Cuthbert Thicknesse

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Cuthbert Carroll Thicknesse[1] (19 November 1887 – 2 June 1971) was Dean of St Albans[2] from 1936[3] until his retirement in 1955.

Born into an ecclesiastical family of Lancashire landed gentry,[4] the son of Ven. Francis Norman Thicknesse,[5] and educated at Marlborough and Keble College, Oxford, he was ordained in 1913.[6] He was firstly a Curate of St John-at-Hackney.[7] He became a Temporary Chaplain to the Forces in May, 1915. He was sent to Flanders in January, 1917, attached to the Royal Artillery but, 4 months later, was wounded in the knee. He was invalided out in 1917[8] By then, he had married Rhoda Oonah Marjorie Moran Pratt, and the Archbishop of York was able to have him appointed Rector of Bedworth, a post reserved for Chaplains to the Forces.[9] In 1922, he moved to Wigan, and was made an Honorary Chaplain to the King. In 1934, he was recommended for the vacant see at Guildford[10] but was unsuccessful. He became Dean of St Albans two years later. Noted for a ‘volcanic’ temperament,[11] he was a fierce opponent opponent of nuclear weapons,[12] and he refused to hold a service of celebration in St Albans Cathedral at the cessation of the war with Japan in August 1945.[13] He was described in his obituary as “a high church man and convinced Anglican”.[14]

References[]

  1. ^ NPG details
  2. ^ National Archives details
  3. ^ New Dean Of St. Albans Appointment Of Canon Thicknesse The Times Thursday, Mar 05, 1936; pg. 14; Issue 47315; col G
  4. ^ Burke's Landed Gentry, 1871, vol. II, pg 1370
  5. ^ Kelly's Handbook to the Titled, Landed and Official Classes, 1969, Kelly's Directories, pg 1925
  6. ^ Burke’s Peerage
  7. ^ "Parish web site". Archived from the original on 2009-03-30. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
  8. ^ Church Times obituary,4.6.1971
  9. ^ Guardian,20.9.1917
  10. ^ Lambeth Palace Library,Lang Papers
  11. ^ The Times obituary,3.6.1971
  12. ^ Opposition to nuclear weapons
  13. ^ Obituary Dean Thicknesse The Times Thursday, Jun 03, 1971; pg. 17; Issue 58189; col G
  14. ^ Times Obituary (ibid)
Church of England titles
Preceded by
Edward Lowry Henderson
Dean of St Albans
1936 –1955
Succeeded by
Arthur Kenneth Mathews
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