Rochester...
(1975–87) and London
Diocese of London
The Anglican Diocese of London forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England.Historically the diocese covered a large area north of the Thames and bordered the dioceses of Norwich and Lincoln to the north and west. The present diocese covers and 17 London boroughs, covering most of Greater...
(1976–86).
He retired to Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
where he was an Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Chichester
Diocese of Chichester
The Diocese of Chichester is a Church of England diocese based in Chichester, covering Sussex. It was created in 1075 to replace the old Diocese of Selsey, which was based at Selsey Abbey from 681. The cathedral is Chichester Cathedral and the bishop is the Bishop of Chichester...
and Custos of St Mary's Hospital.
He died in February 2003 at the age of 88. He was survived by his wife Joan Bradley whom he met in South Africa.
Works
His books included:- The churchman's heritage: a study in the ethos of the English Church (London: A & C Black, 1952)
- Belief and prayer (London: Darton, Longman & Todd, 1964)
- Where the truth is found: some reflections on the way of the world (Glasgow: Collins, 1975)
- Eucharist: many-sided mystery (Worthing: Churchman, 1988)
- The Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary yesterday, today and tomorrow (Wallington: Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 1998)