Leslie Vining

Leslie Gordon Vining CBE, (1885 – 4 March 1955) was an English Anglican bishop and the first Archbishop of the Church of the Province of West Africa, from 1951 to 1955.

Leslie Gordon Vining
Archbishop of West Africa
ChurchAnglican
SeeDiocese of West Africa
In office1951 – 1955
Orders
Ordination1911
Consecration1938
Personal details
BornFebruary 5, 1885
Died1955
Previous post(s)Bishop of Lagos
Assistant Bishop on the Niger

Life

He attended Emmanuel College, Cambridge and completed his studies in 1910. He was made deacon at Michaelmas (24 September) 1911, by Handley Moule, Bishop of Durham, at Auckland Castle Chapel.[1] He started out as an assistant curate at St. Gabriel's, Bishopwearmouth[2] and later became chaplain to British forces during World War I. After the war, he was the Vicar of St. Alban's, Westbury Park, Bristol in 1918. He was at the post for the next 20 years.

In 1938, he was migrated to Nigeria as an Assistant Bishop on the Niger succeeding Morris Gelsthorpe. He was consecrated a bishop on All Saints' Day (17 November) 1938, by Cosmo Lang, Archbishop of Canterbury, at Westminster Abbey.[3] Vining was appointed the Bishop of Lagos in 1940 after the resignation of Melville Jones[4] in September 1940;[5] he returned to England for part of that year.[6] While in Nigeria, he established a training school for religious teachers. He also tried to be a bridge builder, reaching out to the Lagos Islamic community.

He was elected the first Archbishop of the newly created Church of the Province of West Africa (remaining diocesan Bishop of Lagos), on the afternoon of the province's inauguration on 17 April 1951; he was duly enthroned as such that evening.[7] He was still in both posts when he died[8] at sea on his way to England on 4 March 1955. He was buried in Freetown, Sierra Leone.[9][10]

References
  1. "The Ordinations. On Sunday Last". Church Times. No. 2540. 29 September 1911. p. 379. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 7 March 2021 – via UK Press Online archives.
  2. "Ecclesiastical News." Times [London, England] 19 July 1938: 10. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 1 Mar. 2016
  3. "Bishops for Ceylon and Africa. Consecration in Westminster Abbey". Church Times. No. 3954. 4 November 1938. p. 506. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 7 March 2021 – via UK Press Online archives.
  4. "Ecclesiastical News." Times [London, England] 1 Feb. 1940: 11. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 1 Mar. 201
  5. "New Bishop of Lagos". Church Times. No. 4019. 1 February 1940. p. 87. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 7 March 2021 – via UK Press Online archives.
  6. "Church News. Personal". Church Times. No. 4038. 14 June 1940. p. 433. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 7 March 2021 – via UK Press Online archives.
  7. "Dr Fisher visits West Africa. Inauguration of new province". Church Times. No. 4062. 20 April 1951. p. 261. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 7 March 2021 – via UK Press Online archives.
  8. "Obituary: Leslie Gordon Vining". Church Times. No. 4805. 11 March 1955. p. 17. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 7 March 2021 – via UK Press Online archives.
  9. Gerald Harry Anderson. Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1999. p 705. ISBN 0-8028-4680-7
  10. Bishop Leslie Gordon Vining Biography at the Diocese of Lagos Official Website
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