John Hubert Dickinson was Assistant Bishop of Melanesia from 1931 to 1937, and was a bishop for more than 60 years.

Life

Dickinson was born in 1901, the only son of Rev. Harry G. Dickinson and his second wife Edina C. V. Johnson. He was baptised on 23rd June 1901 at Longhoughton, Northumberland by his father and educated at Jesus College, Oxford

Jesus College, Oxford

Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...

 before training for ordination at 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...

. He was made deacon in 1925 and ordanied priest in 1926, serving as curate

Curate

A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...

 of St John's Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...

 from 1925 to 1929. He was then a missionary in South Tokyo

Tokyo

, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

 from 1929 to 1931, when he was appointed Assistant Bishop of Melanesia. He held this post until 1937, when he returned to England as vicar

Vicar

In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...

 of Felkirk with Brierley

Brierley

Brierley is a town and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England), close to the border with West Yorkshire. It lies to the south-west of Hemsworth, off the A628 road, and is located at approximately 53° 35' 40" North, 1° 23' West, at an elevation of around...

 in South Yorkshire

South Yorkshire

South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...

 before moving in 1942 to become vicar of Warkworth, Northumberland

Warkworth, Northumberland

Warkworth is a village in Northumberland, England. It is probably best known for its well-preserved medieval castle, church and hermitage. At the time of the 2001 census, the population of Warkworth was 1,493.-Geography:...

. He was appointed an honorary canon

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 Newcastle Cathedral

Newcastle Cathedral

St Nicholas's Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Its full title is The Cathedral Church of St Nicholas Newcastle upon Tyne...

 in 1947. In 1959, he left Warkworth to become vicar of Chollerton

Chollerton

Chollerton is a village in Northumberland, in England. It is situated on the A6079 road, about to the north of Hexham, on the River North Tyne. Nearby villages include Low Brunton and Humshaugh...

, also in Northumberland

Northumberland

Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...

. He retired in 1971 and died on 31 May 1993.