Ernest Edwin Curtis (24 December 1906 – 15 August 1999) was an Anglican Archbishop in the second half of the 20th century.

Early life

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He was born on Christmas Eve, 1906 [1] in Stalbridge[2] and educated at Foster's School in Sherborne and Imperial College London, becoming an associate member of the Royal College of Science in 1927.[3] After teaching at Lindisfarne College, Westcliff-on-Sea, he trained for ordination at Wells Theological College.[4]

Career

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Made deacon on Trinity Sunday 1933 (11 June)[5] and ordained priest the following Trinity (27 May 1934) — both times by Michael Furse, Bishop of St Albans, at St Albans Cathedral,[6] he began his career as a curate at Holy Trinity, Waltham Cross. From 1937 to 1944 he was chaplain in charge of Rose Hill and Bambous, Mauritius and principal of St Paul's Theological College. On his return to England he was priest in charge of St Wilfrid, Portsmouth, then vicar of All Saints, in the same city. After this he was rural dean of Alverstoke[7] before his elevation to the Anglican episcopate in 1966 as Bishop of Mauritius until 1976, when he was succeeded by Ghislain Emmanuel, the first native Mauritian bishop but who died soon after his consecration, and then Trevor Huddleston.[8] Curtis was consecrated a bishop on All Saints' Day (1 November) 1966, by Michael Ramsey, Archbishop of Canterbury, at Southwark Cathedral.[9] Later he became the first archbishop of the Indian Ocean.[10]

Personal life

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He married Dorothy Hill in 1937, and had a son and a daughter. After his first wife's death, he married secondly, in 1970, Evelyn Josling.[11] He died on 15 August 1999 at the age of 92.

Notes

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  1. ^ “Who was Who” 1897–2007 London, A & C Black, 2007 ISBN 978-0-19-954087-7
  2. ^ "The Genealogical Information Database". Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. ^ "Church Times: "The Most Revd Ernest Edwin Curtis", 10 September 1999, p 6". Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  4. ^ "Church Times: "The Most Revd Ernest Edwin Curtis", 10 September 1999, p 6". Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Trinity ordinations". Church Times. No. 3673. 16 June 1933. p. 733. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 6 March 2021 – via UK Press Online archives.
  6. ^ "Trinity ordinations". Church Times. No. 3723. 1 June 1934. p. 682. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 6 March 2021 – via UK Press Online archives.
  7. ^ Crockford's Clerical Directory 1975–76 London: Oxford University Press, 1976 ISBN 0-19-200008-X
  8. ^ McGrandle, Piers (2004). Trevor Huddleston: Turbulent Priest. A&C Black. ISBN 978-0-8264-7123-9.
  9. ^ "picture caption". Church Times. No. 5412. 4 November 1966. p. 1. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 6 March 2021 – via UK Press Online archives.
  10. ^ "Curtis; Ernest Edwin (1906–1999); archbishop of the Indian Ocean". Lambeth Palace Library. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  11. ^ "Church Times: "The Most Revd Ernest Edwin Curtis", 10 September 1999, p 6". Retrieved 11 May 2021.
Anglican Communion titles
Preceded by Bishop of Mauritius
1966–1976
Succeeded by
New title Archbishop of the Indian Ocean
1973–1976
Succeeded by