Name Gordon Selwyn Died 1959 | ||
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The Very Reverend Edward Gordon Selwyn MA, DD (1885–1959) was an English Anglican priest and theologian, who served as Warden of Radley College from 1913 to 1919; Rector of Red Hill, near Havant; and then as Dean of Winchester from 1931 to 1958. He wrote sermons and other books and was the editor of the liberal Anglo-Catholic journal Theology from 1920.
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Early life
Selwyn was born on 6 July 1885 in Liverpool, the eldest son of the Rev. Edward Carus Selwyn, Headmaster of Uppingham School (died 1918), and his wife Lucy Ada, née Arnold. He had four brothers and two sisters. He was son-in-law to Sir Edwyn Hoskyns, bishop of Southwell.
Ecclesiastical life
Selwyn was educated at Eton College and King's College, Cambridge, he prepared for holy orders at Cuddesdon College before being ordained in 1909. He became a Fellow and Lecturer at Corpus Christi, Cambridge until 1913 when he became Warden of Radley College. He resigned from Radley in 1918 and was appointed Rector of Redhill near Havant.
In 1931 Selwyn became Dean of Winchester, a post which he held until his retirement in 1958, his death following shortly after in 1959. During his long tenure he was noted as a distinguished scholar and preacher. His churchmanship was 'high' by the measure of his times, and he anonymously donated Eucharistic vestments to the Cathedral before becoming Dean.
He was responsible for founding The Pilgrims' School for the choristers of Winchester Cathedral and the Quiristers of Winchester College and was actively involved in the early years of St Swithun's School for Girls. He created the 'Friends of Winchester Cathedral', the first body of that kind, and inaugurated many improvements to the Cathedral's fabric and furnishings with an ambitious programme which included re-casting the bells, rebuilding the Cathedral's 'Father Willis' organ and restoration of the Presbytery vault and roof bosses.
Family life
Selwyn married in 1910 to Phyllis Eleanor Hoskyns, daughter of the Bishop of Southwell. He had a daughter and three sons. One of his sons was killed in action on 1945. After his first wife died he married a widow Mrs Barbara Williams (née Crow) in 1942.
Selwyn died on 11 June 1959 at Shawford near Winchester, he was aged 73.