Bertram Fitzgerald Simpson (25 September 1883 - 16 July 1971) was a prominent Anglican cleric who served over half a century in London as Suffragan

Bishop of Kensington The Bishop of Kensington is an episcopal title used by an area bishop of the Church of England Diocese of London, in the Province of Canterbury, England. The Bishop of Kensington is responsible for a part of Greater London, including Kensingt ...

(1932 to 1942) and later as

Diocesan In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associat ...

Bishop of Southwark (1942 to 1959). Born on 25 September 1883, Simpson was educated at the

University of Durham Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university in Durham, England, Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by royal charte ...

, where he was President of the Durham Union during

Epiphany term Epiphany term is the second academic term at Durham University, falling between Michaelmas term and Easter term, as in the Christian Feast of the Epiphany, held in January. The term runs from January until March, equivalent to the Spring term at ...

of 1906.

Ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform ...

in 1908 his first post was at St Anne's,

Soho Soho is an area of the City of Westminster, part of the West End of London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century. The area was develo ...

, London. He was Vicar of St Peter's, Harrow, when he was interviewed for a commission as a Temporary Chaplain to the Forces during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. He joined the Chaplaincy on 19 August 1916 and two years later was awarded the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC ...

, in the words of the citation: ''For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Whilst visiting the most advanced line he was injured by the burst of a shell but carried on with his duty. He has always carried out his daily task regardless of all fire''. He suffered shell concussion in this action which left him with

tinnitus Tinnitus is the perception of sound when no corresponding external sound is present. Nearly everyone experiences a faint "normal tinnitus" in a completely quiet room; but it is of concern only if it is bothersome, interferes with normal hearin ...

and he returned to London as a Chaplain in Camberwell hospital He was demobilised in December 1918. He was Rector and Rural Dean of Stepney, 1920–26, and Vicar of St Peter's, Cranley Gardens before his elevation to the episcopate as suffragan Bishop of Kensington He was consecrated a bishop on the Nativity of St John the Baptist (24 June) 1932, at St Paul's Cathedral, by

Cosmo Lang William Cosmo Gordon Lang, 1st Baron Lang of Lambeth, (31 October 1864 – 5 December 1945) was a Scottish Anglican prelate who served as Archbishop of York (1908–1928) and Archbishop of Canterbury (1928–1942). His elevation to Archbishop ...

, Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1941, his appointment as diocesan Bishop of Southwark was announced — although the Archbishop of Canterbury regarded him as 'a little rough in manner but otherwise good; Simpson's translation to Southwark duly occurred early in 1942 and he was installed at

Southwark Cathedral Southwark Cathedral ( ) or The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie, Southwark, London, lies on the south bank of the River Thames close to London Bridge. It is the mother church of the Anglican Diocese of Southwar ...

on 24 January. In 1946, he was offered translation to the more prestigious see of Salisbury but he preferred to remain in the capital He retired in 1958. His reputation as a spellbinding preacher, apparently extempore but meticulously well-researched, was matched by his humility. He was noted for assisting with the washing-up after church functions and, in an address to a high-powered gathering of the British and Foreign Bible Society, he confessed that he did not read the Bible but 'a thriller for 10 minutes before I go to sleep' He died in 1971 aged 87.

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' (f ...

, Thursday, 4 December 1941; pg. 7; Issue 49100; col D ''Ecclesiastical News New Bishop of Southwark''

References

1883 births 1971 deaths Alumni of University College, Durham Bishops of Kensington Bishops of Southwark Honorary Chaplains to the Queen World War I chaplains Royal Army Chaplains' Department officers Presidents of the Durham Union 20th-century Church of England bishops {{churchofEngland-bishop-stub