Thomas Nettleship Staley

Thomas Nettleship Staley (17 January 1823 – 1 November 1898) was a British bishop of the Church of England and the first Anglican bishop of the Church of Hawaii (called at the time Bishop of Honolulu).

Life Thomas Nettleship Staley was born 17 January 1823 in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England. His father was the Wesleyan minister William Staley. Staley entered Queens' College, Cambridge in 1840, earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1844, and became a Fellow in 1847 after earning his Master of Arts degree. He was tutor at St Mark's College, Chelsea, from 1844 to 1848 and headmaster of St Mark's Practising School from 1848 to 1850 (whilst still lecturing in mathematics at St Mark's College) and then principal of the Collegiate School, Wandsworth, from 1850 to 1861. he denied ever giving political advice, or being behind any plots leading to British colonization of the islands. In December 1863 he held the memorial service for Kamehameha IV and later dedicated the Royal Mausoleum where the royal family was reburied. The next King Kamehameha V continued his support and the cornerstone for the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew was laid in a ceremony in March 1867. On 13 June 1865, his young daughter was baptised at a temporary cathedral in Honolulu.

Staley began two church-operated Saint Andrew's Priory School for Girls and ʻIolani School in Honolulu (originally named for Saint Alban). Staley was appointed Chaplain of Hawaii's Royal Order of Kamehameha I.

He corresponded with Charles Darwin regarding the decline in population of the native Hawaiians.

Staley was frustrated with the political struggle and suggested he would like to resign. He hoped to be replaced by an American Episcopal bishop, but none could be found. He reluctantly retired in 1870 and was replaced by Alfred Willis; he was reported on 25 February to have already tendered his resignation. He resided in Croxall and died on 1 November 1898 at Bournemouth.

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