William Awdry

Who was William Awdry?

William Awdry was the inaugural Bishop of Southampton and Osaka who subsequently served South Tokyo.

He was the fourth son of Sir John Wither Awdry and his second wife Frances Ellen Carr, second daughter of Thomas Carr Awdry was educated at Winchester College and Balliol College, Oxford. While at Oxford, he rowed in the Oxford eight in the Boat Race in 1863 and 1864 and his crew won both times.

Ordained in 1865 his early career was an academic one. He obtained a first-class in Literae Humaniores in 1865; and he was successively Fellow and Lecturer at Queens College, Oxford, 1866-8, Second master at his old school and finally Headmaster of Hurstpierpoint, 1873-9. In 1879 he became a Canon Residentiary at Chichester Cathedral and Principal of the nearby Theological College. After seven years he was appointed Vicar of Amport, his final post before ascending to the episcopate.

Awdry was consecrated Bishop Suffragan of Southampton by Archbishop Benson at St. Paul's Cathedral on June 29, 1895. Awdry was appointed Bishop of Osaka in 1896 and was then installed as the Bishop of South Tokyo in 1897, after the death of Bishop Edward Bickersteth.