Maurice Harland

The Right Reverend

Maurice Harland
The Right Reverend; Maurice Harland;
Bishop of Durham
Diocese	Diocese of Durham
In office	1956–1966 (retired)
Predecessor	Michael Ramsey
Successor	Ian Ramsey
Other post(s)	Bishop suffragan of Croydon (1942–1947); Archdeacon of Croydon (1946–1947); Bishop of Lincoln (11 July 1947 {confirmed}–7 July 1956 {translated})
Orders
Ordination	1922 (deacon) ; 1923 (priest)
Consecration	1942
Personal details
Born	17 April 1896; Malton, North Riding of Yorkshire
Died	29 September 1986 (aged 90); Chichester, West Sussex
Nationality	British
Denomination	Anglican
Spouse	Agnes Harland MBE (née Winckley)
Children	2
Profession	airman
Education	St Peter's School, York
Alma mater	Exeter College, Oxford; Leeds Clergy School

Maurice Henry Harland (17 April 1896 – 29 September 1986) was a 20th-century Anglican bishop, his most significant appointment being Bishop of Durham from 1956 to 1966.^[1] He was one of nine Diocesan bishops in England in the 1950s who had served as combatants in the Great War^[2]

Early life

Harland was born on 17 April 1896, the son of the Revd William George and Clara Elizabeth Harland and educated at St Peter's School, York.^[3] He went straight from school in 1914 as a volunteer to the West Yorkshire Regiment soon after the First World War broke out. He joined the Royal Field Artillery as a lieutenant in France in 1915, and transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in 1917.^[4] He was a Flying Officer Observer from June 1917, then a Flying Officer and from April 1918 a Lieutenant. He was on anti-submarine patrol duties in August 1918, and was with No. 212 Squadron RAF when he was demobilised in 1919.^[5]

Marries and begins ministry

On demobilisation he went to Exeter College, Oxford,^[a] graduating BA in 1922, MA 1927.^[b] After a period of study at Leeds Clergy School he became a curate at St Peter's Leicester, during which time he married Agnes Winckley.^[c] They had two daughters.

Career progresses

After five years he was appointed successively priest in charge of St Anne's Conventional District,^[6] Perpetual Curate^[d] of St Matthew's Holbeck, Leeds, Vicar of St Mary's, Windermere and Rural Dean of Ambleside. Harland's reputation in Windermere was considerable and, with the support of the influential Bishop of Carlisle,^[8] he was considered for the Diocesan bishopric of Blackburn before his appointment as suffragan Bishop of Croydon^[9] In 1946, Archbishop Fisher named him as his second choice for the vacancy at Bristol but George Cockin (Fisher's third choice) was appointed^[10] In 1947, Fisher pressed the case for Harland to go to Lincoln whose recent bishops had proved fragile in health. Harland, noted Fisher, was physically strong although not a scholar in the Lincoln tradition. Harland, therefore, was surprised to be offered the post.

'I have seen the Archbishop today and he has been so kind as to make it clear that I must accept your proposal to submit my name to the King for the Bishopric of Lincoln', he wrote to the Prime Minister.^[11]

He was even more surprised to be offered Durham in 1956 since traditionally the post had been filled by a scholar who could comfortably blend with the University. The post had been offered to Kenneth Warner DSO, bishop of Edinburgh and, like Harland, a Great War combatant but Warner refused it. Harland wrote again that he had been pressed to accept the post by Archbishop Fisher.^[12] Harland made no secret of his limitations in a letter to the diocese.

'The announcement of my prospective translation comes as a quite staggering surprise to my wife and me. It fills me with trepidation.' He noted that Durham had a long history of bishops famous 'for saintliness, scholarship and learning. I am afraid I am quite outside that tradition'^[13]

Harland suffered a curious habit of easily forgetting names which did not endear him to his clergy. But he excelled at being a 'layman's bishop'.^[14] Administratively and managerially competent, and admired for his pastoral work, he was a contrast to his successor, the dynamic, charismatic academic but rather disorderly Ian Ramsey.^[15]

He was alone amongst the episcopate in opposing the abolition of the death penalty for murder in debate in the House of Lords. This was his conclusion having spent many last nights with condemned men while at Lincoln.

Retirement

Harland resigned his see in 1966 and retired to West Wittering, living another 20 years before dying on 29 September 1986.

Notes

^ Made Honorary Fellow in 1950
^ Unlike other universities this is essentially the same degree, a period of time and a small payment securing the higher degree
^ She was awarded the MBE in 1967
^ When a new parish was created from a larger rectoral or vicarious parish, the incumbent, or parish priest was styled a “perpetual curate".^[7]

References

^ The Times, Thursday, 19 July 1956; p. 6; Issue 53587; col A Introduced as Bishop of Durham
^ 'What did you do in the Great War, Bishop?' by Tom Scherb in Stand To!, number 99, Western Front Association.
^ "Harland, Rt. Rev Maurice Henry". Who's Who & Who Was Who. Vol. 1920–2014 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 17 September 2014. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^ The Times obituary, 1 October 1986. The Times Digital Archive. Accessed 23 July 2012.
^ TNA AIR76/210/5
^ Leicester Churches
^ Faith, History and Practice of the Church of England, Eaton, W.A. (London, Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, 1954 rpnt 1972 p. 37, ISBN 0-340-00718-4
^ TNA PREM5/262. According to a file note, Bishop Williams was regularly consulted by Churchill on church business and PMs were the key figures in episcopal appointments at that time.
^ Lambeth Palace Library. W. Temple 17
^ Lambeth Palace Library. Fisher 13
^ TNA PREM5/259
^ TNA PREM5/473
^ University of Durham Library. DDR/DA/PUB/6/16. The Bishoprick, April, 1956
^ 'Memories' you CHG Hopkins, D Brown and Sons, p89
^ 'The Improbable Bishop' by John S Peart- Binns, Memoir Club, 2010

Church of England titles
Preceded by William Anderson	Bishop of Croydon 1942–1947	Succeeded by Cuthbert Bardsley
Preceded by Leslie Owen	Bishop of Lincoln 1947–1956	Succeeded by Kenneth Riches
Preceded by Michael Ramsey	Bishop of Durham 1956–1966	Succeeded by Ian Ramsey

[6] Made Honorary Fellow in 1950

[7] Unlike other universities this is essentially the same degree, a period of time and a small payment securing the higher degree

[8] She was awarded the MBE in 1967

[11] When a new parish was created from a larger rectoral or vicarious parish, the incumbent, or parish priest was styled a “perpetual curate".^[7]

[1] The Times, Thursday, 19 July 1956; p. 6; Issue 53587; col A Introduced as Bishop of Durham

[2] 'What did you do in the Great War, Bishop?' by Tom Scherb in Stand To!, number 99, Western Front Association.

[ww-3] "Harland, Rt. Rev Maurice Henry". Who's Who & Who Was Who. Vol. 1920–2014 (April 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 17 September 2014. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[4] The Times obituary, 1 October 1986. The Times Digital Archive. Accessed 23 July 2012.

[5] TNA AIR76/210/5

[9] Leicester Churches

[10] Faith, History and Practice of the Church of England, Eaton, W.A. (London, Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, 1954 rpnt 1972 p. 37, ISBN 0-340-00718-4

[12] TNA PREM5/262. According to a file note, Bishop Williams was regularly consulted by Churchill on church business and PMs were the key figures in episcopal appointments at that time.

[13] Lambeth Palace Library. W. Temple 17

[14] Lambeth Palace Library. Fisher 13

[15] TNA PREM5/259

[16] TNA PREM5/473

[17] University of Durham Library. DDR/DA/PUB/6/16. The Bishoprick, April, 1956

[18] 'Memories' you CHG Hopkins, D Brown and Sons, p89

[19] 'The Improbable Bishop' by John S Peart- Binns, Memoir Club, 2010

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v t e Bishops of Croydon
Canterbury suffragans	Henry Pereira Edward Woods William Anderson Maurice Harland Cuthbert Bardsley John Hughes Stuart Snell (continued in Southwark)
Southwark suffragans	Stuart Snell Wilfred Wood (became first area bishop)
Southwark area bishops	Wilfred Wood Nick Baines Jonathan Clark Rosemarie Mallett

v t e Bishops of Lincoln
Leicester	Cuthwine Wilfrid Headda Aldwine Torhthelm Eadbeorht Unwona Wernbeorht Hræthhun Ealdred Ceobred see removed to Dorchester
Dorchester	Harlardus Wigmund Coenwulf Wynsige Æthelwold Oscytel united see: Leofwine Alnothus Æscwig Ælfhelm Eadnoth (I) Æthelric Eadnoth (II) Ulfus Normanus Wulfwig Remigius de Fécamp
High Medieval	Remigius de Fécamp Robert Bloet Alexander Robert de Chesney Geoffrey Plantagenet Walter de Coutances Hugh of Avalon William de Blois Hugh of Wells Robert Grosseteste Henry of Lexington Richard of Gravesend Oliver Sutton
Late Medieval	John Dalderby Anthony Bek Henry Burghersh Thomas Bek John Gynwell John Bokyngham Henry Beaufort Philip Repyngdon Richard Fleming William Grey William Alnwick Marmaduke Lumley John Chadworth Thomas Rotherham John Russell
Early modern	William Smyth Thomas Wolsey William Atwater John Longland Henry Holbeach John Taylor John White Thomas Watson Nicholas Bullingham Thomas Cooper William Wickham William Chaderton William Barlow Richard Neile George Montaigne John Williams Thomas Winniffe Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) Robert Sanderson Benjamin Lany William Fuller Thomas Barlow Thomas Tenison James Gardiner William Wake Edmund Gibson Richard Reynolds John Thomas John Green Thomas Thurlow
Late modern	George Pretyman (later Pretyman Tomline) George Pelham John Kaye John Jackson Christopher Wordsworth Edward King Edward Hicks William Swayne Nugent Hicks Aylmer Skelton Leslie Owen Maurice Harland Kenneth Riches Simon Phipps Bob Hardy John Saxbee Christopher Lowson Stephen Conway, Bishop of Ely (acting) David Court (acting) Stephen Conway

v t e Bishops of Durham
Bishops of Lindisfarne	Aidan Finan Colmán Tuda United to York Eata Cuthbert Eadberht Eadfrith Æthelwold Cynewulf Higbald Egbert Heathwred Ecgred Eanbert Eardulf
Bishops of Chester-le-Street	Eardulf Cutheard Tilred Wigred Uhtred Sexhelm Ealdred Ælfsige Aldhun
High Medieval Bishops of Durham	Aldhun Edmund Eadred Æthelric Æthelwine
High Medieval Bishops rulers of the County Palatine of Durham	Walcher William de St-Calais Ranulf Flambard Geoffrey Rufus William Cumin William of St. Barbara Hugh de Puiset Philip of Poitou Richard Poore John de Gray Morgan Richard Marsh William Scot Richard Poore Thomas de Melsonby Nicholas Farnham Walter of Kirkham Robert Stitchill Robert of Holy Island Antony Bek
Late Medieval Bishops rulers of the County Palatine of Durham	Richard Kellaw Lewis de Beaumont Richard de Bury Thomas Hatfield John Fordham Walter Skirlaw Thomas Langley Robert Neville Lawrence Booth William Dudley John Sherwood Richard Foxe
Early modern Bishops rulers of the County Palatine of Durham	William Senhouse Christopher Bainbridge Thomas Ruthall Thomas Wolsey Cuthbert Tunstall James Pilkington Richard Barnes Matthew Hutton Tobias Matthew William James Richard Neile George Montaigne John Howson Thomas Morton Episcopacy abolished (Commonwealth) John Cosin Nathaniel Crew William Talbot Edward Chandler Joseph Butler Richard Trevor John Egerton Thomas Thurlow Shute Barrington William Van Mildert
Late modern Bishops	Edward Maltby Charles Longley Henry Montagu Villiers Charles Baring J. B. Lightfoot Brooke Foss Westcott Handley Moule Hensley Henson Alwyn Williams Michael Ramsey Maurice Harland Ian Ramsey John Habgood David Jenkins Michael Turnbull N. T. Wright Justin Welby Paul Butler