Walter Knight-Adkin

The Very Rev Walter Kenrick Knight-Adkin CB OBE DL (17 August 1880 – 24 May 1957) was an eminent Anglican priest in the first half of the 20th Century.[1]

Born in Cheltenham, Knight-Adkin was educated at Cheltenham College and St Edmund Hall, Oxford.[2] He did his pastoral training at Wells Theological College. Ordained in June 1908 at St Paul's Cathedral in London, he was a Curate at Kentish Town before commencing a long period of service[3] as a Chaplain with the Royal Navy rising to become Chaplain of the Fleet[4] from 1929 to 1933, after which he was Dean of Gibraltar.[5] Evacuated to England in 1941 due to illness, he became civilian Vicar of Sparkwell then Chaplain to the Lord Mayor of Bristol at St Mark`s Church, College Green.

He was awarded the OBE in 1919 and appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1932. On 25 January 1929 he was appointed as Honorary Chaplain to HM King George V.[6] He was an Honorary Canon of Bristol Cathedral and was Deputy Lieutenant of Gloucester and of Bristol.[7]

Family

Knight-Adkin was the second son of the Rev Harry Kenrick Knight-Adkin (1851–1928) and Georgina Elizabeth Knight (1849–1930). He was born in Cheltenham on 17 August 1880.[8]

He married Elizabeth Cuff Napier (1891–1984) at St. Andrew's-by-the-Green, Glasgow on 20 December 1915. His bride was the daughter of Colonel Alexander Napier RAMC. They had one child, Peter Napier Knight-Adkin, who died at Portsmouth in 1918.

Walter died at his home at 17 Miles Road, Bristol on 24 May 1957.[9] His wife was to live a further 27 years.[10]

His elder brother was the war poet James Harry Knight-Adkin. His younger brother, Frederick John Knight-Adkin, after a period working as a journalist and author in New York, emigrated to Argentina where he became a successful cattle rancher. He had two sisters, Georgina Noel Knight-Adkin, a photographer in Bristol, and Violet Doris Knight-Adkin who died at the age of 19.[11]

Naval career

Notes & Sources

  1. Role overseas at the Wayback Machine (archived 30 July 2009)
  2. "Who was Who" 1897-1990 London, A & C Black, 1991 ISBN 0-7136-3457-X
  3. from 31 Apr 1910 - London Gazette http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28475/pages/2148
  4. With the title of Archdeacon of the Royal Navy
  5. Deans of Gibraltar
  6. http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/33506/pages/3943
  7. Appointed 3 June 1950 - http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/38963/pages/3512
  8. The Times, Monday, 27 May 1957; pg. 14; Issue 53851; col E
  9. The Times, Monday, 27 May 1957; pg. 14; Issue 53851; col E
  10. The Times, Wednesday, 21 Nov 1984; pg. 34; Issue 61992; col A Deaths:Elizabeth Cuff Knight-Adkin
  11. http://www.greywall.demon.co.uk/genealogy/WynnHall/james.html
  12. Navy List
Church of England titles
Preceded by
Robert McKew
Chaplain of the Fleet
19291933
Succeeded by
Charles Peshall
Preceded by
R McKee
Honorary Chaplain to the King
1929 1933
Succeeded by
Charles J E Peshall
Preceded by
Geoffrey Hodgson Warde
Dean of Gibraltar
1933 1941
Succeeded by
William Ashley –Brown