The
Rt Rev Percival William Stephenson was the 6th
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 ...
bishop of Nelson whose
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 ...
spanned a 14-year period in the mid-20th century.
Family
The son of Arthur Henry Stephenson (1867-1955), and Annie Amelia Vevers Stephenson (1865-1903), née Brailey, Percival William Stephenson was born at
Malmsbury, Victoria
Malmsbury is a town in central Victoria, Australia on the Old Calder Highway (C794), 95 km north-west of the state capital, Melbourne and 11 km north-west of Kyneton. Situated close by the Coliban River, Malmsbury has a population ...
on 5 May 1888.
He married Grace Ermyntrude Lavender (1885-1974) on 9 October 1913. They three children, Millicent Lavender Stephenson (1914-), Arthur Lavender Stephenson (1917-2001), and Noel Lavender Stephenson (1920-). Percival Stephenson died in 1962.
Education
He was educated at
Caulfield Grammar School, Melbourne, where he was an outstanding footballer in the school's First XVIII, the
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...
, the
Australian College of Theology
The Australian University of Theology (AUT), formerly known as the Australian College of Theology (ACT), is an Collegiate university, collegiate Theology, theological university based in Sydney, New South Wales. The university delivers awards i ...
, and the
University of London
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...
.
* 1912:
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) — University of Melbourne.
* 1913:
Licentiate of Theology (L.Th.) — Australian College of Theology.
* 1915:
Bachelor of Arts (M.A.) — University of Melbourne.
* 1917:
Bachelor of Divinity (B.D.) — University of London.
Cleric
He was ordained in 1914.
Academic
He moved to India to teach at
CMS
CMS may refer to:
Computing
* Call management system
* CMS-2, a programming language implemented for and used by the United States Navy
* Code Morphing Software, a technology used by Transmeta
* Collection management system for a museum coll ...
Edwards College in
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital and List of cities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by population, largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is the sixth most populous city of Pakistan, with a district p ...
, where he was initially a teacher and then principal (1921–1924). From 1924 to 1928 he was
professor
Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other tertiary education, post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin ...
of
exegetical theology at
St John's College, Winnipeg.
On his return to Australia he became federal secretary of the
Church Missionary Society
The Church Mission Society (CMS), formerly known as the Church Missionary Society, is a British Anglican mission society working with Christians around the world. Founded in 1799, CMS has attracted over nine thousand men and women to serve as ...
of Australia and Tasmania and
headmaster
A headmaster/headmistress, head teacher, head, school administrator, principal or school director (sometimes another title is used) is the staff member of a school with the greatest responsibility for the management of the school.
Role
While s ...
of
Trinity Grammar School, Sydney (1935–37) and then commonwealth secretary of the
British and Foreign Bible Society
The British and Foreign Bible Society, often known in England and Wales as simply the Bible Society, is a non-denominational Christian Bible society with charity status whose purpose is to make the Bible available throughout the world.
The ...
until his elevation 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 ...
in 1940.
Death
He died on 29 May 1962.
News of death
/ref>
See also
* List of Caulfield Grammar School people
Caulfield Grammar School and Malvern Memorial Grammar School (amalgamated with Caulfield in 1961), has had many notable students and staff. Alumni of the school are known as "Caulfield Grammarians" and are supported by the Caulfield Grammarians ...
Notes
References
* Cole, Keith, ''Sincerity My Guide: A Biography of the Right Reverend P.W. Stephenson (1888-1962)'', Church Missionary Historical Publications Trust, (Melbourne), 1970.
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stephenson, Percival William
1888 births
People educated at Caulfield Grammar School
University of Melbourne alumni
Academic staff of the University of Manitoba
Anglican bishops of Nelson
20th-century Anglican bishops in New Zealand
1960 deaths
Alumni of the University of London
Australian headmasters
Heads of schools in New South Wales