Maurice Edwards

Maurice Henry Edwards
Born 17 May 1886
Died 26 April 1961 (aged 74)
Church Church of England
Ordained 1911
Offices held
Chaplain-in-Chief, Royal Air Force

The Venerable Maurice Henry Edwards, OBE, MA (17 May 1886 26 April 1961) was an eminent Anglican priest in the second half of the twentieth century.

Early life

Edwards was born on 17 May 1886, he was educated at Ripon Grammar School and Queens' College, University of Cambridge.[1]

Career

Edwards was ordained a priest in the Church of England [2] in 1911. He served as Curate at Bedale, North Riding, Yorkshire, from 1911 to 1914.[1]

He was appointed a Royal Navy chaplain on 6 August 1914.[3] In 1918, he joined the fledgling Royal Air Force Chaplaincy Service. He was granted the relative rank of squadron leader on 1 August 1919,[4] the relative rank of Wing Commander on 6 August 1929,[5] and the relative rank of Group Captain on 6 August 1934.[6] On 10 April 1940, he granted the relative rank of Air Commodore and appointed Chaplain-in- Chief, the most senior chaplain of the Royal Air Force.[7]

From 1944 to 1947, he was based at the Rother Vale Collieries, after which he became Rector of Acton Burnell cum Pitchford, a post he held until his retirement in 1953.[1]

He died on 26 April 1961.[8]

Honours

In the 1928 King's Birthday Honours, Edwards was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).[9]

He was appointed an Honorary Chaplain to the King (KHC) on 10 April 1940.[7]

Notes and references

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 “Who was Who” 1897-2007 London, A & C Black, 2007 ISBN 978-0-19-954087-7
  2. Crockford's clerical directory 1947-48 Oxford, OUP, 1947
  3. The London Gazette: no. 28864. p. 6203. 7 August 1914. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  4. The London Gazette: no. 32017. p. 8410. 13 August 1920. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  5. The London Gazette: no. 33531. p. 5720. 3 September 1929. Retrieved 2012-08-05.
  6. The London Gazette: no. 34078. p. 5195. 14 August 1934. Retrieved 2012-08-05.
  7. 7.0 7.1 The London Gazette: no. 34831. p. 2248. 16 April 1940. Retrieved 2012-08-05.
  8. The Times Thursday, 27 Apr 1961; pg. 1; Issue 55066; col A Deaths
  9. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 33390. p. 3854. 1 June 1928. Retrieved 2012-08-05.
Church of England titles
Preceded by
James Rowland Walkey
Chaplain-in-Chief of the RAF
1940–1944
Succeeded by
John Arthur Jagoe