De Witt Batty

Francis de Witt Batty (known as De Witt;[1] 10 January 1879 – 3 April 1961[2]) was the Anglican Bishop of Newcastle (Australia) from 1931 until his retirement in 1958.

De Witt Batty was educated at St Paul's School, London and Balliol College, Oxford[3] He was ordained in 1903 and his first position was as a curate at Hornsey where he was asked a year later by the outgoing rector, St Clair Donaldson, to accompany him as his chaplain when Donaldson was appointed Archbishop of Brisbane.[4] In 1915 he was appointed a residential canon at St John's Cathedral, Brisbane and in 1925 the cathedral's dean. He was ordained to the episcopate in 1930.[5] He once called his see as "the most enviable diocese in Australia".[1]

In his obituary in The Times, he was described as being "one of the most outstanding Englishmen ever to dedicate his life to public service in Australia".[6]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 AB on line
  2. ↑ The Times, 4 April 1961; pg. 11; Issue 55046; col C, Death of Bishop Batty
  3. ↑ Who was Who 1987-1990: London, A & C Black, 1991, ISBN 0-7136-3457-X
  4. ↑ The Times, 3 November 1904; pg. 8; Issue 37542; col B, Ecclesiastical Intelligence
  5. ↑ The Times, 15 November 1930; pg. 11; Issue 45671; col F, New Bishop of Newcastle, New South Wales
  6. ↑ The Times, 25 April 1961; pg. 17; Issue 55064; col B, Obituary: Bishop De Witt Batty
Church of England titles
Preceded by
George Merrick Long		 Bishop of Newcastle (Australia)
1931 –1958 		Succeeded by
James Housden