The Rt Rev William Hart Coleridge (27 June 1789 – 20 December 1849) was the first

Bishop of Barbados The Diocese of Barbados is one of eight dioceses of the Anglican Communion that is part of the Province of the West Indies. History The diocese was established in 1824 as one of a pair, the other being the Diocese of Jamaica, which covered the ...

from 1824 until 1842.

Life

He was born on 27 June 1789. He was the only son of Luke Herman Coleridge of Thorverton, Devonshire, and his wife, Sarah, the third daughter of Richard Hart of Exeter. His father (a brother of

Samuel Taylor Coleridge Samuel Taylor Coleridge (; 21 October 177225 July 1834) was an English poet, literary critic, philosopher, and theologian who, with his friend William Wordsworth, was a founder of the Romantic Movement in England and a member of the Lake ...

) died during his infancy, and he was educated by his uncle, the Rev. George Coleridge, master of the grammar school of Ottery St. Mary. He entered as a commoner of Christ Church, Oxford, under Cyril Jackson, and was noticed for his 'earnest application and sweetness of manners.' He graduated

B.A. Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four yea ...

21 November 1811,

M.A. A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...

1 June 1814, B.C. 17 June 1824,

D.D. A Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DDiv; la, Doctor Divinitatis) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity. In the United Kingdom, it is considered an advanced doctoral degree. At the University of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ra ...

18 June 1824. Soon after leaving the university he became one of the curates of St. Andrew's, Holborn, and afterwards secretary to the

Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK) is a UK-based Christian charity. Founded in 1698 by Thomas Bray, it has worked for over 300 years to increase awareness of the Christian faith in the UK and across the world. The SPCK is t ...

; he was also preacher at the National Society's chapel in Ely Place.

Bishop of Barbados

In 1824, he was consecrated

bishop of Barbados The Diocese of Barbados is one of eight dioceses of the Anglican Communion that is part of the Province of the West Indies. History The diocese was established in 1824 as one of a pair, the other being the Diocese of Jamaica, which covered the ...

. During his enrollment on 29 January 1829 the streets of

Bridgetown Bridgetown (UN/LOCODE: BB BGI) is the capital and largest city of Barbados. Formerly The Town of Saint Michael, the Greater Bridgetown area is located within the parish of Saint Michael. Bridgetown is sometimes locally referred to as "The Ci ...

, Barbados, from

Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square ( ) is a public square in the City of Westminster, Central London, laid out in the early 19th century around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. At its centre is a high column bearing a statue of Admiral Nelson comm ...

to St. Michael’s Cathedral were lined with the four companies of the Royal Militia presided over by Major George Walrond (co-heir to the Barony of Welles). He found the diocese in an unsatisfactory condition. The number of clergymen and churches was insufficient, and there were few daily schools and Sunday schools. In his first charge (delivered in 1830) the bishop noted an improvement, especially in the condition of the black population, who had now almost entirely abandoned such customs as the howlings over the dead and the offering of food at graves. In a charge delivered in July 1838, just before the legal emancipation of the slaves in the West Indian colonies, he states that the black residents 'flock to the churches and chapels,' and are 'civil in their behaviour' and 'decent in their appearance.' At this time the number of communicants was unusually large. There were 99 clergy in the diocese, 42 school-houses, and 53 parish churches. Seven of the churches had now been rebuilt after their destruction in the hurricane which devastated Barbados on 11 August 1831. In 1842, after about sixteen years' zealous labour, Coleridge was compelled to resign his see through the failure of his health. The large diocese was then divided, the three archdeaconries of Barbados, Antigua, and Guiana being erected into separate sees.

Later work

On the establishment of St. Augustine's Missionary College at

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...

, Coleridge was induced to become the first warden, and held the office till his death, which took place very suddenly, 21 December 1849, at his seat of Salston, Ottery St. Mary."Death Of The Right Rev. Bishop Coleridge", ''

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, Dec 27, 1849; pg. 4; Issue 20370; col D Coleridge was a member of the

Canterbury Association The Canterbury Association was formed in 1848 in England by members of parliament, peers, and Anglican church leaders, to establish a colony in New Zealand. The settlement was to be called Canterbury, with its capital to be known as Christchurch ...

from 27 March 1848 until his death.

Family

He married, in 1825, the eldest daughter of Dr.

Thomas Rennell Thomas Rennell (8 February 1754–31 March 1840) was an English churchman, dean of Winchester Cathedral and Master of the Temple. Life He was born on 8 February 1754 at Barnack in Northamptonshire, where his father, Thomas Rennell (1720–17 ...

, dean of Winchester and master of the Temple. She was a granddaughter of Sir

William Blackstone Sir William Blackstone (10 July 1723 – 14 February 1780) was an English jurist, judge and Tory politician of the eighteenth century. He is most noted for writing the ''Commentaries on the Laws of England''. Born into a middle-class family ...

, the judge. He had by her a son and a daughter who survived him.

Works

Among Coleridge's published writings are : * 'An Address delivered to the Candidates for Holy Orders in the Diocese of Barbados,' &c., London, 1829, 12mo. * 'An Address to Young Persons after Confirmation,' London, 1829, 12mo. * ' Charges and Addresses delivered to the Clergy of the Diocese of Barbados and the Leeward Islands ; together with Prayers on certain public occasions and Addresses to Candidates for Holy Orders, &c. (with an Appendix containing tabular statements, &c., relating to the state of the Diocese of Barbados, &c.),' London, 1835, 8vo. * 'A Charge delivered to the Clergy ... in British Guiana,' &c., Demerara, 1836, 8vo. * 'A Charge delivered 25 July 1838,' London, 1838, 8vo. 6. Various sermons, &c., published separately.

References