George Walpole

George Henry Somerset Walpole (9 November 1854 – 4 March 1929), known as Somerset Walpole was an Anglican priest, bishop, teacher and author. After early service in the west of England he moved first to Auckland, New Zealand, and then to New York, before returning to England. After educational work in Durham and pastoral work in London he was elected Bishop of Edinburgh in 1910, and held the post until his death.

A moderate High Churchman, Walpole was well disposed to and trusted by co-religionists of different views. He published more than twenty books on theology and practical religious matters. The eldest of his three children was the novelist Hugh Walpole.

Life and career Walpole was born in Balderton, Nottinghamshire, the son of the Rev. Robert Seymour Walpole (1820–1910), vicar of St Giles's, Balderton, and Elizabeth, daughter of Reverend Frederick Apthorp, rector of Gumley, Leicestershire. Rev. Robert Seymour Walpole was a son of the classical scholar Robert Walpole, grandson of diplomat Robert Walpole, and great-grandson of Horatio Walpole, 1st Baron Walpole.

Walpole's father had been an army officer before taking holy orders, and he envisaged a military career for his son; Walpole was from an early age drawn to the church. He was educated at King's Lynn Grammar School, As soon as he left Cambridge he was invited by Bishop Benson to become a tutor at the Scholae Cancellarii, Truro. Benson subsequently ordained Walpole as deacon and then priest. and was successively Priest-Vicar and Succentor of the cathedral.

In 1882 Walpole married Mildred Helen (1854–1925), daughter of Charles Foster Barham. They had two sons, the elder of whom was the author Hugh Walpole, and a daughter. Walpole served in Truro until 1882, when he was offered the incumbency of St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Auckland, New Zealand. He held the post concurrently with that of warden of St John's theological college, Auckland. London, and was appointed an honorary canon of Southwark Cathedral by Bishop Talbot in 1906. Neither of the two candidates, Provost Skinner Wilson and Canon J G Simpson, could secure a majority, and Wilson withdrew in Walpole's favour. All 34 lay electors and 47 of the 52 clerical electors voted for Walpole;

Among his achievements as bishop was the completion of St Mary's Cathedral by the construction of two new towers. His funeral was at the cathedral; he was buried in the country churchyard of Dalmahoy, East Lothian, alongside his wife who was buried there in 1925.

Publications The Divine Example, 1896 Joshua, Judges, Ruth (Rivington's Handbooks), 1900–1901 Vital Religion – or The Personal Knowledge of Christ, 1902 The People's Psalter, 1903 Communion and Offering, 1904 The Mission of the Holy Ghost, 1905 Personality and Power, 1906 Church and Empire, 1907 (co-editor with the Rev J Ellison) The Kingdom of Heaven: the Paddock Lectures for 1909. Gains and Losses, 1911 Prayer and Communion, 1912 Life's Chance, 1912 The Shrine and the Presence, 1913 The Holy Trinity, 1914 The Gospel of Hope, 1914 This Time and its Interpretation, 1915 Witness, 1916 Life in the World to come, 1917 The Sealed Book, 1918 A Vision of Judgments, 1919 Prophets and Priests – or Facing the Facts The Greatest Service in the World, 1924 The Devotional study of the Bible, 1925 The Undiscovered Country and the Way To It, 1925 Waiting, 1926 The Great Reality, 1928 Triumphant love – Studies in the Epistles and Gospels for Holy Week and Easter, 1929