John Richardson Selwyn | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Melanesia | |
 Bishop John Selwyn | |
| Church | Church of England |
| Diocese | Melanesia |
| Appointed | 18 February 1877 |
| Predecessor | John Patteson |
| Successor | Cecil Wilson |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1869 by George Augustus Selwyn (his father) |
| Consecration | 18 February 1877 by |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1844-05-20)20 May 1844 Waimate North, New Zealand |
| Died | 12 February 1898(1898-02-12) (aged 53) Pau, France |
| Parents | George Augustus Selwyn and Sarah Harriet (née Richardson) |
| Spouse | |
| Education | Eton College |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Cambridge |
John Richardson Selwyn (20 May 1844 – 12 February 1898)[1] was anAnglican priest who became the secondBishop of Melanesia and then the secondMaster ofSelwyn College, Cambridge.
Selwyn was born inWaimate North, New Zealand, the youngest son ofGeorge Augustus Selwyn and his wifeSarah Harriet, the only daughter ofSir John Richardson. His father was the firstBishop of New Zealand and thenBishop of Lichfield, in whose memorySelwyn College, Dunedin and Selwyn College, Cambridge were named.
Selwyn was educated atEton College andTrinity College, Cambridge, graduating in 1866. Like his father, Selwynrowed forCambridge and took part in theBoat Races of1864 and1866, both of which were won by Oxford.[2] In 1864, withRobert Kinglake, he won theSilver Goblets atHenley Royal Regatta, beatingEdwin Brickwood and his brother in the final.[3]
Selwyn was ordained deacon by his father atLichfield Cathedral in 1869 and became a priest the following year. He served as curate ofAll Saints Church,Alrewas, Staffordshire from 1869 to 1870, then curate ofSt George's Church, Wolverhampton from 1870 to 1871, before promotion to Vicar of St George's. In 1873 Selwyn travelled toMelanesia as amissionary, and four years later was consecrated Bishop of Melanesia.
He made significant financial contributions to the construction of the shipSouthern Cross No. 4, serving theMelanesian Mission.
Illness forced him to return to England in 1891.[4] Selwyn was appointed the secondmaster ofSelwyn College, Cambridge, in 1893. He held this position until he moved toPau, France, at the beginning of 1898 on account of bad health. He died in Pau on 12 February 1898 within two weeks of his arrival and is buried there.
From 1892 to 1895 he also served as anHonorary Chaplain to the Queen.[1]
Selwyn married Clara Long-Innes and, after her death in 1877, Annie Catherine, eldest daughter ofThomas Sutcliffe Mort, the Australian industrialist.[1]
The south-east window of the chapel of Selwyn College was dedicated to the memory of John Selwyn in 1900.[5]
His son George Augustus Selwyn is buried at theParish of the Ascension Burial Ground in Cambridge; he died in 1912, aged 16.
Selwyn is listed in the calendar of saints of theChurch of the Province of Melanesia.
| Anglican Communion titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Bishop of Melanesia 1877–1892 | Succeeded by |
| Academic offices | ||
| Preceded by | Master of Selwyn College, Cambridge 1893–1898 | Succeeded by |
