30 Facts About Stuart Blanch

Stuart Blanch was ordained as a priest in 1949, and spent three years as a curate and five years as a vicar in and around Oxford where he had studied for the priesthood.

Stuart Blanch was vice principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford from 1957 to 1960, the founding head of Rochester Theological College from 1960 to 1966, Bishop of Liverpool from 1966 to 1975, and Archbishop of York from 1975 to 1983.

Stuart Blanch was well known as a lecturer and published ten books, most of them scholarly and theological.

Stuart Blanch was born at Viney Hill Farm, Blakeney, Gloucestershire in the Forest of Dean, the youngest of three sons of a farmer, William Edwin Stuart Blanch, and his wife, Elizabeth, nee Yarworth.

William Stuart Blanch was killed in a shooting accident in 1923 and his widow and youngest child moved to London, where the two older sons were already living.

Stuart Blanch attended Alleyn's School, Dulwich, winning a scholarship after the first year.

Stuart Blanch was on guard duty at Christmas at the RAF depot in Heaton Park, and for lack of anything else to read he read the New Testament thoroughly for the first time in his life, and his hitherto mild adherence to Christianity was turned into firm evangelical faith.

On demobilisation Stuart Blanch was accepted for ordination training at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford.

Stuart Blanch's ability impressed the principal, Canon J P Thornton-Duesbery, who arranged for him to be matriculated at St Catherine's Society.

Stuart Blanch obtained a first class degree in theology in 1948, and was ordained priest in 1949.

Stuart Blanch was a part-time lecturer during this period, and his lectures on the New Testament led to an invitation to return to Wycliffe Hall as tutor and vice-principal to F J Taylor, who had succeeded Thornton-Duesbery as principal.

Stuart Blanch persuaded Blanch to become the founding head of the college and Oriel canon of Rochester Cathedral.

Stuart Blanch was Warden of Rochester Theological College from 1960 to 1966.

Stuart Blanch delighted in arousing their enthusiasm for the scriptures and enlarging their vision of world-wide Christianity.

In 1966, the Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, invited Stuart Blanch to succeed Clifford Martin as Bishop of Liverpool.

On opening Wilson's letter Stuart Blanch is said to have taken it for a prank by Rochester students.

Stuart Blanch supervised the resulting reorganisation of parishes and construction of new churches.

Stuart Blanch established friendships and close working relationships with George Beck and Rex Kissack, respectively the Roman Catholic archbishop of Liverpool and the chairman of the Liverpool Methodist District.

Stuart Blanch's successor was the Archbishop of York, Donald Coggan, an evangelical.

The offer of the archbishopric to Stuart Blanch came as a surprise to him.

Stuart Blanch was enthroned as ninety-fourth archbishop of York on 25 February 1975.

Stuart Blanch was absent from his ecclesiastical work for only a month, but thereafter, according to The Times:.

Stuart Blanch got better, but for many of his friends the famous sparkle seemed to have gone and the zest had abated.

Stuart Blanch was not a great pronouncer on the issues of the day, nor was he an innovator in Church affairs.

Stuart Blanch resigned in 1983, and was the first retiring archbishop of York to be made a life peer immediately, being created Baron Blanch of Bishopthorpe in the County of North Yorkshire on 5 September 1983.

Stuart Blanch retired to Oxfordshire, living first in Bloxham and then in Shenington.

Stuart Blanch conducted services at Shenington parish church, and continued to lecture and write.

Stuart Blanch made four more lecture trips abroad after retiring from York, and wrote two more books.

Stuart Blanch died of cancer at a hospice in Banbury, Oxfordshire at the age of 76, and was buried in Shenington churchyard.

Stuart Blanch was survived by his wife, son, and three of the four daughters, the eldest predeceasing him.