John Leonard Wilson
Encyclopedia
John Leonard Wilson KCMG (23 November 1897 – 22 July 1970) was an Anglican bishop
. He was Bishop of Singapore
from 1941 to 1949 during the time of Japan
ese occupation and subsequently Dean of Manchester and Bishop of Birmingham
.
(shortened degree, Bachelor of Arts
in theology 1922) and Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
.
, Wilson became Bishop of Singapore in 1941.
At the time of the fall of Singapore in February 1942, Wilson, assisted by the Reverend Reginald Keith Sorby Adams of Saint Andrew's School, Singapore and John Hayter, ministered unstintingly to the people of Singapore. Subsequently they were able to continue their ministry for a year, thanks mainly to the help of a Christian Japanese officer Andrew Ogawa. However the growing popularity of the cathedral and the use of English was perceived by the Japanese authorities as a threat and in 1943 they were interned in Changi prison
.
The discovery of some notes by Wilson about T. E. Lawrence
(Lawrence of Arabia) raised suspicions of plans to stir up the local population to revolt. In the prison they worked hard to maintain morale. Then Wilson was one of 57 civilians who were torture
d by the Japanese authorities in the "Double Tenth Incident
, so-called because it started with a raid on the Changi internment facility on 10 October 1943. The Japanese were seeking evidence that the internees had assisted in Operation Jaywick
, in which Australian and British commando
s operating from Australia
sank several Japanese warships in Singapore's Keppel Harbour
on 26 September 1943. Wilson was one of those who gave evidence of the nature of the torture to the investigation commission set up by the authorities of the Sime Road Internment Camp following the Japanese surrender in August 1945. By the end of the war he had made several conversions to Christianity
, including some of the Japanese captors.
of Manchester
and, from 1953, to 1969 Bishop of Birmingham
in succession to the controversial Ernest William Barnes
. In his time as a bishop, Wilsom was frequently called on to give a Christian perspective on issues of peace and war, his wartime experiences giving him a moral platform from which to do so. He was an early supporter of the ordination of women. He was opposed to the death penalty and for the reform of the law on homosexual acts.
As president of the Modern Churchmen's Union, from 1958 to 1960, he was strongly involved in the controversies following the publication of Honest to God
in 1964.
In 1966 Wilson gave the address at the memorial service for the wartime General Officer Commanding (Malaya), Arthur Ernest Percival
, which was held in St Martin-in-the-Fields
in London.
Wilson was appointed CMG in 1946 and KCMG in 1963.
The author of his ODNB article says that Wilson's "... episcopate in Birmingham cemented a divided diocese, and strengthened the influence of the church on civic and social life".
at St Paul's Cathedral
on 22 July 1970.
Day) at the Lambeth Conference she gave the homily on her father's wartime experience and the need for peace. His son, Martin, was also an Anglican priest.
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...
. He was Bishop of Singapore
Bishop of Singapore
The Bishop of Singapore is the diocesan bishop for the Anglican Diocese of Singapore, founded in 1909.-List of bishops:*1881 Rt Revd George Frederick Hose, Bishop of Singapore, Labuan & Sarawak 1881*1909 Rt Revd Charles James Ferguson-Davie...
from 1941 to 1949 during the time of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese occupation and subsequently Dean of Manchester and Bishop of Birmingham
Bishop of Birmingham
The Bishop of Birmingham heads the Church of England diocese of Birmingham, in the Province of Canterbury, in England.The diocese covers the North West of the historical county of Warwickshire and has its see in the City of Birmingham, West Midlands, where the seat of the diocese is located at the...
.
Education
Wilson was born in Gateshead, County Durham and educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne, St John's School, Leatherhead, Knutsford Training School, The Queen's College, OxfordThe Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College, founded 1341, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Queen's is centrally situated on the High Street, and is renowned for its 18th-century architecture...
(shortened degree, Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in theology 1922) and Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
Wycliffe Hall is a Church of England theological college and a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is located on the Banbury Road in central North Oxford, between Norham Gardens and Norham Road.-Overview:...
.
Service in Singapore
After serving as Dean of Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Wilson became Bishop of Singapore in 1941.
At the time of the fall of Singapore in February 1942, Wilson, assisted by the Reverend Reginald Keith Sorby Adams of Saint Andrew's School, Singapore and John Hayter, ministered unstintingly to the people of Singapore. Subsequently they were able to continue their ministry for a year, thanks mainly to the help of a Christian Japanese officer Andrew Ogawa. However the growing popularity of the cathedral and the use of English was perceived by the Japanese authorities as a threat and in 1943 they were interned in Changi prison
Changi Prison
Changi Prison is a prison located in Changi in the eastern part of Singapore.-First prison and POW camp:...
.
The discovery of some notes by Wilson about T. E. Lawrence
T. E. Lawrence
Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence, CB, DSO , known professionally as T. E. Lawrence, was a British Army officer renowned especially for his liaison role during the Arab Revolt against Ottoman Turkish rule of 1916–18...
(Lawrence of Arabia) raised suspicions of plans to stir up the local population to revolt. In the prison they worked hard to maintain morale. Then Wilson was one of 57 civilians who were torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
d by the Japanese authorities in the "Double Tenth Incident
Double Tenth Incident
The "Double Tenth Incident" or "Double Tenth Massacre" occurred on 10 October 1943, during the Second World War Japanese occupation of Singapore...
, so-called because it started with a raid on the Changi internment facility on 10 October 1943. The Japanese were seeking evidence that the internees had assisted in Operation Jaywick
Operation Jaywick
Operation Jaywick was a special operation undertaken in World War II. In September 1943, 14 commandos and sailors from the Z Special Unit raided Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbour, sinking seven ships.- Background :...
, in which Australian and British commando
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
s operating from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
sank several Japanese warships in Singapore's Keppel Harbour
Keppel Harbour
Keppel Harbour is a stretch of water in Singapore between the mainland and the southern islands of Pulau Brani and Sentosa. Its naturally sheltered and deep waters was to meet the requirements of British colonists attempting to establish a Far East maritime colony in that part of the world, and...
on 26 September 1943. Wilson was one of those who gave evidence of the nature of the torture to the investigation commission set up by the authorities of the Sime Road Internment Camp following the Japanese surrender in August 1945. By the end of the war he had made several conversions to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, including some of the Japanese captors.
Later career
From 1949 to 1953, Wilson was DeanDean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
of Manchester
Manchester Cathedral
Manchester Cathedral is a medieval church on Victoria Street in central Manchester and is the seat of the Bishop of Manchester. The cathedral's official name is The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Mary, St Denys and St George in Manchester...
and, from 1953, to 1969 Bishop of Birmingham
Bishop of Birmingham
The Bishop of Birmingham heads the Church of England diocese of Birmingham, in the Province of Canterbury, in England.The diocese covers the North West of the historical county of Warwickshire and has its see in the City of Birmingham, West Midlands, where the seat of the diocese is located at the...
in succession to the controversial Ernest William Barnes
Ernest William Barnes
Ernest William Barnes FRS was an English mathematician and scientist who later became a theologian and bishop....
. In his time as a bishop, Wilsom was frequently called on to give a Christian perspective on issues of peace and war, his wartime experiences giving him a moral platform from which to do so. He was an early supporter of the ordination of women. He was opposed to the death penalty and for the reform of the law on homosexual acts.
As president of the Modern Churchmen's Union, from 1958 to 1960, he was strongly involved in the controversies following the publication of Honest to God
Honest to God
Honest to God is a book written by the Anglican Bishop of Woolwich John A.T. Robinson, criticising traditional Christian theology. It aroused a storm of controversy on its original publication by SCM Press in 1963...
in 1964.
In 1966 Wilson gave the address at the memorial service for the wartime General Officer Commanding (Malaya), Arthur Ernest Percival
Arthur Ernest Percival
Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival, CB, DSO & Bar, OBE, MC, OStJ, DL was a British Army officer and World War I veteran...
, which was held in St Martin-in-the-Fields
St Martin-in-the-Fields
St Martin-in-the-Fields is an Anglican church at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, London. Its patron is Saint Martin of Tours.-Roman era:Excavations at the site in 2006 led to the discovery of a grave dated about 410...
in London.
Wilson was appointed CMG in 1946 and KCMG in 1963.
The author of his ODNB article says that Wilson's "... episcopate in Birmingham cemented a divided diocese, and strengthened the influence of the church on civic and social life".
Death
Wilson retired to Yorkshire in 1969. He died of a stroke on the way home after conducting the annual service of the Order of St Michael and St GeorgeOrder of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
at St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
on 22 July 1970.
Personal life
Wilson's daughter, Susan Cole-King (23 April 1934 – 8 February 2001), was ordained as an Anglican priest. On 6 August 1998 (HiroshimaHiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
Day) at the Lambeth Conference she gave the homily on her father's wartime experience and the need for peace. His son, Martin, was also an Anglican priest.
Publications
- A Bishop Broadcasts. [With a portrait.] 11 pages, published by Singapore Auxiliary Diocesan Association [1947] (found in British Library catalogue).
- Contribution to Marriage, Sex and the Family. A Christian symposium. Edited by E. P. Smith. Wales Publishing Co.: London, 1959. (Referred to in ODNB article and found in the BL catalogue).
Further reading
- Oxford Dictionary of National Biography J. C. H. Tompkins, ‘Wilson, (John) Leonard (1897–1970)’, rev., first published Sept 2004
- Roy McKay, John Leonard Wilson: Confessor for the Faith, London, Hodder and Stoughton, 1973 ISBN 0340154888, paperback edition, 1974: ISBN 0340185708
- J. L. Wilson, Only Look on us as Found in Him (Cambridge: Mass: 1961).