Ralph Creed Meredith

Who was Ralph Creed Meredith?

Ralph Creed Meredith, M.A., was an Anglican Cleric who succeeded Edward Keble Talbot as Chaplain to His Majesty, King George VI and afterwards Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In New Zealand he was president of the New Zealand Badminton Association and the New Zealand Croquet Association.

The son of Sir James Creed Meredith, and a brother of Judge James Creed Meredith, Meredith was born in Dublin, Ireland. He was educated at Rhos College in North Wales and afterwards at Trinity College, Dublin, and Dublin University, receiving his B.A. in Ethics & Logic with Honors after the Michaelmas Term in 1909. Meredith earned his M.A. at Trinity in 1912. He married Sylvia Aynsley on 21 April 1915, daughter of Joseph Aynsley of Blythe House, near Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

According to the 1932 Crockford's Clerical Directory, in succession became a curate at Caverswall, Meir, Staffordshire, curate at St. Bartholomew's Church, Armley, Leeds, served the Diocese of Lichfield, was curate of St. Peter's Church, Harborne, Birmingham, and eventually took charge of the Conventional District of Bournville, a village south of Birmingham diocese from 1920-1924. His successes at Bournville led the Bishop of Wellington to appoint Meredith Vicar of Whanganui, New Zealand in 1924, where he remained until 1932. He eventually became Archdeacon of Waitotara as well, despite using addresses in both New Zealand and Hertfordshire, England during that time.