Herbert Mather (8 October 1840[1] – 30 July 1922)[2] was an Anglican bishop in the last decades of the 19th century and the first part of the 20th.[3][4]
Mather was born in Lancaster, Lancashire on 8 October 1840, the sixth son of a John Philips (or Phillips) Mather (born 1813), of Bootle Hall (near Liverpool); John's other sons included John H. (1839), Frederic V. (1843) and Frank A. (1864). Herbert was educated at St Andrew's University and Trinity College, Cambridge: he was admitted pensioner on 15 May 1860 and matriculated that Michaelmas; graduated Bachelor of Arts (BA) 1864 and proceeded Master of Arts (Cambridge) (MA Cantab) 1867.[1][5] He was then ordained into the ministry of the Church of England: he was made deacon on 17 March 1867, by Connop Thirlwall, Bishop of St Davids, at Abergwili parish church.[6] He began his ordained ministry as vice-principal (1865—67) and then the principal (1867–68) of Carmarthen Training College;[2][7] he then became Curate of Newland, Gloucestershire until 1870.[4][1]
In 1870, he became both chaplain to Edward Feild, Bishop of Newfoundland; and incumbent of the cathedral. He moved to Nova Scotia two years later, serving there as Chaplain to Hibbert Binney, Bishop of Nova Scotia, til 1873.[4] He made his first return to England in 1874,[2] becoming the rector of All Saints' Church, Huntingdon (1874–77), then Vicar of Loddington, Leicestershire and Chaplain of Launde Abbey[1] (1877–93) and rural dean of Gartree (1886–89).[8][4] From 1891 to 1897 he was Provost of St Andrew's Cathedral, Inverness[9] when he was appointed to the episcopate[10] as the fourth Bishop of Antigua.[11] He was consecrated into bishop's orders on 18 July 1897 at Lambeth Palace Chapel, by Frederick Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury.[12]
Returning to England again in 1904, he was an Assistant Bishop of Hereford (assisting John Percival) from 1905 until his retirement in 1912.[4] While at Hereford, he was also Rector of Hampton Bishop (1908–12) and Chancellor of Hereford Cathedral (1906–16);[4] at the age of 75, he retired to Beckenham.[2] He was in charge of the vacant Diocese of Accra, 1912–1913. He married in 1872[4] and had sons including Basil (1895) and at least one other; and became a Doctor of Divinity (DD) in 1897.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e "Mather, Herbert (MTR860H)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
- ^ a b c d "in memoriam: Bishop Mather". Church Times. No. 3106. 4 August 1922. p. 111. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 29 January 2025 – via UK Press Online archives.
- ^ Bishop Mather, The Times, London, 1 August 1922; pg. 11; Issue 43098; col D
- ^ a b c d e f g "Mather, Herbert". Who's Who. A & C Black. 2007. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U200042. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
- ^ Ordinations, The Times, London, 21 March 1867; pg. 12; Issue 25764; col A
- ^ "Ordinations on Sunday last". Church Times. No. 216. 23 March 1867. p. 106. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 31 January 2025 – via UK Press Online archives.
- ^ Malden Richard (ed) (1920). Crockford's Clerical Directory for 1920 (51st edn). London: The Field Press. p. 1006.
- ^ The Times, London, 11 March 1886; pg. 5; Issue 31704; col E Ecclesiastical Appointments
- ^ "Scottish Episcopal Clergy, 1689-2000", Bertie, D.M: Edinburgh, T & T Clark, ISBN 0-567-08746-8
- ^ The Times, London, 19 July 1897; p7; Issue 35259; col C, Ecclesiastical Intelligence
- ^ "The Clergy List, Clerical Guide and Ecclesiastical Directory" London, John Phillips, 1900
- ^ "Consecration of the Bishop of Antigua". Church Times. No. 1800. 23 July 1897. p. 90. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 3 February 2025 – via UK Press Online archives.
