Frederick Molyneux

Frederick Merivale Molyneux (called Merivale; 10 May 188520 November 1948) was a British Anglican bishop who served as Bishop of Melanesia.

Family and education Born at Bransgore, and Frederick Molyneux (a priest) and grandson of lawyer Echlin Molyneux; he was younger brother to Ernest, also a priest, who served as his commissary in Britain (1928–1932). Merivale was educated at Rossall School, and Keble College, Oxford and ordained priest at Lent 1911 (12 March) — both times by William Boyd Carpenter, Bishop of Ripon, at Ripon Cathedral. His title (curacy) was of All Souls' Leeds, until 1913, when he returned to Cuddesdon as college Chaplain. During this time (the Great War), he was also a Chaplain to the Forces (CF) in Mesopotamia (1916–19): for which he was mentioned in despatches, and an honorary chaplain to the forces (Hon CF) in 1919. He had been in Mesopotamia for 3 years other than for 6 months leave in 1918 spent in Ceylon. He had spent much of his commission working in hospitals. He served as Vicar of High Wycombe from 1920. the New Zealand bishops elected Molyneux on 16 August, and he was enthroned at St Luke's Cathedral, Siota on 13 November. His assistant bishop Edward Wilton having resigned 1 July 1929, Molyneux he wrote to the Mission committee on 8 October 1930 to ask for a new assistant bishop;

Return to Britain In the midst of allegations of "improper conduct with young men" and "concerns about erotic involvements with men", he experienced a "complete nervous breakdown", resigned his See in November 1931, and left the Solomon Islands. He arrived back in Britain in January 1932, where he retired to Hampshire — initially with his father at Martyr Worthy rectory. Cyril Garbett, Bishop of Winchester, declined to license the younger Molyneux to any ministry; he became a farmer. He died at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Boscombe and was buried at Bransgore.