Harold Browne

Edward Harold Browne (1811 – 18 December 1891) (usually known as Harold Browne) was a Bishop of the Church of England.

The second son of Col. Robert Browne of Morton House, in Buckinghamshire, and of Sarah Dorothea Steward, he was educated at Eton and Emmanuel College, Cambridge.[1] After securing his B.A. in 1832, he won the Crosse theological scholarship in 1833, the Tyrwhitt Hebrew scholarship in 1834, and the Norrisian prize in 1835. He graduated with his M.A. in 1836, was elected fellow of Emmanuel in 1837, and appointed senior tutor in 1838. In 1854 he was elected Norrisian Professor of Divinity at Cambridge. He took the B.D. in 1855 and the D.D. in 1864.

He was ordained deacon in 1837 and priest in the following year. In 1841 he accepted a curacy in Exeter (St Sidwell's), but in 1843 moved to Wales as Vice-Principal of St. David's College. In 1849, he took a benefice in Cornwall, to which was attached a prebendal stall in Exeter Cathedral, which he exchanged in 1857 for a canonry in the same and the living of Heavitree. In 1854 he was appointed to the Norrisian chair of divinity at the University of Cambridge but held his livings in the diocese of Exeter concurrently. (The Cornish benefice was the vicarage of Kenwyn and Kea.) On 29 March 1864 he was consecrated Bishop of Ely, and in December 1873, he was translated to the see of Winchester, which he resigned in 1890.

He was a moderating influence in the conflict arising from Essays and Reviews and the Pentateuch criticism of J. W. Colenso. His Exposition of the Thirty-Nine Articles (2 vols.) 1850, 1853 held its place as a standard work for many years.[2]

He married Elizabeth Carlyon (daughter of Philip Carlyon). The Bishop was a High Churchman and in 1885, Browne set up the first diocesan organisation of the Mothers' Union, which had previously been a simple parish meeting chaired by Mary Sumner in Old Alresford. He resigned as bishop in 1890, and died at Shales near Bitterne on 18 December 1891.

References

  1. ^ Browne, Edward Harold in Venn, J. & J. A., Alumni Cantabrigienses, Cambridge University Press, 10 vols, 1922–1958.
  2. ^ "Browne, Edward Harold" in: Cross, F. L. (ed.) (1957) The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. London: Oxford U. P.; p. 201

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Honorary titles
Preceded by
Alfred Ollivant
Vice-principal of St Davids College, Lampeter
1843–1850
Succeeded by
Rowland Williams
Church of England titles
Preceded by
Thomas Turton
Bishop of Ely
1864–1873
Succeeded by
James Woodford
Preceded by
Samuel Wilberforce
Bishop of Winchester
1873–1890
Succeeded by
Anthony Thorold