Forncett’s Second Bishop

Of all Forncett's many eminent clergy, the one who is undoubtedly most remembered is John William Colenso who served as rector of Forncett St Mary from 1846 to 1853 and went on to become Bishop of Natal in South Africa. However, John Colenso was not the only rector of Forncett to become a Bishop, there was a second and he was Lewis Bostock Radford.

Lewis Radford was born at Mansfield, Nottinghamshire in 1869. He took his B.A. degree at St. John's college Cambridge in 1890 and his M.A. in 1894, achieving first-class honours in each part of the classical tripos. After graduating, Radford was assistant curate in Warrington. Then on 19th August 1896 he married a local Mansfield girl, Maud Isabella James, and a month later the couple moved to Forncett. In 1897 they had a daughter, Margaret, and the following year a son, Denys. The serene portrait below was taken at the studio of Vandyke & Co. in Norwich, probably in early 1902 just before the family left Forncett to move to Holt in North Norfolk.

Lewis Radstock was clearly a popular "rising star" among the young clergy of Norfolk. He wrote extensively and was described as having a "high reputation for platform and pulpit ability".  

Norwich Mercury 8 March 1902

The family stayed in Holt until 1908 when Rev. Radstock accepted the post of warden of St. Paul's College within the University of Sydney, Australia. 

Lowestoft Journal 1 August 1908

Lewis clearly brought enthusiasm and energy to his new role in Sydney. An able administrator and teacher, he expanded enrolment and forged stronger links between the college and the university. Finding the prevailing evangelism of the Sydney diocese displeasing, he began to be active in wider Church affairs. His 1913 Moorhouse lectures were named after James Moorhouse (1826-1915) who was also a fellow of St, Johns, Cambridge and who became the second bishop of Melbourne in 1877. These lectures showed lively scholarship and a keen sense of modern spiritual developments, and his generally moderate views on public issues such as Irish Home Rule, state socialism, inter-Church relations and Anglican attitudes to Roman Catholicism gained Radford a considerable reputation. So, when the Bishop of the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn retired in 1915, only one name, Lewis Bostock Radford, was put forward as his successor. So, on 24th August 1915 Radford was consecrated as Bishop of Goulburn at St. Andrew's cathedral in Sydney. 

Lewis Radstock in later life

The diocese of Goulburn covers most of southeast New South Wales and in his first four months of his tenure Lewis travelled more than 4500 miles! World War I had begun to make a real impact on the lives of Australians and Radford spent much time ministering to wounded soldiers returning from Gallipoli. His first decade as a bishop was decisive and successful. He strongly promoted the role of women in the Church, and he also campaigned actively for an Anglican cathedral in Canberra but most churchmen were apathetic, and the project ended in failure and financial troubles.

Sadly, in 1929 Maud Radford died; she was just 57 years old. However, the following year, when Lewis Radford was returning to England to attend the Lambeth Conference, he met Enid Mary Haselden White, who was travelling on the same ship, and they married just a few months later. 

The Sun (Sydney) 21 Jan 1931

The romance and wedding obviously caused quite a stir. Enid White was 30 years younger than Bishop Radstock and the papers noted that their return journey to Australia had been via Algiers to Genoa, through Italy by way of Florence and Rome, then to Tiberias and Jerusalem and finally to Port Said where they joined their ship back to Sydney - all in all, quite a trip!

Despite having found a new love in Enid, the final years of Radford's time in Australia were less successful. The Canberra venture had weakened Radford's health and in December 1933 he resigned his post and returned to England.

Despite illness and depression, he continued to work but he died in London on 2 April 1937, age 67. As a chaplain to the Forces, he was given a military funeral at Lambeth parish church and, at his request, his ashes were returned to Australia where they are now in the crypt of St. John's church, Canberra.

St John's church, Canberra

Whilst long forgotten for his short time spent in Forncett, Radford undoubtedly had a significant impact during his 25 years in Australia, and in 1983 the third Anglican grammar school in Canberra was founded and named Radford College in his memory.

With many thanks to Annette Carter, College Historian, Radford College, for bringing the very interesting life of Lewis Radford to my attention.