Francis Chavasse

Francis James Chavasse (27 September 1846 – 11 March 1928) was an Anglican priest and bishop and father of Captain Noel Chavasse. After serving in parishes in Preston, London, and Oxford, for eleven years from 1889 he was principal of the evangelical theological college Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. In 1900 he was appointed as the second Bishop of Liverpool and held the see from 1900 to 1923, during which time he played a large part in the commissioning and the early phases of construction of Liverpool Cathedral.

A lifelong member of the evangelical wing of the Church of England, Chavasse strove to unite all strands of Anglicanism and was widely accepted by members of the high-church tradition within his diocese.

After retiring as Bishop of Liverpool in 1923, Chavasse returned to Oxford, where he was the guiding spirit of the establishment of a new academic institution admitting undergraduates of modest means. This opened in 1929, a year after his death, as St Peter's Hall, and was later given full collegiate status as St Peter's College.

Life and career

Early years Chavasse was born at Sutton Coldfield, to a family of Huguenot origin. He was the eldest son of the surgeon Thomas Chavasse and his second wife, Miriam Sarah née Wyld. His parents intended him to be educated at Chesterfield Grammar School, but he was an unhealthy child; complications after an attack of measles led to curvature of the spine, and he narrowly survived an attack of pneumonia. He was left physically stunted, standing at only five foot three inches tall. Instead of attending the grammar school he was educated privately. One of the few was the rector of St Aldate's, Canon A M W Christopher (1820–1913), who was a strong influence on Chavasse, encouraging his evangelical views. Chavasse did not shun the friendships of Anglicans of higher church views than his own, but he drew the line at Roman Catholicism. He took a first class degree in the school of Law and Modern History in 1869.

In 1870 Chavasse was ordained priest by James Fraser, Bishop of Manchester, and appointed to the curacy of St Paul's, Preston. This church was one of two in Oxford recognised as centres of the evangelical wing of the church, in a city generally dominated by high-church Anglicanism. it was primarily due to Chavasse's personal popularity and pastoral skills that Wycliffe Hall not only survived but flourished. At that time, the appointment of Anglican bishops was decided by the British prime minister, who in 1899 was Lord Salisbury. He caused some surprise by offering the bishopric of Liverpool to Chavasse; the diocese was predominantly evangelical, but other eminent clerics from that wing of the church, such as Handley Moule, were better known. He finally accepted the post, was formally appointed on 24 March 1900, and was consecrated bishop at York Minster on 25 April 1900. He was enthroned as Bishop of Liverpool on 31 May 1900. As a bishop designate, he received the degree Doctor of Divinity (DD) from the University of Oxford in March 1900.

Liverpool lacked a cathedral. The diocese, founded in 1880, had a "pro-cathedral" in the form of the parish church of St Peter's, Church Street. It was unsatisfactory, being too small for major church events, and, in the words of the rector of Liverpool, "ugly & hideous". In 1885 there had been a proposal to construct a purpose-built cathedral worthy of the city, but the chosen site turned out to be unsuitable. Ryle, believing that the considerable expense could be better used elsewhere, supported the project only half-heartedly and it was shelved.

From the outset of his bishopric, Chavasse was determined to revive the project. There was some opposition among those rigorously evangelical members of his diocesan clergy who had earlier agreed with Ryle that there was no need for an expensive new cathedral. Chavasse did not regard evangelism as incompatible with the building of a great church as "a visible witness to God in the midst of a great city". The proposal to build a cathedral was carried by acclamation. The young architect Giles Gilbert Scott was chosen to design the building. Work began in 1904, starting with the Lady Chapel, before building began on the huge main body of the cathedral.

In 1910 the Lady Chapel of the new cathedral was opened for regular service. The outbreak of the First World War caused grave setbacks for Chavasse. Work on the building slowed down drastically with the diversion of men and materials for the war effort, and Chavasse and his wife lost two of their four sons, killed in action in 1917.

St Peter's Hall On his return to Oxford in 1923, Chavasse was elected an honorary fellow of Corpus Christi.

Chavasse died in Oxford at the age of 81. He was buried in the precinct of Liverpool Cathedral, and a memorial to him was placed in the south choir aisle, behind the bishop's throne.

Family and the Great War The commitment to the Great War of Chavasse's family reflects his own strong support for the War illustrated by his writings in the monthly Diocesan Gazette. He did not mince his words. He was among the most articulate of bishops, and was clear that the War would be "more terrible in its character, and more far-reaching in its results than any war in modern times." Nevertheless, he used his influence to call his diocese to action. "Our duty is clear. As citizens of a great Empire we are to seek to help our country by every means in our power. The young and the strong can be ready to shoulder the rifle or to draw the sword in defence of our Fatherland, and for the cause of liberty, and peace, and righteousness ...". He called on his clergy to organise meetings to explain the causes of the War. "We are fighting on the side of God for a cause which He has at heart." "The English clergy and laity must make supreme efforts not only to deepen the spirit of patriotism amongst our people and to encourage recruiting but to witness and work for Christ". Despite losing family, friends and colleagues during the War, Chavasse continued to preach and to be active in support of the War. He was proud of the sacrifice made not just by his family but also by his clergy who had become chaplains, had joined the Church Army and YMCA and were helping in schools, in agriculture and, in one case, chemical research.

All four of Chavasse's sons served with distinction in the First World War. The eldest, Christopher Chavasse, won the Military Cross and the Croix de Guerre. He later became rector of St Aldate's, Oxford and subsequently Bishop of Rochester. His twin brother, Noel, a surgeon, who won the Military Cross and the only double Victoria Cross awarded throughout the war, was killed in action in 1917. The third son, Francis Bernard, won the Military Cross and later became a leading ophthalmic surgeon. The youngest, Aidan, was killed in action in 1917. Chavasse's wife died in 1927. In 1986, the Chavasses' twin daughters May and Marjorie entered the British record books, celebrating their 100th birthdays. May Chavasse died before her 101st birthday but Marjorie lived to the age of 103.