Colin Clement Walter James (20 September 1926 – 10 December 2009) was an Anglican bishop in the Church of England, successively suffragan Bishop of Basingstoke, then the Bishop of Winchester.


Colin James
Bishop of Winchester
DioceseDiocese of Winchester
In officeJune 1985 – April 1995
PredecessorJohn Taylor
SuccessorMichael Scott-Joynt
Other post(s)Bishop of Basingstoke (1973–1976/77)
Bishop of Wakefield (1976/77–1985)
Orders
Ordination1952 (deacon); 1953 (priest)
Consecration1973
Personal details
Born(1926-09-20)20 September 1926
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England
Died10 December 2009(2009-12-10) (aged 83)
Winchester, Hampshire, England
NationalityBritish
DenominationAnglican
ParentsCharles and Gwenyth
Spouse
Sally Henshaw
(m. 1962; died 2001)
Children1 son, 2 daughters
ProfessionTelevision producer
EducationAldenham School
Alma materKing's College, Cambridge
Cuddesdon College

Early life and education edit

James was born on 20 September 1926.[1] His father, Canon Charles Clement Hancock James, was also a Church of England clergyman.[2] He was educated at Aldenham School, a private school in Hertfordshire, England. He studied modern history at King's College, Cambridge, and then trained for ordination at Cuddesdon Theological College.[1]

Ordained ministry edit

James was ordained a deacon at Trinitytide 1952[3] and priest a year later,[4] both by William Wand, Bishop of London, at St Paul's Cathedral.[3][4] His ordained ministry which began with a curacy at St Dunstan's, Stepney between 1952 and 1955.[1] After which he was a chaplain of Stowe School from 1955 to 1959.[5]

In 1959, he joined the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as a producer of religious programmes.[6] He was Religious Broadcasting Organizer for BBC South West from 1960 to 1967.[1] Then, his final appointment before being ordained to the episcopate, he was Vicar of St Peter's Church, Bournemouth from 1967 to 1973.[7]

Episcopal ministry edit

James was the first suffragan Bishop of Basingstoke in the Diocese of Winchester, beginning with his consecration as a bishop on 2 February 1973 at St Paul's Cathedral by Michael Ramsey, Archbishop of Canterbury.[8] He held his suffragan bishopric with a residentiary canonry of Winchester Cathedral.[1]

He was translated to become diocesan Bishop of Wakefield[9] and was enthroned at Wakefield Cathedral on 9 February 1977.[10] He was returned to the Diocese of Winchester as the diocesan Bishop of Winchester;[11] he was enthroned at Winchester Cathedral on 28 June 1985,[12] having been elected two weeks prior[12] and confirmed (officially becoming the Bishop) at some intervening point. He retired in April 1995.[13]

He died on 10 December 2009.[14]

Views edit

James was part of the Anglo-Catholic tradition of the Church of England, and was opposed to the ordination of women. He was not, however, a conservative in all matters, and supported the change to inclusive language in worship.[14]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e "James, Colin Clement Walter". Who's Who & Who Was Who. Vol. 1920–2014 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 18 October 2014. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ "The Right Rev Colin James: Bishop of Winchester, 1985 95". The Times. 22 January 2010. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Trinity ordinations: Province of Canterbury". Church Times. No. 4662. 13 June 1952. p. 438. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 14 February 2016 – via UK Press Online archives.
  4. ^ a b "Ordinations". Church Times. No. 4714. 12 June 1953. p. 436. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 14 February 2016 – via UK Press Online archives.
  5. ^ Crockford's Clerical Directory, 1995 (Lambeth, Church House ISBN 0-7151-8088-6)
  6. ^ Debrett's People of Today 1992 (London, Debrett's) ISBN 1-870520-09-2)
  7. ^ Now called Bournemouth Family Church Archived 15 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ "(front page)". Church Times. No. 5739. 9 February 1973. p. 1. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 18 October 2014 – via UK Press Online archives.
  9. ^ "Former Bishops of Wakefield and Pontefract". Diocese of Wakefield. Archived from the original on 11 May 2008.
  10. ^ "Christians told of need". Church Times. No. 5948. 11 February 1977. p. 20. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 14 February 2016 – via UK Press Online archives.
  11. ^ Diocese of Winchester Archived 22 July 2011 at archive.today
  12. ^ a b "USPG's new chairman". Church Times. No. 6384. 21 June 1985. p. 3. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 18 October 2014 – via UK Press Online archives.
  13. ^ "A pair of slippers (press review)". Church Times. No. 6894. 31 March 1995. p. 15. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 18 October 2014 – via UK Press Online archives.
  14. ^ a b The Right Reverend Colin James, The Daily Telegraph, p. 29, 23 December 2009
Church of England titles
New title Bishop of Basingstoke
1973–1977
Succeeded by
Preceded by Bishop of Wakefield
1977–1985
Succeeded by
Preceded by Bishop of Winchester
1985–1995
Succeeded by