About Norman Lesser
Lived 1902 – 1985 (aged 82). Norman Lesser was a New Zealand anglican priest.
Norman Alfred Lesser (16 March 1902 – 13 February 1985) was an Anglican bishop and Archbishop of New Zealand from 1961 to 1971. He was the Bishop of Waiapu from 1947 to 1971.
Education and early ministry
Born in England in 1902, Lesser was educated at the Liverpool Collegiate Institution and Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. He then held similar posts at Holy Trinity, Formby and Liverpool Cathedral. In 1931 he became Vicar of St John, Barrow-in-Furness. From 1931 to 1939 he was Rector and Sub-Dean of Nairobi Cathedral and from then until his elevation to the Waiapu See its Provost.
Episcopal ministry Lesser succeeded Archbishop Reginald Herbert Owen as Primate of the Anglican Church of New Zealand on his death in 1961. Norman Lesser Drive in Auckland is named after him.
In the 1971 Queen's Birthday Honours, Lesser was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, for services as Primate and Archbishop of New Zealand.
Lesser died in Napier on 13 February 1985.
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Important facts
People in Norman Lesser's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
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Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Norman Lesser's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Norman Lesser?
New Zealand bishop (1902–1985)
When was Norman Lesser born?
Norman Lesser was born on 16 March 1902.
When did Norman Lesser die?
Norman Lesser died on 13 February 1985.
What was Norman Lesser's occupation?
Norman Lesser was an anglican priest.
What nationality was Norman Lesser?
Norman Lesser was New Zealand.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Norman Lesser. https://biography.guide/norman-lesser/
MLA: "Norman Lesser." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/norman-lesser/.
Chicago: "Norman Lesser." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/norman-lesser/.
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