Geoffrey Clayton

Who was Geoffrey Clayton?

The Most Rev Geoffrey Hare Clayton, DD was an eminent Anglican Priest in the mid Twentieth century.

He was born on 12 December 1884, educated at Rugby and Pembroke College, Cambridge, and ordained, after a period of study at Ripon College Cuddesdon, in 1909. A Fellow of Peterhouse, Cambridge, he was its Dean from 1910 to 1914 when he became a Chaplain to the BEF. When peace returned he was Vicar of St Mary’s the Less, Cambridge and after that Vicar, Rural Dean and finally Archdeacon of Chesterfield. In 1934 he became Bishop of Johannesburg and served for 14 years before his appointment as Archbishop of Cape Town. A Sub-Prelate of the Order of St John of Jerusalem, he died on 7 March 1957.