Life James Woodford (bishop)

depiction above main door st aidan s church, leeds



memorial bishop john russell woodford in ely cathedral

born on 30 april 1820 @ henley-on-thames, son of james russell woodford, hop-merchant in southwark, , frances, daughter of robert appleton of henley. sent merchant taylors school @ age of eight, , elected pembroke college, cambridge, parkins exhibitioner in 1838. graduated b.a. in 1842, , m.a. in 1845. ordained deacon in 1843 , priest in 1845, , in intervening years held second mastership of bishop s college, bristol. first incumbency parish of st. saviour s, coalpit-heath, bristol. worked vicar of parish of st. mark s, easton, in same district, between 1847 , 1855, , in latter year presented vicarage of kempsford, gloucestershire.

woodford 1 of eighteen clergy in following year signed protest against primate john bird sumner s condemnation of archdeacon george anthony denison. during thirteen years @ kempsford attracted attention preacher, , made bishop samuel wilberforce 1 of examining chaplains, woodford became honorary canon of christchurch, , in 1864 first time select preacher @ cambridge, acted proctor clergy of diocese in canterbury convocation, in 1868 woodford appointed vicar of leeds. in 1869 received d.d. degree primate, , in 1872 appointed 1 of queen s chaplains. in following year succeeded harold browne bishop of ely, being consecrated in westminster abbey on 14 december 1873.

soon after succession see woodford set on foot general diocesan fund applied towards increase of church accommodation , assistance of poor parishes , incumbents. active in work of church restoration, , reconstructed cathedral school @ ely. in 1877 revived, after disuse of 150 years, visitation of cathedral church. woodford established ely theological college, twelve students housed , trained parochial work,

woodford died, unmarried, @ ely on 21 october 1885. buried in bishop wren s chapel on south side of cathedral choir on 30th.