William Bennett Bond

William Bennett Bond (10 September 1815 – 9 October 1906) was a Canadian priest, archbishop, and the 2nd primate of the Anglican Church of Canada.

Early life Bond was born on September 10, 1815, at Truro, England, to John Bond and Nanny Bennett. William was educated at Calday Grange Grammar School and later somewhere in London. At age 17, Bond left England to work in business at St. John's, Newfoundland. There, he met Mark Willoughby, a superintendent of the Newfoundland School Society, and joined his bible class. Under the direction of the Reverend Thomas Finch Hobday Bridge, Bond began to read for ordination. In 1839, Bond moved to Lower Canada, and the next year was ordained deacon by the Bishop of Quebec, George Jehoshaphat Mountain. His first post as deacon was as a mission to the Quebec countryside, purportedly founding eleven schools in the township of Hemmingford. In 1841, Bond was ordained priest in Montreal. In 1842, Bond was appointed incumbent of a church in Lachine, and held at least four services a week, three on a Sunday.

Montreal In 1848, Bond travelled to Montreal, where he served as assistant minister at St. George's. The same year, he replaced Willoughby as a superintendent of the Newfoundland School Society. Bond quickly rose in prominence within the Anglican church, becoming rector of his church in 1863 and rural dean of Hochelaga the same year. In 1866, he became canon of Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal, and four years later the domestic chaplain to Ashton Oxenden, the Bishop of Montreal and Archdeacon of Hochelaga. In 1872 he was appointed Dean of Montreal, a position he held until his consecration as bishop.

Later years By 1900, Bond's health was clearly declining, and in 1902, his coadjutor James Carmichael had to take over many of his duties.