Eric Milner-White

The Very Reverend Dr Eric Milner-White CBE DSO (23 April 1884-1963) is a former Dean of York in the Church of England; holding this post between 1941 and his death in 1963.

Early life and education

Milner-White was born to Henry Milner-White; his parents later becoming Sir Henry and Lady Milner-White. He was educated at Harrow School in Middlesex, UK before going up to King's College, Cambridge in 1903. He had won a scholarship to Cambridge to read History, and graduated in 1906 with a double-first and as the recipient of the Lightfoot Scholarship. ["The Papers of Eric Milner-White" (1997), Janus, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK, viewed 2 May 2008, http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F0272%2FPP%2FEMW;recurse=1]

Dean of King's College, Cambridge

Milner-White was ordained deacon in 1908 before returning to King's in 1912. He then served as an Army Chaplain during the First World War, during which time he received a DSO, and returned to King's at the end of the war. Upon returning to Cambridge, he was made Dean and a Fellow of King's College.

During his time at King's, Milner-White introduced the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols. This was first broadcast in 1928 and has now become a major part of the BBC's Christmas schedule.

Dean of York

Milner-White remained at King's until 1941, when he was appointed Dean of York. During his time as Dean, he directed the replacement of many of York Minster's windows, and undertook a great deal of literary work, for example 'My God My Glory' ( [1954] ). He served on various national committees and served on the Advisory Council of the Victoria and Albert Museum between 1944 and 1959 due to his interest in stained-glass windows.

A variety of Milner-White's written papers are held at the King's College Archive Centre at the University of Cambridge, having been presented to university in 1982 by Dr Milner-White's "literary executor", the Revd. P. N. Hare. Other items have since been added to the collection.

Milner-White was awarded a Doctor of Letters (DLitt) in 1962 by the University of Leeds. ["Honorary graduates" (2008), University of Leeds, Leeds, UK, viewed 2 May 2008, http://tldynamic.leeds.ac.uk/leedsyorkshire/honorary/honorary_graduates_1960.asp]

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