Launcelot Fleming | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Norwich | |
 | |
| Church | Church of England |
| Diocese | Diocese of Norwich |
| In office | 1960 to 1971 |
| Predecessor | Percy Herbert |
| Successor | Maurice Wood |
| Other post(s) | Dean of Windsor (1971–1976) Bishop of Portsmouth (1949–1960) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1933 (deacon) 1934 (priest) |
| Consecration | 18 October 1949 by Geoffrey Fisher |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Launcelot Scott Fleming 7 August 1906 Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Died | 30 July 1990(1990-07-30) (aged 83) Sherborne, Dorset, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Rugby School |
| Alma mater | |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve |
| Years of service | 1940–1944 |
| Rank | Chaplain |
| Unit | Royal Navy Chaplaincy Service |
| Battles / wars | Second World War |
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William Launcelot Scott FlemingKCVO (7 August 1906 – 30 July 1990) was a ScottishAnglican bishop. He was theBishop of Portsmouth and later theBishop of Norwich. He was also noted as a geologist and explorer.
Fleming was born inEdinburgh on 7 August 1906,[1] the youngest of four sons (the second of whom died at the age of five months), and fifth of five children ofRobert Alexander FlemingFRSE (a surgeon in Edinburgh) and Eleanor Mary, the daughter of the Rev William Lyall Holland, rector of Cornhill-on-Tweed. The family lived at 10 Chester Street in Edinburgh's West End.[2] He was educated atRugby School.[1]
Fleming went up toTrinity Hall, Cambridge in 1925, to study theNatural SciencesTripos.[3] Having specilised ingeology, he achieved asecond class in Part I in 1927 andfirst class honours in Part II in 1929, thereby graduating with aBachelor of Arts (BA).[3] As per tradition, his BA was promoted to aMaster of Arts (MA Cantab) degree in 1932.[4] He was awarded aCommonwealth Fund Fellowship and used it to study atYale University from 1929 to 1931:[3] he graduated with aMaster of Science (MS) degree in geology.[1][4]
On his return to Britain, he studied theology and trained forHoly Orders atWestcott House, Cambridge from 1931 to 1933.[4] He wasordained in theChurch of England as adeacon in 1933 and as apriest in 1934.[5] In 1932 he took part in the Cambridge University expedition to Vatnajokull, Iceland, led byBrian Roberts and in 1933 was chief scientist on the Oxford University expedition to Spitsbergen, led by Alexander Glen.[1] From 1934-37 he was geologist, chaplain and photographer on theBritish Graham Land Expedition, and was a member of the sledging party that traversed the newly discovered King George VI Sound.[1] He was awarded thePolar Medal in 1937.[6]
Fleming pursued an academic career, acting as an examining chaplain to a number of bishops while retaining a base at Trinity Hall, eventually becoming its dean in 1937 and an honorary fellow in 1956.[7]
At the outbreak of theSecond World War, he volunteered to become a chaplain in theRoyal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR).[8] He was commissioned in the RNVR as atemporary chaplain in November 1940 with seniority from 9 July 1940.[9] He served three years on the battleshipHMS Queen Elizabeth,[3][8] including when it was posted to the Mediterranean from 1941 to 1942.[3] In 1944, he was appointed director of service ordination candidates.[3] Later, on 4 May 1950, he made an honorary chaplain to the RNVR.[10]
After the war, he resumed his fellowship at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and was part-time director of theScott Polar Research Institute from 1946 to 1949.[1]
In 1965 he married Jane Agutter, a widow.[11]
In 1971 he was elected a Fellow of theRoyal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Lord Balerno,Douglas Guthrie,Norman Feather andAnthony Elliot Ritchie.[12]
In July 1949, Fleming's name was put forward for the position ofBishop of Portsmouth.[13] He had never held a position in a parish.[4] Having been selected, he was consecrated a bishop onSt Luke's day (18 October) atSouthwark Cathedral[14] byGeoffrey Fisher,Archbishop of Canterbury.[15] He did not take his place in theHouse of Lords for another seven years.[16]
In 1959, he wastranslated to the vacantEpiscopal see ofNorwich,[17][18] becoming the first bishop to use the ancient throne inNorwich Cathedral for 400 years. Although he became a bishop without parochial experience or any great gift for preaching, his unassuming friendliness and humility won over both clergy and laity. Portsmouth became an exceptionally well-run diocese, with more than its share of young clergy and ordinands. Norwich, with 650 churches and a shortage of clergy, presented greater problems; he tackled them resolutely and imaginatively, developing rural group ministries and again attracting good clergy. He also played a significant part in planning theUniversity of East Anglia, which has its own university chapel. A remarkable rapport with young people led to his being made chairman of the Church of England Youth Council (1950–61). Struck by a rare spinal disorder, which seriously affected both legs, he resigned the see in 1971.
An eternally enthusiastic man, in 1960 he realised a lifetime's ambition to ride on the footplate of alocomotive,[19] and in 1965, at the comparatively advanced age of 58, he married Jane Agutter,[20] the widow of Anthony Agutter and daughter of Henry Machen. It was a happy marriage which lasted for twenty-five years but produced no children.
In 1967, unusually for a bishop, Fleming piloted a bill (subsequently theAntarctic Treaty Act 1967) through theHouse of Lords.[21] Well informed on environmental and ecological issues (he was a pre-warglaciologist of repute), he constantly urged responsiblestewardship of the world (his maiden speech in the House of Lords was about cruelty to whales), and the need for international co-operation. He became vice-chairman (1969–71) of the parliamentary group for world government, and a member of the governmentRoyal Commission on Environmental Pollution (1970–73).[22] At Windsor, he consolidated the reputation ofSt George's House. His influence on church policy would have been greater but for synodical government – off-the-cuff debate was not his forte.
On resigning hisSee, Fleming was appointed the Queen's domestic chaplain andDean of Windsor, in which capacity he officiated at the funerals ofPrince William of Gloucester and theformer Edward VIII (Duke of Windsor).[23] In 1976 he was created a Knight Commander of theRoyal Victorian Order and awarded an honorary doctorate by theUniversity of East Anglia for his work with young people.[24] He retired toDorset and died inSherborne on 30 July 1990. He was cremated and his ashes were interred in the churchyard of All Saints' Church inPoyntington inDorset.
| Church of England titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Bishop of Portsmouth 1949–1960 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Bishop of Norwich 1960–1971 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Dean of Windsor 1971–1976 | Succeeded by |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
