Marcus Loane

Who was Marcus Loane?

Sir Marcus Lawrence Loane KBE was the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney from 1966 to 1982 and Primate of Australia from 1978 to 1982. He was the first Australian-born Archbishop of Sydney and also the first Australian-born archbishop in the Anglican Church of Australia.

Loane was born in Tasmania on 14 October 1911. He spent nearly all his ministry in the Anglican Diocese of Sydney except for two years during World War II as an army chaplain in New Guinea. After the war he was appointed vice-principal and then principal of Moore Theological College. In 1958, he was appointed a coadjutor bishop in the diocese.

Loane was a prolific author and his works include several biographies.

In the 1976 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He was also appointed Chaplain of the Venerable Order of Saint John on 5 December 1978.

He and his wife Lady Loane celebrated 71 years of marriage on 31 December 2008.

Loane died in Sydney on 14 April 2009 at the age of 97.