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Robert Machray

1831 – 1904

Canadian bishop

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About Robert Machray

Lived 1831 – 1904 (aged 72). Robert Machray was an anglican priest and bishop.

Robert Machray (17 May 1831 – 9 March 1904) was an Anglican bishop and missionary and the first Primate of the Church of England in Canada (now called the Anglican Church of Canada).

Life He was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. He was the son of Robert Machray, and wife Christian Macallum.

Machray was educated at King's College, University of Aberdeen and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, where he studied mathematics, philosophy and theology.

He was ordained in the Church of England in 1855 and served parishes in that country, as well as serving as dean of his alma mater at Cambridge. In 1865, he became Bishop of Rupert's Land (in Canada), becoming archbishop of the province when his diocese was split in 1875. At the first General Synod of Canadian Anglicans in 1893 he was unanimously elected as the first Primate of All Canada, serving in the position until his death. In 1893, he was appointed a Prelate of the Order of St Michael and St George. On 9 March 1904, he died unmarried at Winnipeg.

He is honoured in the Calendar of Saints of the Anglican Church of Canada with a feast day on 10 March.

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Important facts

Birth century
Education
University of Aberdeen, Sidney Sussex College

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Robert Machray's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Robert Machray?

Canadian bishop (1831-1904)

When was Robert Machray born?

Robert Machray was born on 17 May 1831 in Scotland.

When did Robert Machray die?

Robert Machray died on 9 March 1904 in Winnipeg.

What was Robert Machray's occupation?

Robert Machray was an anglican priest and bishop.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Robert Machray

· Wikidata: Q7347251

· DBpedia: Robert Machray (bishop)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Robert Machray. https://biography.guide/robert-machray/

MLA: "Robert Machray." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/robert-machray/.

Chicago: "Robert Machray." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/robert-machray/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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