Robert Samuel James Houston McKelvey, OBE QVRM TD[1][2] (born 3 September 1942) was the Dean of Belfast.[3]
Robert Samuel James Houston McKelvey | |
|---|---|
| Dean of Belfast | |
| In office 2001–2011 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 September 1942 Muckamore |
| Spouse | Eileen Roberta |
| Alma mater | Queen's University Belfast |
He was educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution (1954–61), Queen's University Belfast, 1961-65 and Trinity College, Dublin and ordained in 1968.[3][4]
He was Curate at Dunmurry until 1970, when he was appointed Rector of Kilmakee- a post he held for 12 years. He was Secretary of the General Synod Board of Education (Northern Ireland) from then until 2001 when he became Dean of Belfast, in which capacity he served at St Anne's Cathedral until 2011. During his tenure as Dean of Belfast he was at times involved in controversy, notably in 2003 (relating to perceived lack of government support for St Anne's as a tourist attraction),[5] and in 2010-11 (relating to the departure of the composer Philip Stopford, who had been the Director of Music). In connection with the latter matter, he faced demands that he resign.[6][7][8][9][10]
An author,[11] he is married to Roberta; they have a son.[3]
He served as editor of The Church of Ireland Gazette from 1975 to 1982.
References
edit- ^ "2010 New Year Honours 2010". Archived from the original on 18 February 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
- ^ BBC News
- ^ a b c "Houston McKelvey". Saint Anne's Cathedral, Belfast. Archived from the original on 6 October 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
- ^ Crockfords (London, Church House, 1995) ISBN 0-7151-8088-6
- ^ "Row over cathedral development". 29 August 2003.
- ^ "Discord at St Anne's Cathedral over choir job". BBC News. 18 August 2010.
- ^ "Row could silence cathedral choir - Belfast Newsletter". Archived from the original on 17 January 2018.
- ^ "'I loved being at the Westminster Abbey of Northern Ireland, but it's sad the way my time there ended'". Belfasttelegraph.
- ^ "Cathedral takes ex-judge to court on choir job discord". BBC News. 24 January 2011.
- ^ "Fundraising Black Santa Rev Houston McKelvey to step down". Belfasttelegraph.
- ^ Amongst others he wrote "Forty Days with Jesus", 1991; "The Apostles' Creed", 1992; "Children at the Table", 1993; "In Touch with God", 1997; and "God, our Children, and Us", 1999 > British Library web site accessed 20:18 GMT Thursday 8 July 2010