Francis Austin

Who was Francis Austin?

The Very Reverend Francis Webster Austin was an Anglo-Guyanese clergyman, Dean of St George's Cathedral, Georgetown, Guyana from 1884 until 1890.

Francis Webster Austin was the son of the Rev. Wiltshire Stanton Austin and Dunkin Webster. He was educated at King's College London and Jesus College, Cambridge, gaining his BA in 1855. Ordained deacon in 1856, he was briefly Curate of St Nicholas, Cardiff before emigrating to Guyana. He married his cousin, Jo Austin, in 1858. Initially Diocesan Registrar he was then successively Rural Dean of Berbice, Archdeacon of Demerara, Guyana and then Dean of the Diocese’s Cathedral from 1884 to 1890. Before Austin's appointment, William Piercy Austin, Bishop since 1840, had also served as Dean.

Returning to England he became Rector of West Ilsley, Berkshire in 1892. Living in Abingdon in 1904, he died there in 1905.