John Gibbs (bishop)

John Gibbs was the Anglican bishop of Coventry from 1976 until 1985, and the first in modern times to have started his ministerial career in the nonconformist tradition [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/31/db3102.xml The Right Reverend John Gibbs]
The Daily Telegraph Obituary, 31 December 2007 Issue no 47,454] . Born in Heywood, Lancs on the 15 March 1917, he left school to begin work before entering Western College, Bristol [ [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=O37857 National Archives] ] for training as a Congregational Minister. From 1943, the year of his marriage, until 1949 he held a number of local ministries in the Bristol area. The turning point in his career was joining the Student Christian Movement. This meant he liased with many churches and, becoming drawn to the Anglican tradition, he re-trained at Lincoln Theological College [Now defunct] and took up a curacy at St Luke's Bristol. His, however, was an educational vocation and in 1957 he became head of Divinity at St Matthias Teacher Training College, Bristol, rising to Vice-Principal in 1962 [ "Who's Who 1970" London, A & C Black,1971 ISBN 0713611405 ] . In 1964 Gibbs was appointed head of Keswick Hall College of Education [ [http://www.keswickhall.ik.org/ College Web-Site] ] in Norfolk [ "Crockford's Clerical Directory" (Lambeth Palace, Church House) 1982 ISBN 0192000101] . From 1967 he was a key member [ Influence discussed in article "Education and Schooling" by Francis,L.J in "The Church of England Today and Tomorrow:an agenda for the future" Hannaford, R(Ed): Leominster, Gracewing, 1998 ISBN 0852443005] of the Durham Commission on the future of Religious Education in Schools [“The Church Teacher” Gibbs,J London, Children’s Council Church House, 1970 ISBN 1873576145] . In 1968 he was appointed an honorary canon of Norwich Cathedral and in 1973 a suffragan bishop [Diocese of Chelmsford, suffragan bishopric of Bradwell, Essex Who's Who (Ibid)] . Three years later he replaced the more flamboyant Cuthbert Bardsley as Bishop of Coventry, eventually serving for nine years [Bishop to retire (Official Appointments and Notices) The Times Thursday, Jan 24, 1985; pg. 14; Issue 62044; col A] .One of his proudest achievements was founding Myton Hamlet Hospice and when he retired to Minchinhampton near Stroud, Gloucestershire ["Debrett's People of Today" Ellis,P(Ed): London, Debtrett's 1992 ISBN 1870520092] he was a leading figure in helping to start the Cotswold Care Hospice. In July 2006, while visiting his daughter near Cambridge he became completely paralised from mid chest downwards. He found a new home in The Hope Nursing Home in Cambridge where he died on 20 December, 2007.

tyles

* Mr John Gibbs (1917–?)
* The Revd. John Gibbs (?–1968)
* The Revd. Canon John Gibbs (1968–1973)
* The Rt. Revd. John Gibbs (1973–2007)

References

Bishops of Bradwell