Leonard Beecher
Anglican archbishop (1906–1987)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Leonard James Beecher CMG, ARCS, FRAI (21 May 1906 – 16 December 1987) was an English-born Anglican archbishop.[1] He was the first archbishop of the Province of East Africa, comprising Kenya and Tanzania, from 1960 to 1970.
Leonard Beecher | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Archbishop of East Africa, Bishop of Nairobi | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Beecher being blessed by Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury, after having been installed the first Archbishop of East Africa in 1960, at St Alban's Church, Dar es Salaam | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Church | Church of the Province of East Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elected | 7 April 1960 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Installed | 3 August 1960 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | 3 August 1970 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Reginald Crabbe, as Bishop of Mombasa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Successor | Festo Olang', as Archbishop of Kenya John Sepeku, as Archbishop of Tanzania | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Previous posts | Mombasa (asst.); IV Mombasa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 21 May 1906 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 16 December 1987 (aged 81) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse |
Gladys Sybil Bazett Leakey
(m. 1930; died 1982) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | Imperial College, University of London (BSc, MA) London Day Training College, University of London (Teacher's Certificate) Lambeth Degree (DD) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ordination history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Education and training
He was educated at St. Olave's Grammar School and Imperial College London, ordained deacon in 1929 and priest in 1931.[2][3][4] He became an Associate of the Royal College of Science (ARCS) in 1926 and made a Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute (FRAI) in 1928.
Missionary in Africa
He was a missionary of the Church Mission Society in the Diocese of Mombasa from 1930, working in the Highlands.[5] He was appointed Archdeacon of Mombasa and a Canon (both 1945–1953)[6] and an Assistant Bishop of Mombasa:[7] he was consecrated a bishop on St James's Day 1950 (25 July) by Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury, at St Paul's Cathedral.[8] He became diocesan Bishop of Mombasa in 1953[9] and — additionally — Archbishop of the Province of East Africa, from 1960 to 1970:[10] he was elected (by the House of Bishops of the province-to-be)[11] to serve as the first archbishop in April 1960[12] and installed by Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury, at the new province's inauguration service on 3 August 1960 at Dar-es-Salaam.[13]
Later life
A prominent member of the Royal African Society,[14] he retired in 1970 and died on 16 December 1987. He is buried in the cemetery at All Saints, Limuru.[15]
