Russell Darbyshire

Who was Russell Darbyshire?

John Russell Darbyshire was an Anglican priest in the first half of the 20th century.

He was born in Birkenhead in Cheshire in 1880, the son of Edward and Matilda Darbyshire, and educated at Dulwich College and Emmanuel College, Cambridge.

Ordained in 1905, his first post was as a Curate at St Andrew the Less, Cambridge after which he was Vice-Principal of Ridley Hall, Cambridge. Later he was Vicar of St Luke, Liverpool then a Canon Residentiary at Manchester Cathedral. From 1922 to 1931 he was Archdeacon of Sheffield, his last post before elevation to the Episcopate as Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway- a post he held until 1938. In that year he was appointed Archbishop of Cape Town.

He was created a Sub-Prelate of the Order of St John of Jerusalem in 1938.

He visited England to attend the Lambeth Conference in 1948, and died in London on 30 June 1948.

He never married.

A set of iron gates were erected in his memory at St. George's Cathedral, Cape Town.