Robert William Stannard (20 October 189526 December 1986) was an eminent

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

clergyman Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

in the middle part of the 20th century. He was born on 20 October 1895 and educated at

Westminster School Westminster School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Westminster, London, England, in the precincts of Westminster Abbey. It descends from a charity school founded by Westminster Benedictines before the Norman Conquest, as do ...

and, after wartime service in the

Middlesex Regiment The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1966. The regiment was formed, as the Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment), in 1881 as part of the Childers Re ...

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

. Ordained in 1922 he began his career with curacies at

Bermondsey Bermondsey ( ) is a district in southeast London, part of the London Borough of Southwark, England, southeast of Charing Cross. To the west of Bermondsey lies Southwark, to the east Rotherhithe and Deptford, to the south Walworth and Peckham, ...

and

Putney Putney () is an affluent district in southwest London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. History Putney is an ...

and was then

Vicar A vicar (; Latin: '' vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English p ...

of St James,

Barrow-in-Furness Barrow-in-Furness is a port town and civil parish (as just "Barrow") in the Westmorland and Furness district of Cumbria, England. Historic counties of England, Historically in the county of Lancashire, it was incorporated as a municipal borou ...

. In 1934 he was Rural Dean of Dalton and, in the same year went on to become Rector of

Bishopwearmouth Bishopwearmouth () is a former village and parish which now constitutes the west side of Sunderland City Centre, in the county of Tyne and Wear, England, merging with the settlement as it expanded outwards in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is ...

. He left Bishopwearmouth in 1941 He then became

Archdeacon of Doncaster The Archdeacon of Doncaster is a senior ecclesiastical officer within the Diocese of Sheffield, responsible for the disciplinary supervision of the clergy within the six Rural Dean, area deaneries: Adwick-le-Street, Doncaster, Snaith & Hatfield, T ...

and Rector of

High Melton High Melton is a village and civil parish in the City of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. It had a population of 339 in 2001, reducing to 300 at the 2011 Census. History In August 2019, 13 men and women fell ill after accidentally inges ...

. In 1947, he was appointed to the

episcopate A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role ...

Bishop of Woolwich The Bishop of Woolwich is an episcopal title used by an area bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Southwark, in the Province of Canterbury, England. The title takes its name after Woolwich, a suburb of the Royal Borough of Greenwich. Two o ...

, a post he held until his appointment as

Dean of Rochester The Dean of Rochester is the head of the chapter of canons at Rochester Cathedral, the mother church of the Church of England Diocese of Rochester. The current dean is Philip Hesketh, who has served in that role since June 2016. List of deans ...

. As Dean, he was the first Warden of

Rochester Theological College Rochester Theological College (1959–1970) was an Anglican theological college for the Diocese of Rochester in Kent, England. It focused on the provision of theological education for mature non-graduates. History The college was founded by ...

in 1959, before the appointment of

Stuart Blanch Stuart Yarworth Blanch, Baron Blanch, (2 February 1918 – 3 June 1994) was an Anglican clergyman. Little interested in religion in his youth, he became a committed Christian at the age of 21, while serving in the Royal Air Force during the Sec ...

the following year. An

Honorary Chaplain to the King An Honorary Chaplain to the King is a member of the clergy within the United Kingdom who, through long and distinguished service, is appointed to minister to the monarch of the United Kingdom. When the reigning monarch is female, Honorary Chaplain ...

, he retired to

Fleet, Hampshire Fleet is a town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Hart District of Hampshire, England, centred south-west of London and east of Basingstoke. It is the largest town of the Hart District, and has many large technology busi ...

in 1966 and died twenty years later on

Boxing Day Boxing Day, also called as Offering Day is a holiday celebrated after Christmas Day, occurring on the second day of Christmastide (26 December). Boxing Day was once a day to donate gifts to those in need, but it has evolved to become a part ...

References

1895 births People educated at Westminster School, London Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Archdeacons of Doncaster Deans of Rochester 20th-century Church of England bishops Bishops of Woolwich 1986 deaths Honorary chaplains to the King {{ChurchofEngland-bishop-stub