Maxwell Maxwell-Gumbleton

Who was Maxwell Maxwell-Gumbleton?

Maxwell Homfray Maxwell-Gumbleton was an Anglican bishop in the first half of the 20th century.

Maxwell-Gumbleton was born into a legal family. His father was a Puisne Judge in Jamaica. He was educated at Repton School and Peterhouse and ordained in 1896. After a curacy in Pucklechurch, during which time he married Ella Gillum, he rose rapidly in the Church hierarchy, becoming successively Vicar of Colerne, Rural Dean of Chippenham and Bishop of Ballarat. In 1916 he changed his surname from Smith to Maxwell-Gumbleton under direction of his great uncle's will. After 10 years as Bishop of Ballarat he returned to England where he was appointed as an assistant to the Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich from 1931 – a position which was later expanded to become the Suffragan Bishop of Dunwich in 1934. He was additionally Archdeacon of Sudbury 1932–1945.