Joseph Rudderham

Who was Joseph Rudderham?

Joseph Edward Rudderham was an English prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Clifton from 1949 to 1974.

Born in Norwich, Norfolk on 17 June 1899, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Northampton on 31 October 1926. He was appointed the Bishop of the Diocese of Clifton by the Holy See on 14 May 1949. His consecration to the Episcopate took place on 31 August 1974, the principal consecrator was Archbishop Joseph Masterson of Birmingham, and the principal co-consecrators were Bishop Thomas Leo Parker of Northampton and Bishop Francis Joseph Grimshaw of Plymouth. He participated in all the four sessions of the Second Vatican Council, held between in 1962 and 1965.

He retired on 31 August 1974 and assumed the title Bishop Emeritus of Clifton. He died on 24 February 1979, aged 79.