Archdeacons in the Diocese of Liverpool

History

The Archdeaconry of Liverpool was originally created on 10 August 1847 (from the Archdeaconry of Chester deaneries of Wirral and Warrington) in the Diocese of Chester and transferred to the Diocese of Liverpool when the latter was created on 9 April 1880.{{London Gazette

Reorganisation

Per the diocese's mission paper, Fit for Mission, prepared by Paul Bayes, the then-new Bishop of Liverpool, the archdeaconries of the diocese were reorganised not long after the retirement of Peter Bradley as Archdeacon of Warrington at the end of October 2015. On 29 May 2015, it was announced that four archdeaconries would exist after the reorganisation: Liverpool (reduced in size from its current area), Knowsley and Sefton, St Helens and Warrington, and Wigan and West Lancashire; on 9 August three archdeacons-designate were announced, and it was further indicated it was hoped the reorganisation could be completed in time to collate the new archdeacons on 14 November 2015. On 5 November 2015, it was announced that Bayes had signed the pastoral order effecting the boundary changes and erection of the new archdeaconries.

Following the reorganisation, the (reduced) Liverpool archdeaconry consists of five deaneries: Liverpool North, Liverpool South-Childwall, Toxteth and Wavertree, Walton, and West Derby; Knowsley and Sefton archdeaconry of four: Bootle, Huyton, North Meols, and Sefton; St Helens and Warrington archdeaconry of four: St Helens, Warrington, Widnes, and Winwick; and Wigan and West Lancashire archdeaconry of two: Ormskirk, and Wigan.

At Bishop's Council in May 2023, it was agreed that the (vacant) Archdeaconry of Wigan and West Lancashire would be dissolved, the deanery of Wigan moved to St Helens archdeaconry, and the deanery of Ormskirk to Knowsley archdeaconry. On 1 November 2024, a Bishop's Pastoral Order gave effect to the council's decision.

List of archdeacons

Archdeacons of Liverpool

• 29 September 1848 – 28 September 1855 (d.): Jonathan Brooks
• 30 October 1855 – 1886 (res.): John Jones :Since 9 April 1880, the archdeaconry has been in Liverpool diocese. :On 17 July 1880, the Archdeaconry of Warrington was split from the Liverpool archdeaconry.
• 1886–1887 (res.): John Bardsley, Vicar of St Saviour's, Liverpool{{Who's Who | access-date = 15 February 2015
• 1887–1895: Benjamin Clarke, Vicar of Christ Church, Southport
• 1895–19 March 1906 (d.): William Taylor, Vicar of St Andrew, Toxteth Park{{Who's Who | access-date = 15 February 2015
• 1906–26 December 1915 (d.): Thomas Madden, Vicar of St Luke's, Liverpool (until 1913) then Vicar of Christ Church, Southport{{Who's Who | access-date = 15 February 2015
• 1916–7 February 1933 (d.): Hardwicke Spooner, Rector of Walton-on-the-Hill (until 1921){{Who's Who | access-date = 15 February 2015
• 1933–1934 (ret.): George Howson{{Who's Who | access-date = 15 February 2015
• 1934–3 September 1950 (d.): Cyril Twitchett{{Who's Who | access-date = 15 February 2015
• 1951–1970 (ret.): Hubert Wilkinson, Vicar of St Mary's, Grassendale, (until 1968; afterwards archdeacon emeritus){{Who's Who | access-date = 20 October 2013
• 1971–1979 (res.): Eric Corbett{{Who's Who | access-date = 20 October 2013
• 1979–1991 (ret.): Graeme Spiers, Vicar of Aigburth (until 1980; afterwards archdeacon emeritus){{Who's Who | access-date = 20 October 2013
• 1991–1993 (res.): Stanton Durant, Vicar of All Saints, Stoneycroft
• 1994–2002 (ret.): Robert Metcalf (afterwards archdeacon emeritus){{Who's Who | access-date = 20 October 2013
• 20026 May 2017 (ret.): Ricky Panter{{Who's Who | access-date = 20 October 2013 :Much of the territory of the archdeaconry was given to the new Knowsley and Sefton archdeaconry.
• 10 September 2017January 2023 (res.): Mike McGurk
• 9 September 2023present: Miranda Threlfall-Holmes (Acting since 1 February 2023) Archdeacons of Warrington

Archdeacons of Warrington and of St Helens and Warrington

:The archdeaconry was erected from the Liverpool archdeaconry on 17 July 1880.

• 1880–1886 (res.): John Bardsley, Vicar of St Saviour's, Liverpool (became Archdeacon of Liverpool)
• 1887–1889 (res.): William Lefroy, perpetual curate of St Andrew's, Liverpool (became Dean of Norwich){{Who's Who | access-date = 15 February 2015
• 1889–1895 (res.): William Taylor, Vicar of St Chrysostom, Everton (until 1890), then Vicar of St Andrew, Toxteth Park (became Archdeacon of Liverpool)
• 1895–1906 (res.): Thomas Madden, Vicar of St Luke's, Liverpool (became Archdeacon of Liverpool)
• 1906–1916 (res.): Hardwicke Spooner, Rector of Walton-on-the-Hill (became Archdeacon of Liverpool)
• 1916–1933 (res.): George Howson, Rector of Woolton (until 1923; became Archdeacon of Liverpool)
• 1933–1934 (res.): Cyril Twitchett (became Archdeacon of Liverpool)
• 1934–1947 (ret.): Percy Baker, Vicar of Mossley Hill (until 1935), then Rector of Winwick (afterwards archdeacon emeritus){{Who's Who | access-date = 15 February 2015
• 1947–1958 (ret.): Arthur White, Vicar of Billinge (until 1950; afterwards archdeacon emeritus){{Who's Who | access-date = 15 February 2015
• 1959–1970 (ret.): Eric Evans, Rector of North Meols (until 1968; afterwards archdeacon emeritus){{Who's Who | access-date = 15 February 2015
• 1970–1981 (res.): John Lawton, Rector of Winwick (afterwards archdeacon emeritus){{Who's Who | access-date = 15 February 2015
• 1981–2001 (ret.): David Woodhouse, Vicar of St Peter's, Hindley (until 1992; afterwards archdeacon emeritus){{Who's Who | access-date = 15 February 2015
• 200131 October 2015 (ret.): Peter Bradley{{Who's Who | access-date = 15 February 2015 :The archdeaconry was renamed on 5 November 2015.
• 14 November 201530 September 2019 (res.): Roger Preece
• 25 January 2020present: Simon Fisher

Archdeacons of Knowsley and Sefton

:The archdeaconry was erected on 5 November 2015.

• 14 November 2015–present: Pete Spiers

Archdeacons of Wigan and West Lancashire

:The archdeaconry was erected on 5 November 2015.

• 14 November 201531 July 2021 (res.): Jennifer McKenzie :The archdeaconry was dissolved on 1 November 2024.

References

Sources

References

1. "ABCD: a basic church dictionary" Meakin, T: Norwich, Canterbury Press, 2001 {{ISBN. 978-1-85311-420-5
2. {{London Gazette. (1847)
3. {{London Gazette. (2 July 1880)
4. [http://www.liverpool.anglican.org/index.php?p=1378 Diocese of Liverpool — Fir for Mission] (Accessed 16 August 2015)
5. [http://www.liverpool.anglican.org/index.php?p=1468 Diocese of Liverpool — Sharing the Ministry of Archdeacons] (Accessed 16 August 2015)
6. [http://liverpool.anglican.org/We-name-our-new-Archdeacon-Designates Diocese of Liverpool — Our new Archdeacons Designate] {{Webarchive. link. (21 November 2015 (Accessed 16 August 2015))
7. [http://liverpool.anglican.org/Bishop-of-Liverpool-signs-pastoral-order-to-enable-4-Archdeaconries-in-the-Diocese-of-Liverpool Diocese of Liverpool — Bishop of Liverpool signs pastoral order] (Accessed 20 November 2015)
8. (16 June 2023). "Associate Archdeacons in the Diocese of Liverpool".
9. (22 November 2024). "Bishop's pastoral order moves us from 4 to 3 Archdeaconries".
10. "John Wareing Bardsley – Bishop 1887–1892".
11. [http://www.anglicanbooksrevitalized.us/assets/docs/toon-collection/history/rylebiog.htm Toon, Peter; Smout, Michael. John Charles Ryle – Evangelical Bishop] {{Webarchive. link. (2016-06-11 III – First Bishop of Liverpool; c. Diocesan Strategy: ‘More Living Agents’ (Accessed 20 October 2013))
12. "Distinguished Churchmen and Phases of Church Work/William Francis Taylor".
13. "Archdeacon Madden Dead". New York Times.
14. [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/church-appointments-1509647.html The Independent – Church appointments, Saturday 9 October 1993] (Accessed 20 October 2013)
15. "Farewell service for retiring clergyman.".
16. [http://www.liverpool.anglican.org/index.php?p=2306 Diocese of Liverpool — Ricky Panter announces his retirement] (Accessed 21 April 2017)
17. [http://liverpool.anglican.org/Collation-of-new-Archdeacon-of-Liverpool-%E2%80%93-September-10th- Diocese of Liverpool — Collation of new Archdeacon of Liverpool – September 10th] {{Webarchive. link. (2017-09-02 (Accessed 1 September 2017))
18. [http://www.liverpool.anglican.org/index.php?p=2440 Diocese of Liverpool — We announce the next Archdeacon of Liverpool] (Accessed 21 April 2017)
19. (4 November 2022). "Archdeacon Mike to take up new role in Diocese of Manchester".
20. (11 June 2023). "Miranda Threlfall-Holmes to be the next Archdeacon of Liverpool".
21. (9 September 2023). "Delighted to have collated the Venerable Dr Miranda Threlfall-Holmes...".
22. (16 December 2022). "We announce acting Archdeacons for Liverpool and Wigan and West Lancashire".
23. "George John Howson 1854".
24. "Archdeaconry of St Helens and Warrington".
25. "Diocese of Liverpool".
26. "Error".
27. [http://liverpool.anglican.org/Bishop-Paul-collates-new-Archdeacons-at-Liverpool-Cathedral Diocese of Liverpool — Bishop Paul collates new Archdeacons at Liverpool Cathedral] (Accessed 20 November 2015)
28. "Diocese of Liverpool | Archdeacon Jennifer appointed to new role at Virginia Theological Seminary".