Graham Chadwick

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Graham Chadwick
School of Oriental and African Studies

Graham Charles Chadwick (3 January 1923 – 28 October 2007) was a British Christian missionary in Lesotho (1953–1963; 1970–1976) and South Africa (1976–1982). On his election as Anglican

Bishop of Kimberley and Kuruman
in 1976 he campaigned strongly against the racist apartheid policies of the South African government. As a result, he was expelled from South Africa in 1982 and returned to Britain. Afterwards he assisted in the dioceses of St Asaph's, Liverpool and Salisbury.

Early life

Chadwick was born into the large family of a

railway signalman. When he was only ten years old, his father died, and his mother took her children to Swansea.[1] Chadwick was educated in Swansea at the Bishop Gore School
.

When he left the school in 1939 at the age of sixteen, he was unsure of his vocation to ordination, and he spent the first three years of the

POW camps.[2][3] He left the navy with the rank of sub-lieutenant.[4]

Early ministry in Swansea and Lesotho

Even on leaving school he had felt a call to

Hebrew to gain admission, and eventually graduated with a second-class honours degree in theology.[2]

He completed his training at

Sesotho on the voyage to Cape Town, and for the next ten years ministered throughout Lesotho, covering up to 2000 miles a year on horseback.[1][2] A major achievement of this period of ministry was the establishment of St Stephen's High School, Mohales Hoek, still regarded as one of the finest schools in southern Africa.[1][2][3][5]

Return to Britain

In 1963 Chadwick returned to Britain, taking up a position as chaplain at

University College of Swansea (then part of the federal University of Wales) for five years. Here he strongly influenced many students, amongst them one Rowan Williams
.

He then undertook a sabbatical year at Queen's College, Birmingham, where he studied clinical psychology.[2] He also acted as the college's Senior Bursar during his year there, before undertaking a brief chaplaincy at St Thomas' Hospital, London.[3]

Second period in Africa and anti-apartheid activism

In 1970 Chadwick returned to Lesotho, where as Diocesan Missioner he was to build an

ecumenical conference and training centre in Maseru, with the aim of building racial equality and reconciliation.[1][2][3]

After six years running the centre, the leadership skills he had demonstrated there saw him selected in 1976 as the next

Salvation Army trumpeters.[6]

Chadwick was soon involved in a

Dean of Kimberley, who was first informed that Mabija had died after apparently falling from the seventh-floor of the police station. On his return Chadwick protested against the death (particularly after the inquest proved to be a whitewash) and against the continued detention of his clergy. He planted wooden crosses outside his cathedral for each day the detention continued, and encouraged the ringing of church bells in protest. Once the clergy were released, the Chadwicks were placed under police surveillance, responding by taking regular cups of tea out to the policemen watching their house.[3][6]

Chadwick continued to work closely with other senior South African clergy, including

Setswana and (for the benefit of the police), Afrikaans. The following day, he and his family were escorted to the airport and deported, watched by a large contingent of armed police with dogs, and 50,000 (mainly black) protesters.[1][2][3][5]

Later ministry in Britain

On his enforced return to Britain, Chadwick began working as a chaplain at

SJ and Sister Mary Rose Fitzsimmons he co-founded the Llysfasi Spirituality Workshop which developed an international influence.[3][7] He was also heavily involved in the l'Arche communities.[3]

In 1990 Chadwick was persuaded by David Sheppard, Bishop of Liverpool – himself well known for ecumenical work – to become an assistant bishop in the Diocese of Liverpool.

In 1995, at the age of 72, he moved for the last time, to Salisbury to take up the post of Director of Spirituality at the newly established Sarum College, finally retiring in 1998.

Even in retirement he continued to offer personal counselling until the early part of 2007. After suffering a variety of health problems, he died on 28 October 2007, five minutes after receiving the Eucharist.[1][2][3][5]

Chadwick's

Funeral Mass, celebrated by Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, took place in Salisbury Cathedral on 5 November 2007. On 6 November there was a further Requiem Mass celebrated in the church at Oystermouth in Swansea, where Chadwick had served his curacy. This service was conducted by John Davies, Bishop of St Asaph; with Anthony Pierce, Bishop of Swansea and Brecon; and Saunders Davies, retired Bishop of Bangor, also in attendance. After this service, Chadwick was buried in Oystermouth cemetery.[5]

Languages

Chadwick is said to have been fluent in 11 languages,[2][8] but no source lists them all. They include English, Japanese, Sesotho, Setswana, Afrikaans, Hebrew, Latin and Greek.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Eyre, Richard (22 January 2008). "Obituary: The Rt Rev Graham Chadwick". The Guardian. pp. 31–32. Retrieved 22 January 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "The Right Reverend Graham Chadwick". The Daily Telegraph. 12 November 2007. Retrieved 22 January 2008.[dead link]
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "The Right Rev Graham Chadwick: Bishop and vocal opponent of apartheid who was expelled from South Africa for his protests". The Times. London. 13 November 2007. Retrieved 22 January 2008.
  4. ^ "No. 36430". The London Gazette. 17 March 1944. p. 1287.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Morrell, Anna (6 November 2007). "Press Release: Requiem services gives thanks for life of bishop". Church in Wales website. Church in Wales. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2008.
  6. ^
    Stanage, Thomas S. "Obituary: The Right Revd Graham Charles Chadwick". Church Times
    . Retrieved 23 January 2008.
  7. ^ "Llysfasi, a process...developed over 20 years". Llysfasi Spirituality Workshop. 2007. Archived from the original on 10 May 2007. Retrieved 23 January 2008.
  8. ^ Bannister, Matthew (16 November 2007). "News and Current Affairs: Last Word". BBC. Retrieved 23 January 2008.

External links

Anglican Church of Southern Africa titles
Preceded by
Bishop of Kimberley and Kuruman

1976–1982 		Succeeded by
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