Beresford James Kidd (1 January 1864 – 15 May 1948) was an

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

priest and Church historian, who was Warden of

Keble College, Oxford Keble College () is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its main buildings are on Parks Road, opposite the University Museum and the University Parks. The college is bordered to the north by Keble Road, to th ...

, from 1920 to 1939. He is best known for his ''History of the Church to A.D. 461'', 3 vols., which with its very full references aimed at "putting students into direct contact with the sources and enabling them to use the originals for themselves" (vol. i, p. v).

Life

B. J. Kidd was born in Birmingham on 1 January 1864, the son of the Revd James and Mary Kidd. He was educated at Christ's Hospital before going up to

, matriculating on 17 October 1882.Foster, J. (1888).
''Alumni Oxoniensis: The Members of the University of Oxford 1715–1886, Vol. II, p. 792''
London: Joseph Foster. At Keble he received honours: second class in Mods (

Honour Moderations Honour Moderations (or ''Mods'') are a set of examinations at the University of Oxford at the end of the first part of some degree courses (e.g., Greats or '' Literae Humaniores''). Honour Moderations candidates have a class awarded (hence the ' ...

) in 1883, second class in Literae Humaniores in 1886, and first class in theology in 1887. He received his B.A. in 1886 and his M.A. in 1889. He was awarded a BD in 1898 and a DD in 1904.Holland, A. W. (1904).
''The Oxford and Cambridge Yearbook, Pt. I. Oxford, p. 347''
London: Swan Sonnenschein.''Crockford's Clerical Directory for 1930'', p. 738. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Following graduation B. J. Kidd worked both as a clergyman in the Church of England and as an academic at the University of Oxford. He was ordained deacon in 1887, priest in 1888, and served as Assistant

Curate A curate () is a person who is invested with the ''care'' or ''cure'' (''cura'') ''of souls'' of a parish. In this sense, "curate" means a parish priest; but in English-speaking countries the term ''curate'' is commonly used to describe clergy w ...

at the Church of St Philip and St James Church, Oxford, from 1887 to 1900. He served as chaplain of

Pembroke College, Oxford Pembroke College, a constituent college of the University of Oxford, is located at Pembroke Square, Oxford. The college was founded in 1624 by King James I of England, using in part the endowment of merchant Thomas Tesdale, and was named after ...

, from 1894 to 1896, was a lecturer in theology of the college from 1902 to 1911, and was also Tutor of the Non-Collegiate Students at Oxford (an institution that later became St Catherine's College, Oxford) from 1889 to 1920. He served as examiner in the honours school of theology, 1902–04 and 1917–19; examining chaplain to the Bishop of Oxford, 1912; and to the Bishop of London, 1927. From 1904 to 1920 he was vicar of St Paul's, a

Church of England parish church A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within each Church of England parish (the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative unit; since the 19th century sometimes ca ...

Walton Street, Oxford Walton Street is on the eastern edge of the Jericho, Oxford, Jericho district of central Oxford, England. Overview The street runs north from the western end of Beaumont Street and the northern end of Worcester Street by the main entrance o ...

. He was

Proctor Proctor (a variant of ''procurator'') is a person who takes charge of, or acts for, another. The title is used in England and some other English-speaking countries in three principal contexts: * In law, a proctor is a historical class of lawye ...

in Convocation, 1917, and Prolocutor of the

Convocation of Canterbury The Convocations of Canterbury and York are the synodical assemblies of the bishops and clergy of each of the two provinces which comprise the Church of England. Their origins go back to the ecclesiastical reorganisation carried out under Arc ...

, 1932–36. In 1920, he was appointed Warden of

, a position he held until 1939. As for honours, in 1919 he received the Order of St. Sava (5th class), a

Serbian Serbian may refer to: * someone or something related to Serbia, a country in Southeastern Europe * someone or something related to the Serbs, a South Slavic people * Serbian language * Serbian names See also

* * * Old Serbian (disambiguat ...

decoration instituted to recognise civilians for meritorious achievements in the arts and sciences. He was appointed an Honorary Canon of

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...

, in 1915, and an Honorary Fellow of Keble College in 1940. He died on 15 May 1948. He was married (1894) to Agnes Walker, daughter of W. T. Walker; they had no children.''Who Was Who, 1941–1950'', p. 638. London: Adam & Charles Black.

Works

''The Later Mediaeval Doctrine of the Eucharistic Sacrifice''
Church Historical Society ublications46. London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1898. * ''The Thirty-nine Articles: Their History and Explanation'', 2 volumes. Oxford Church Text Books. London: Rivingtons, 1899. *
''Vol. 1: Articles I-VIII''''Vol. 2: Articles IX-XXXIX''

''The Continental Reformation''
2nd ed. Oxford Church Text Books. New York: Edwin S. Gorham, 1908.
''Documents Illustrative of the Continental Reformation''
Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1911. * ''Documents Illustrative of the History of the Church'', 3 vols. Translations of Christian Literature, Series VI. London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1920. *
''Vol. I. To A. D. 313''''Vol. II. 313—461 A. D.''''Vol. III. c. 500—1500''
* ''A History of the Church to A.D. 461'', 3 vols. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1922. *
''Vol. I. To A. D. 313''''Vol. II. 313—408 A. D.''''Vol. III. 408—461 A. D.''
* ''The Churches of Eastern Christendom from A.D. 451 to the Present Time''. London: The Faith Press, 1927. ** * ''The Counter-Reformation, 1550–1600''. London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1933. * ''The Roman Primacy to A. D. 461''. London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1936.

References

External links

* There ar
four portraits of B. J. Kidd
in the

National Portrait Gallery, London The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) is an art gallery in London housing a collection of portraits of historically important and famous British people. It was arguably the first national public gallery dedicated to portraits in the world when it ...

. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kidd, Beresford James 1864 births 1948 deaths People educated at Christ's Hospital Alumni of Keble College, Oxford Wardens of Keble College, Oxford British theologians 19th-century English Anglican priests 20th-century English Anglican priests English historians Knights of the Order of St. Sava People associated with St Catherine's College, Oxford