Wilfrid Gore Browne
Dean of Pretoria |
---|
Wilfrid Gore Browne
Early life and education
Gore Browne was born in India on 6 May 1859, the youngest of the family of Col Sir Thomas Gore Browne KCMG, spending his early years in New Zealand where his father was Governor.[3] He was educated, with his brother Frank Gore Browne, K.C., at Harrow School (from 1873) and at Trinity College, Cambridge where he took his degree in 1881.[1][4][5] Before his ordination Gore Browne enlisted with the 11th Hussars for six months "with the object of getting experience which would help him in his work among men."[1] Wilfrid Gore Browne was the uncle of Stewart Gore-Browne, the founder of Shiwa Ngandu in Zambia.
Ordination to priesthood and work in Darlington and Pretoria
A correspondent describing his pioneer work at St Hilda's mission in a slum district of Darlington wrote of "a sheer spiritual romance, full of interest, delight and humour. The vicar's enthusiastic joy in the life of the Church was amazingly infectious. On one Easter Day, coming down to the chancel steps to preach at the Eucharist, he gave out his text, 'The Lord is risen indeed!' and after a moment's silence, said, with a smile that was all but a laugh, 'It's no use, dear people; I can't say anything more,' and returned to the altar."[1]
"Endless instances might be given," the correspondent added, "of his sympathy with suffering and his efforts to restore those who were down and out. The writer remembers finding a dying child in a filthy bed in a slum, playing with the gold watch and chain which he had left for its amusement. Guests at the clergy house were liable at any time to sit down to high tea between an earl and a thief fresh from prison."[1]
Gore Browne was described at this time as "a thorough Catholic and a true
In South Africa, as
Bishop of Kimberley and Kuruman
Promotion to the
Gore Browne raised funds for the Diocese on return visits to England. He was also able to recruit new clergy who numbered only 22 in 1912. In 1916 there were ten "native" clergy and more than this number by the end of the 1920s. "To train natives for the ministry seemed to the bishop ... to be the most necessary work of the diocese."[7]: pg 522 Gore Browne also opened new parishes and districts and saw to the building new churches such as at Batlharos.[7]
During sixteen years in Kimberley and Kuruman Bishop Gore Browne is recorded as having visited and ministered in every part of his far-flung diocese (which has since shrunk, no longer including the enormous area which is now the southern half of
Bishop Wilfrid Gore Browne died unexpectedly following emergency surgery at Kimberley Hospital on 15 March 1928.[7]: pg 528
Miss Gore Browne
Gore Browne was assisted in many ways by his sister, Miss Mabyl Gore Browne, who lived with him at Darlington, Pretoria and Kimberley. She died in Kimberley in May 1926. According to one source, Mabyl was instrumental in the establishment of Bishop's Hostel for Anglican boys attending schools in Kimberley.[3]
Concerns with education and teacher training
The 1913 Synod resolved to transfer the Perseverance School from St Cyprian's to the diocese.[7]: 520 In order to present more than mere schooling the diocese had the government Education Department officially recognise Perseverance, in 1917, as a teacher training centre.[7]: 521 In the following year 430 children and 92 student teachers were enrolled.
Perseverance had originated as one of a number of educational initiatives of the 1870s at St Cyprian's Parish on the
A memorial to Bishop Wilfrid Gore Browne was the establishment of the
Gore Browne's watercolours
Bishop Wilfrid Gore Browne was an accomplished watercolourist who left a sizeable collection of painted studies (and sketches) of Africans with whom he met or engaged in the Kimberley mine compounds and during his travels around his vast diocese. Hailed as being of importance as
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "In Memoriam: The Bishop of Kimberley and Kuruman". Church Times. 23 March 1928. p. 343 col C-D.
- ^ "Death of the Bishop of Kimberley and Kuruman". The Times. No. 44974. London. 17 August 1928. col D, p. 15.
- ^ a b c d "Death of Bishop of Kimberley". Diamond Fields Advertiser. 16 March 1928. p. 5, col G.
- ^ "Browne or Gore-Browne, Wilfrid (BRWN877W)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
- ISBN 0-7136-3457-X
- ^ History of church he founded[dead link]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Lewis, C; Edwards. G.E. (1935). South Africa — The Growth of the Church of the Province. London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.
- ^ "Bishop of Kimberley – Consecration at Bloemfontein – A stately ceremonial". Diamond Fields Advertiser. 1 July 1912. p. 5, col C & D.
- ^ "Bishop Enthroned – Impressive ceremony in the Cathedral Church – Sermon by the Bishop of Bloemfontein". Diamond Fields Advertiser. 2 July 1912. p. 5, col E.
- ^ "Gore Browne reunion". Diamond Fields Advertiser (Supplement). 20 September 2002.