Ronald Oliver Bowlby (16 August 1926 – 21 December 2019), also known as Ronnie Bowlby, was a British Anglican bishop. He was the ninth Bishop of Newcastle from 1973 until 1980.[2][3] He was then translated to Southwark where he served until his retirement eleven years later in 1991.[4] He was "a leading advocate for the ordination of women".[5]


Ronald Bowlby
Bishop of Southwark
ChurchChurch of England
DioceseSouthwark
In office14 December 1980–1991
PredecessorMervyn Stockwood
SuccessorRoy Williamson
Other post(s)Bishop of Newcastle
1972–1980
Honorary assistant bishop in Worcester[1] (1991–2019)
Orders
Consecration6 January 1973
Personal details
Born(1926-08-16)16 August 1926
Died21 December 2019(2019-12-21) (aged 93)
DenominationAnglican
Alma materTrinity College, Oxford

Early life and education

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Bowlby was born on 16 August 1926. He was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Oxford.[6]

Ordained ministry

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Bowlby's first post after ordination was as a curate at St Luke's, Pallion, Sunderland 1952–1956. He was then priest in charge of St Aidan's, Billingham (1956-1966) and Vicar of Croydon (1966-1972) before his ordination to the episcopate.[7]

Bowlby was nominated to Newcastle on 27 November 1972 and consecrated 6 January 1973. He was translated to Southwark on 14 December 1980.

He retired in August 1991.[8] He remained an honorary fellow at Trinity College, Oxford.

His interest was in housing matters and he served as president of the National Federation of Housing Associations from 1984 to 1988 and of the Churches' National Housing Coalition from 1991 to 1994.[9]

Family

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In 1956 he married Elizabeth Trevelyan Monro. The couple had three sons and two daughters. After his retirement from his last bishopric he lived in Shrewsbury, Shropshire,[10] dying in December 2019 at the age of 93.[11]

References

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  1. ^ Birmingham Post – Give us this day our new daily prayer
  2. ^ "Debrett's People of Today 1992" (London, Debrett's) ISBN 1-870520-09-2)
  3. ^ The Times, Wednesday, Feb 07, 1973; pg. 18; Issue 58701; col A Court Circular
  4. ^ "Stockwood successor is appointed", The Times, 23 July 1980, p. 16.
  5. ^ Obituary in the Daily Telegraph, 1 January 2020, p. 31.
  6. ^ "Who's Who 1992 "(London, A & C Black ISBN 0-7136-3514-2)
  7. ^ Crockford's clerical directory London, Church House 1975 ISBN 0-19-200008-X
  8. ^ "Church news". The Times. 10 July 1991.
  9. ^ Who's Who, 2013. p. 247. ISBN 978-1-408-15491-5.
  10. ^ Who's Who, 2013.
  11. ^ The Rt Rev Ronald Bowlby, well-loved Anglican Bishop who became a leading advocate of the ordination of women – obituary