Mervyn George Haigh

Mervyn George Haigh (September 14 1887 - May 20 1962) was an Anglican clergyman who served as the third bishop of the restored see of Coventry [Bishop Haigh An Influential Churchman (Obituaries)The Times Monday, May 21, 1962; pg. 12; Issue 55396; col D] in the modern era and the 97th Bishop of Winchester in a long line stretching back to the 9th century.

He was born on September 14 1887, the son of an Anglican clergyman and was educated at Clifton College, Bristol [In later life he sat on the College’s Council-1948 to 1961 “Who was Who” 1897-1990 London, A & C Black, 1991 ISBN 071363457X] and New College, Oxford [Where he won the "Ellerton Prize" and gained a Cross Country Blue “Who was Who” (Ibid) ] .

After university he took Holy Orders and embarked on a clerical career that was to last for over 40 years. London curacies were interrupted by war service as an army chaplain in East Africa [Where he was mentioned in dispatches "Times" Obituary-Ibid] , but on his return he rose rapidly in the church hierarchy. From 1919 until 1924 he was Chaplain and Lecturer at the "Ordination Test School", in Knutsford, and "Examining Chaplain" to the Bishop of Llandaff but his big breakthrough came with his appointment to be the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Private Secretary- a post he was to hold under two separate incumbents until his elevation to the rank of Bishop in 1931 [Following a hugely successful role organising the 1930 Lambeth Conference The Times, Wednesday, Dec 24, 1930; pg. 5; Issue 45704; col A The Church In 1930 Seventh Lambeth Conference, Episcopal Changes] . He was appointed Bishop of Coventry, and served the diocese well especially during the terrible bombing of the city during World War Two. In 1942 he was translated to Bishop of Winchester [ [http://britannia.com/history/resource/bishwinc.html Winchester Bishopric] ] , the enthronement taking place in the autumn of that year [Order of Ceremonial at the enthronement of the Right Reverend Mervyn Haigh, DD, Lord Bishop of Winchester, on Wednesday 30 September 1942- Classified at Lambeth Palace Library G119 44.42] .

A deep thinker [“Mervyn Haigh” Barry, F.R: London, SPCK,1964] and loyal monarchist [ [http://www.nqsouthern.com/digitalpublication/digitalpublications/index.cfm?dpid=231&section_id=1912&article_id=5365 Sermon on the death of the king] ] , Haigh chaired the Joint Committee which revised the "Amended Lectionary" [“An introduction to the Amended Lectionary for Sundays and Certain Holy Days” Haigh, M.G(Ed): London,SPCK,1948] . He resigned his post in 1952 and was honoured by Winchester College [ [http://www.winchestercollege.org/DOCS/PDF/News/AdPortasBookletOct2006.pdf Ad Portas] ] before retiring to North Wales where he became involved in several rural campaigns ["Snowdonia National Park Joint Advisory Committee"; "Caernarvonshire National Park Planning Committee"; "Merioneth National Park Planning Committee" The Times Monday, Sep 24, 1962; pg. 18; Issue 55504; col C] . He died on May 20 1962, his papers bequeathed to the nation [ [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P12543 National Archives] ] .

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