Clive Handford

George Clive Handford (born 17 April 1937) is an English Anglican bishop. He was the fourth Anglican Bishop in Cyprus and the Gulf.

Early life

Handford was born on 17 April 1937. He studied at Hatfield College, Durham University, graduating with a 2:1 degree in Modern Arabic Studies. He then underwent ministerial formation at Queen's College, Edgbaston.

Ordained ministry Handford was made a deacon at Michaelmas in 1963 (22 September), by Morris Gelsthorpe, Assistant Bishop of Southwell, and ordained a priest at the Trinity Sunday following (24 May 1964), by Gordon Savage, Bishop of Southwell, both times at Southwell Minster. He then began his ministry as an assistant curate at St Peter and St Paul's Church, Mansfield in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham between 1963 and 1967.

In 1967, Handford started what was to be a long association with the Middle East. He was a chaplain in Baghdad, Iraq, in 1967, followed by six years as a chaplain in Beirut, Lebanon. He then served as Dean of St. George's Cathedral, Jerusalem from 1974 to 1978.

Returning to England, he became Vicar of Kneesall, Archdeacon of Nottingham. He was then translated to the Mediterranean Anglican Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf where he served the Anglican Community until retirement in 2007. During much of that time, he served as Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East.

In retirement, he still maintains his links with the church and serves as an honorary assistant bishop in the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds.