Walter Hussey

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Walter Hussey (May 15, 1909 – 1985) was an Anglican clergyman who had a great fondness for the arts, commissioning a number of musical compositions and visual art for the church as well as amassing his own collection.

Hussey was born in Northampton and was educated at Marlborough College. After reading Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Keble College, Oxford he studied at Ripon College Cuddesdon and was ordained in 1932.

His first ministry was as Assistant Curate at St Mary Abbots, Kensington, although within 5 years he was Vicar of St Matthew's, Northampton – a post he held from 1937 to 1955. As vicar of St Matthew’s he celebrated the church’s 50th anniversary by commissioning 'Rejoice in the Lamb' from Benjamin Britten. He later organised a concert by Kirsten Flagstad. Other commissions included Henry Moore's 'Madonna and Child' sculpture, a 'Litany and Anthem for St Matthew's Day' from W. H. Auden, 'Lo, the full, final sacrifice' from Gerald Finzi, 'Crucifixion' from Graham Sutherland and 'The Outer Planet' from Norman Nicholson.

He left Northampton to become Dean of Chichester Cathedral, holding the post until he retired in 1977. Whilst there he commissioned Graham Sutherland to paint an altarpiece, asked Leonard Bernstein to compose the 'Chichester Psalms' and also worked with John Piper, Geoffrey Clarke, Cecil Collins, Ceri Richards and Marc Chagall.

Hussey’s own collection of art was bequeathed to the city of Chichester and is now housed in Pallant House Gallery.