The Archdeacon of Pontefract is a senior ecclesiastical officer within the Diocese of Leeds. As Archdeacon he or she is responsible for the disciplinary supervision of the clergy within the five area deaneries of Dewsbury, Wakefield, Pontefract, Barnsley and Birstall.

History

The Archdeaconry was founded (from the Archdeaconry of Craven in the

Diocese of Ripon The Diocese of Ripon (Diocese of Ripon and Leeds from 1999 until 2014) was a former Church of England diocese, part of the Province of York. Immediately prior to its dissolution, it covered an area in western and northern Yorkshire as well as ...

) with the erection of the

Diocese of Wakefield The Diocese of Wakefield is a former Church of England diocese based in Wakefield in West Yorkshire, covering Wakefield, Barnsley, Kirklees and Calderdale. The cathedral was Wakefield Cathedral and the bishop was the diocesan Bishop of Wakef ...

on 20 November 1888. From then until its reorganisation in 1927, the archdeaconry of Halifax comprised the northwestern corner of that diocese. In 1927, the archdeaconry was renamed to that of Pontefract and its borders moved to cover the eastern half of the diocese (the Huddersfield archdeaconry became the new archdeaconry of Halifax). For many years the post of Archdeacon of Pontefract was combined with that of Bishop suffragan of Pontefract. The current incumbent is

Peter Townley Peter Townley (born 16 November 1955) is a Church of England priest who has been Archdeacon of Pontefract since 2007. Townley was born in Blackley, Manchester and educated at Moston Brook High School, the University of Sheffield and Ridley Hall, ...

. Since the creation of the Diocese of Leeds on 20 April 2014, the archdeaconry has formed the Wakefield episcopal area.

List of archdeacons

:Archdeacons of Halifax *1888–1906 (d.):

Ingham Brooke The Ven Joshua Ingham Brooke (14 February 1836 – 19 June 1906) was Archdeacon of Halifax from 1888 until his death. Life Brooke was born in Honley, the son of Thomas Brooke, a wealthy manufacturer. He was educated at Cheltenham College and Un ...

*1906–1917 (res.):

William Foxley Norris William Foxley Norris (4 February 1859 – 28 September 1937) was Dean of York between 1917 and 1925 and of Westminster from then until his death in 1937. Born into a clerical family, he was educated at Charterhouse and Trinity College, ...

*1917–29 November 1923 (d.): Henry Walsham How *1923–''1927'': Richard Phipps (became Archdeacon of Pontefract) :''In the diocesan reorganisation of 1927, the archdeaconry was renamed to Pontefract. (For Archdeacons of Halifax after 1927, see

Archdeacon of Halifax The Archdeacon of Halifax is the priest in charge of the archdeaconry of Halifax, an administrative division of the Church of England Diocese of Leeds (formerly in the Diocese of Wakefield.)

.)'' :Archdeacons of Pontefract *1927–1930 (ret.): Richard Phipps (previously Archdeacon of Halifax) *1931–1938 (res.):

Campbell Hone Campbell Richard Hone (13 September 187316 May 1967) was an eminent Anglican bishop in the second quarter of the 20th century. Early life He was born into an ecclesiastical family – his father was Evelyn J. Hone (of the Anglo-Irish Hone family ...

, Bishop suffragan of Pontefract *1938–1949 (res.):

Tom Longworth Tom Longworth was a 20th-century Anglican bishop. He was born on 8 January 1891 and educated at Shrewsbury and University College, Oxford and ordained in 1916. From 1927 to 1935 he was the Rector of Guisborough and then Benwell before his ordinat ...

, Bishop suffragan of Pontefract *1946–1954 (res.):

Arthur Morris Arthur Robert Morris (19 January 1922 – 22 August 2015) was an Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for ...

, Bishop suffragan of Pontefract *1954–1961 (res.): George Clarkson, Bishop suffragan of Pontefract *1961–1968 (res.):

Eric Treacy Eric Treacy, (2 June 1907 – 13 May 1978) was an English railway photographer and Anglican bishop. Early life and education Born in London, Treacy was educated at Haberdashers' Aske's School and at King's College London, though he left wit ...

, Bishop suffragan of Pontefract *1968–1981 (ret.): Edward Henderson (afterwards archdeacon emeritus) *1981–1992 (ret.):

Ken Unwin The Ven. Kenneth Unwin (16 September 1926 - 27 December 2020) was Archdeacon of Pontefract from 1981 until 1992. Unwin was born in Chesterfield and educated at Chesterfield Grammar School; St Edmund Hall, Oxford; and Ely Theological College. H ...

(afterwards archdeacon emeritus) *1992–1997 (res.): John Flack *1997–2003 (res.):

Tony Robinson Sir Anthony Robinson (born 15 August 1946) is an English actor, author, broadcaster, comedian, presenter, and political activist. He played Baldrick in the BBC television series ''Blackadder'' and has presented several historical documentarie ...

*2003–2007 (res.):

Jonathan Greener Jonathan Desmond Francis Greener (born 9 March 1961) is a British Anglican priest. He was Dean of Wakefield and presiding dean of the Diocese of Leeds. He became Dean of Exeter on 26 November 2017. Early life and education Greener was educated ...

*2007–present:

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pontefract, Archdeacon of Lists of Anglicans Anglican Diocese of Leeds Diocese of Wakefield Lists of English people